I confess, I had to google the word "phatic". I've noticed when conmen phone or call at my house they always ask how I am. As a rule of thumb i would say that anyone who you've never seen or heard before that asks how you are should be given short shrift!
Myself, I get told off for smiling. And I get told off for not smiling. In order to join an unsmiling "Demo" like this - all day - I would find it impossible... unless I knew that I was only there because the Airline I had booked for that day had gone into administration? Or that shop selling the limited edition Strauss CD had closed down? Or that Special Recipie had been changed? Or I needed Batteries which are not included after all? Or <Edited by NAS Moderator responsible for Enforcing Positive Posts Only, within this Forum.>
- Lastly, I have a real story about my own "smiling". Apparently, in my infancy, I did not 'Smile-To-Order' in social situations, apparently. One day, as We infants all exited the Class, the (wide) Teacher came to bar my way, to stop only Myself from exiting. With a wide smile, She loomed down at Me, and said in a Booming Cheery manner: "I'm not letting You set one foot out of this room until I see a SMILE!"
At that point, I felt like screaming... but I recalled the English Language, gave her a fake smile for about 0.7 Milliseconds, and then dropped it. Yet this seemed to satisfy the Teacher, and she then stepped aside to release Me. I last recall staggering out of that classroom, wondering what the Dickens might that have been all about... :-O
Same I swear my face is made of plaster or something, I have a really dead pan expression permanently, and if I do laugh or smile its usually at something totally inappropriate.
Ooops - Sorry - 
