Is crying a sign of weakness or strength?

[Swoony 195]

More strength than anything I think. Crying just means you're human. Everyone cries. I personally think crying is good and natural, female or male. And a good cry can reduce stress and often makes you feel better.

 

People should cry more often I think. It's a release of stress and emotion. It's good for you to cry sometimes and you shouldn't hold it in.

 

The whole thing against men crying is really dumb too. It's definitely not a sign of weakness. Everyone does it and it's a natural thing you shouldn't be ashamed of or afraid to do.

[Adachi 772]

If you repress your emotions, you'll end up becoming like Franziska von Karma. Then next thing you know, you're a prosecutor and in a courtroom, whipping some poor defense attorney. Then have a humiliating breakdown in front of one of your loved ones.

 

Edit: Is it normal to force myself to cry by watching touching tv/anime/movie scenes and listening to music that moves me? I think I might be a little addicted to sadness, maybe it's due to having a lack of role models when growing up. I just want to be protected, instead of a protector, although I'm not above protecting others.

Edited April 4, 2014 by Princess of the Sun

[~Sugar Sprinkles~ 637]

I think it can go 2 ways really.

 

Crying over a guy or a girl in a pointless relationship that has lasted a week shows that you are weak. Crying over being a spoiled brat and not getting what you want shows that you are weak. Crying if someone talks crap about you shows that you are weak. Crying if you break a nail. Crying if a bug lands on you. Weak, weak, weak!

 

Crying over a close relative or a loved one shows you care for them and it shows you are strong, because you are showing emotions. Crying over almost losing a close one out of fear can show strength because you care. Honestly, crying over showing your caring and love them legit, shows you are strong.

 

Its what I PERSONALLY think.

[Moonlight 7,279]

I don't personally believe crying is a sign of weakness or strength. It's just a simple human emotion, nothing more, nothing less. 

[Shanks 10,811]

It can be if you are crying over something trivial but it is not so much crying that is a sign of strength but the willingness to do it despite all of the ridiculous social norms about it supposedly not being acceptable for guys to show emotion. It shouldn't be this way and it has gotten a bit better but this false macho culture is still very much in effect.

[SonOfTheNorthe 412]

Neither. It's simply a sign of emotion. Whether people want to call it good or bad is their opinion.

[FatalRain 108]

I was taught as a child by my father that it was a sign of weakness

as such, I still cry, and often

There's no need to bottle up feelings

I do, however, think it's a better thing to do in private

I mean, crying in front of people once in awhile is okay, but some people do it so often you can tell they're trying to get attention -a-

[Sugar Pea 2,681]

Ah, so much unbiased posts it's crazy...I should step in. Guys, i'm aware it's a human emotion, I was just asking if this human emotion can label you as weak or strong, depending on the situation. Nothing against those who shared a unbiased opinion or anything, it's just sometimes seeing heavy impersonal posts followed by an obvious statement, and a ton of it, can be a little cringe worthy. I guess i'm used to straight forward opinions.     ^-^'
Ah well...I highly encourage you to pick a side though, don't be afraid to say what you feel though. 
 

Edited April 5, 2014 by PeachBlink

[Sir Hugsalot 8,625]

I myself don't cry often, but I will stick to opinion that it's barely sign of weakness. Unless someone is crying over things like random troll on the internet. Sometimes terrible things happen and crying is normal reaction to them. Even I cried not much time ago because something awful happened to my friend. Am I weak because I was crushed by that event? 

[Wolfstanus 116]

Its neither. Its an emotion and or an expression of pain. If you can't cry then there is something wrong with you.

 

I often repress my emotions and hardships from family and friends. I sit and listen to others but my own I wont bother others with. I eventually forget about them or they just plain stop bothering me.

 

I may "cry" (I get teary eyed) when watching a good movie or watching a movie or playing a game but that's about it.

Edited April 5, 2014 by Wolfstanus

[Octavia's Cellozoid 1,488]

Crying is NOT a sign of weakness, in my opinion:

 

I cry when I'm stressed out. Having trouble with a test? I cry. Get yelled at for something I didn't do? I cry. Being lectured? I cry. You get the point. And it's not voluntary, it just happens. My natural reaction to stress is to cry. It's the same thing when I go through one of my anxiety bouts, I just cry. I hate it when people assume I'm just a crybaby; I'm not. It's not under my own control. I hate it when people look at me with that whole, 'Oh, you poor thing,' look, and when people assume I'm trying to manipulate them. If I'm crying, I just wish people would ignore it.

[Lightning Bliss 1,674]

I view crying in several forms... since I did freshly cry last night it's safe to say this for me...

 

Pain is weakness leaving the body. When I cry sometimes, it's because I'm hurting, whether that be emotionally or physically... in this case it was emotional overwhelment. I felt sick, walked on, a door mat...weak and pathetic for letting it all happen, so I cried... When I got it out, (with the help of my loving husband) and got some sleep, the next morning I felt right as rain, no more pain or doubt, just to shove on like I always have.

 

I find crying as a means to get all the pains out or stresses.

[Tigerpop198 696]

I don't think crying is a sign of anything. To me it is just crying, nothing more, nothing less.

