perfectly tanned faces

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keannu

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This is about "our disguise about true feeling by comparing with others". What does "tanned faces" mean? Is it a metaphor for someone's happiness coming from his leisure to enjoy suntanning?

bi5-45
ex)We are taught to hide our pain, fake a smile, and put on a brave face. And when most of what we see are perfect smiles displayed on other people's perfectly tanned faces, we begin to believe that we are the odd ones out-...
 

5jj

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I don't think it's a metaphor. Most of us have some form of inferiority complex (this is what I think the writer is suggesting). While we cannot smile because our teeth are uneven and/or discoloured, and we are very aware that are faces are blotchy and spotty, everyone around us appears to have perfect smiles and perfect(ly tanned) skin.
 

Barb_D

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Or, to add more possible meaning, most people don't tan evenly from just being out in the sun. We have lines where our sunglasses were, where we applied sun screen unevenly, etc. If someone has a perfectly tanned face, they probably did it in a tanning salon, so in addition to their (possibly) fake smiles, they also have a "fake" tan. They are make sure their outward appearance looks perfect. But we don't know what's going on inside.
 
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