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Railway Workers Get Daily Smile Scans

Posted by samzenpus on from the *_* dept.

More than 500 workers at Japan's, Keihin Electric Express Railway, must have their faces scanned each morning to determine their optimum smile. The "smile scan" analyzes a smile based on facial characteristics, from lip curves and eye movements to wrinkles. After the program scans you, it produces a smile rating that ranges from zero to 100 depending on the estimated potential of your biggest smile. If your number is sufficient, you can go about your day grinning like a maniac. If your smile number is too low the computer will give you a message such as, "lift up your mouth corners" or "you still look too serious." Every morning employees receive a printout of their daily smile which they are expected to keep with them throughout the day.

13 of 385 comments (clear)

  1. Japan is insane. by Trinexx · · Score: 5, Interesting

    What the hell is wrong with the Japanese? What practical purpose does this serve?

    1. Re:Japan is insane. by dyingtolive · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I agree entirely. At the same time, this scares me. What if they start demanding you report to the attitude modification center for your antidepressants because you're not smiling all day long? This especially bugs me because I'm not a smilier and I like being bitter, damnit!

      --
      Support the EFF and Creative Commons. The war is coming, and they're supporting you...
    2. Re:Japan is insane. by HappyHead · · Score: 5, Funny

      Happiness is mandatory citizen! Smile, and move along.

    3. Re:Japan is insane. by Ohio+Calvinist · · Score: 5, Interesting

      While it is kind of creepy, having worked in Technical Support, I found that when I made myself smile, even when I was furiously angry or irritated, it helped me "be" more friendly and attentive to my callers, than when I frowned, or wrapped my phone cord around my neck like a noose, etc...

      When you are in customer service, it makes a huge difference, and belive it or not, it often makes a huge difference to customers who expect that you don't care about them and are just jockeying the time clock. Perception is everything.

      However, rather than doing this, it might be better to just talk to the employee if you see them routinely looking like they ate a lemon.

      --
      Forgive my spelling from time to time. I'm often posting during short breaks.
    4. Re:Japan is insane. by Oswald · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Actually, Sunshine, the ring effect is probably indirect. I'm guessing (just guessing!) that as the relationship got to the set-in-stone phase -- perhaps shortly after the honeymoon was over? -- your true nature began to assert itself. Your wife, I imagine, is just doing the best she can to deal with the horrible mistake she made. She'll be friendly and cheerful again when she finally faces the truth that things are never getting better and ditches you.

      I've been married for 18 years. My wife still says nice things about me to my face and to our children all the time. She is independent enough not to have to "want something" from me -- she can do and get things for herself. We're both glad we didn't marry someone as congenitally cranky as you.

      Now stop insulting women in general and your wife in particular. It's rude.

    5. Re:Japan is insane. by pegr · · Score: 5, Insightful

      It is bad and/or weird. Japan, one of the most racist and nationalistic societies left on the planet (though not the only one left), practices many forms of conformity at the cost of the individual. Individuality is (sometimes literally) beaten out of the japanese since birth. There is no consideration of fairness, only service to the greater good, as defined by the politics of the day. I would be hard pressed to come up with a more accurate definition of institutional EVIL, quite frankly.

      Yup, company-enforced smiling... Doesn't surprise me a bit. Most japanese will lie to you if they think that's what you want to hear. It's all about saving face, literally in this case. It's all a pack of lies to strengthen the greater good at the cost of the people. It's a broken model and should be treated with scorn and derision. It is bad and/or weird.

      Gaijin-and-prefers-it-that-way

      (Damn, now to post this comment, I have to hit "submit"!)

  2. Bad news... by tnk1 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Those employees about to be terminated receive the following critique:

    "WHY SO SERIOUS?"

  3. Flair! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    And be sure to wear some flair. That would be great.

  4. I can say only one thing by Ronald+Dumsfeld · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Fuck. Right. Off.

    I can be polite and professional without smiling.

    --
    Where's the Kaboom?
    There's supposed to be an Earth-shattering Kaboom.
  5. Break out the happy helmet by SendBot · · Score: 5, Funny

    Sing along everybody...

    "Happy happy. Joy joy!"
    "Happy happy. Joy joy!"

    "I don't think you're happy enough"

    "I'll teach you to be happy. I'll teach your grandma to suck eggs!"

    "and the little critters of nature. They don't know that they're ugly."

    "I TOLD YOU I'D SHOOT, BUT YOU DIDN'T BELIEVE ME!!! WHYYYYY WOULDN'T YOU BELIEVE ME!!!???"

    "Happy happy. Joy joy!"
    "Happy happy. Joy joy!"

  6. a company that cares - that's so sweet by Tumbleweed · · Score: 5, Funny

    Beatings will continue until morale improves!
    - The Management

    ps Have a nice day!

    (Seriously, have a nice day, you little piss-ants, OR ELSE.)

  7. Japanese Perfection by Hercules+Peanut · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This is the perfect example of treating a symptom. Smiles represent good feelings and a positive attitude which can very very infectious and so desirable in customer service. However, if someone is "too serious" the response "still to serious" doesn't really help. Perhaps they should consider the root of the issue and try to make their employees genuinely happy.

    Another option is to have them all wear smiley face masks :)

  8. Pretty much by Unoriginal_Nickname · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The only first-world country with no laws about racial persecution. They are signatories to all of the applicable treaties, of course, but the national and prefecture governments have been playing hot potato with the blame for never ratifying any of them. Meanwhile you have employment, products and services that are unobtainable unless you are a Japanese citizen, born in Japan, pure-blooded Japanese, never lived outside of Japan and also fortunate enough for none of your ancestors to have butchered an animal or buried a dead body.

    Mod parent up.