[D1SC0RD 987]

I think crying shows your emotions in an outward way and I don't think that makes someone strong or weak... it just means they feel things sometimes.

 

Except when it comes to breaking points... if you can't handle very much stress before you start crying then I think you'd be in for a pretty rough ride.

[Judgement 445]

Crying is just an emotion. To me, it doesn't mean weakness or strength. Everybody has cried at least once in their life, even if it was just for a few seconds.

[StarSwirlTheBearded 356]

Crying is a sign of weakness.  I thought it just went without saying, but apparently it doesn't.  It's hard to explain why crying=weakness, it just is.

[Khaoios 1,970]

Its actually neither or both.  Personally, if you cry about something involving hatred or something around there, its your emotions of weakness, yet strength at the same time.

 

Weakness - Yes, there are times that assholes will say something to you, thinking that if they pick on you, it makes them feel more superior and powerful.  However, in truth, most don't realize they are showing there "dark" side of themself rather than to walk over and take you by the hand and help you.  (Im no doctor, but I recognize these things due to my observant personality)

 

Strength - Even though people who are hurt emotionally, cry b/c it may be considered there weakness but as a matter of fact, it shows them strength.  Strength on how special you are and what threats you may pose to that one person.   Not to go stereotypical but historical, but look at the conflict between White Americans and African Americans.  To be specific, read Jackie Robinson, who was the first black baseball player and do you know why I was impressed about him.   People's hatred towards him, may have hurt him, but it did not hurt his ambition.  That guy busted his ass to make it to the top to soon be well-known in baseball. Basically this man was constantly made fun of and even in books, they said he cried but not out of weakness, but out of strength.  Peoples hatred to him drove him to be better and to come back at them, stating that no matter how many times people make fun of him, he will succeed and be the best. 

 

With me, I've cried sometime in the past, but it gave me the strength to do better and to put those who made fun of my under my feet. 

[NeedsMoreGoth 163]

Well it depends. There are 3 kinds of tears. 2 of those are protective and only 1 kind is emotional. If you're talking about the tears we cry when sad or happy (emotional tears), I would have to say they are neither. Life must have balance and crying is simply a display of overwhelming emotion. If you cry because you're sad that's good because it means you will be happy later. Emotional tears are also used for sympathy with us humans, so other people know you need cheering up. Tears are not weakness, they are strength and protection.  

[Rhythmic Tempo 49]

I have this habit where I cry after a long period of rage or anger. It gets a load off my chest, but its discouraged how I was raised and has led to fights because of the warrior gene sadly.

[Diva Pony 345]

One of the reasons I chose to marry my husband was because he cries sometimes.  It shows he is not afraid to be who he is.

 

Weakness or strength?  Neither. 

 

But the old stigma that says men aren't supposed to cry is foolish and quite unhealthy.  If you can't cry to release pain and sorrow, then it's going to manifest some other way-- and that is not always pretty.  Bottling up your feelings is proven to be unhealthy, can lead to hurting those you love, those you don't love, violence.  There is a lot to be said about having a good cry.

 

There have been a few comments about people crying over stupid things.  I actually had a situation where I had not cried for a long time.  I was going to be strong and for some reason I couldn't cry if I wanted to.  This went on for a couple of months.  Then while I was driving a rock flew up and cracked my windshield and I just started bawling like a baby.  And then I started laughing and I thanked God for sending me something to push my buttons and make me finally cry.  I needed to cry.

 

So the next time you think someone is being stupid for crying over something trivial, remember that sometimes the person might be holding in a lot of emotion and it's the trivial unrelated incident that finally releases the emotion.

Edited April 5, 2014 by Diva Pony

[Wayzer 1,418]

Well ehm, it's definitely not a sign of strength. but I don't think it's weakness either. Rather uncertainty or inability to cope with certain situations or just sadness

[Iron Shield 88]

Don't really associate either with weakness nor strength, though a long long time ago weakness came to mind.

 

In reality, it is what it is. Does show that you have emotion though.

[Kel_Grym 1,917]

In ancient Greece, crying was actually a manly virtue, because it showed that the man in question passionately gives a s@#!.

 

Messenger: Hail hero! I bring sad tidings! Athens burns to the ground!

 

Hero: Surely you jest! This is not true!

 

Messenger: Aye, I regret to inform you that it is.

 

Hero: *dramatically beats his chest and weeps openly to the sky* NOOO!

 

Messenger: *sees a guy next to the hero. Sees that the guy seems nonplussed* You! Whats your f@#$ing problem!

 

Guy: *shrugs shoulders* I didn't have anyone in Athens I cared for. Even if I did, it's a statistical inevitability, considering how often the city states of Greece go to war with each other, so why should I let it bother m-- *the Hero plunges his sword through the guy*

 

Hero: F!%& you a#$hole.

Edited April 7, 2014 by KelGrym

[Frith is Magick 1,471]

It depends. Sometimes you just need to buck up and carry on with the task at hand, but that is short term. In the end, if you need to get it out of your system, you probably should. While crying itself may not be a sign of strength, not being afraid to be seen crying is a sign of confidence. 

[Time dash 10]

Saddly my family have raised me to be more like a cyberman and leave my feelings behind and help people more.