The Vulnerability Allure! There is big trouble here for empaths such as me. We are open-hearted and vulnerable. We seek friends who are like us. We may mistake the ‘slack face’ for emotional openness. Big faux pas!
Image: Slack Face, Unblinking Eyes, Flat Emotional Affect,” adapted from Image by Petr Ganaj from Pixabay – Pixabay License
Image: Slack Face, Unblinking Eyes, Flat Emotional Affect,” adapted from Image by Petr Ganaj from Pixabay – Pixabay Licensefrom Pixabay – Pixabay License
- INTRODUCTION
- THE STORY
- WHY DO I GET AN EQUAL SENSE OF PERIL AND ALLUREMENT WHEN I SEE A MAN WITH A SLACK FACE?
- Do Antisocial Personalities Have ‘Slack Face’?
- Do Con Artists Have ‘Slack Face’?
- The Big Picture
- Alice’s Analysis
- Uncanny Valley Effect
- Limerence
- The Vulnerable Allure
- Sidebar: Why Might Slack Face Be Mistaken for Emotional Openness?
- Crystallization (love)
- OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER (OCD), POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD), AND OCCASIONAL VIOLENCE
- Do OCD Have ‘Slack Face’?
- Do PTSD Have ‘Slack Face’?
- WHAT SORTS OF PEOPLE HAVE FLAT EMOTIONAL AFFECT? (substituting this term for ‘slack face’)
- WHY DO I GET AN EQUAL SENSE OF PERIL AND ALLUREMENT WHEN I SEE A MAN WITH A SLACK FACE?
- CONCLUSION
- MORE INFORMATION
- Anhedonia
INTRODUCTION
Dear Ones,
The allure … and the equal sense of alarm … engendered on viewing the ‘slack face’ of another person is, for me, indisputable …
Video: “Stromae – Mauvaise journée,” by Zas Dance Platform, 16 January 2025 … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNz9z5gDTjU ..
Here are the English language lyrics (if you dare) …
Video: “Stromae – Mauvaise journée English translation,” by FrenchVibes, 23 July 2023 … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t06g1NIc7fM ..
THE STORY
The above is quite an intriguing video. Incredible dancing, hard-hitting graphically grabbing lyrics, attitude 180 degrees opposite of the love, Light and joy. Hummm.
There is a post I wrote 8 years ago entitled “How Do Predators Hypnotize Their Prey” …
Link: “How Do Predators Hypnotize Their Prey?” by Alice B. Clagett, begun on 31 May 2018; published on 26 June 2018; revised on 25 February 2025 … https://wp.me/p2Rkym-9sy ..
In retrospect, the interesting thing is that reptilian predators … such as lizards, snakes, crocodiles, alligators, and dinosaurs … have what mammals such as I characterize as the ‘slack face’.
That might account for the sense of alarm I feel when viewing the video. Those seem to me to be alarming young dancers. Who knows what their true feelings are! Maybe their intentions are quite dangerous to me … as may be the case with the Komodo dragon.
Komodo dragons are apex reptilian predators that stalk and eat people and other large animals, don’t they? Maybe these dancers are like Komodo dragons?
Hence the general sense of alarm. But why are slack faces alluring?
I saw someone like this at King Gillette Ranch in the Santa Monica Mountains awhile ago. He was driving an all-terrain vehicle with fine-looking, physically quite capable young men in it … forest workers, perhaps. I got a cookie cutter feeling from them … all of them were quite similar in looks. Then there was the quite handsome, ‘slack face’ driver, who was a little older. Huh.
Some years earlier, while driving north through Chastworth on Topanga Canyon Road, I had seen this same person … same handsome features, same ‘slack face’. Likely he was emerging from a private gymn in the shopping strip there.
I recall I got the same gut-wrenching sense of alarm coupled with allure. It was as if I were being hypnotized …. Wait a moment; was I being hypnotized?
Could it be that the ‘slack face’ is like a blank slate upon which our ever active egos can paint an image of themselves in a far more alluring body? Do we feel instant empathy for people with ‘slack faces’ simply because there appears to be no personality there that competes with our own? Could that be true?
In that case, a ‘slack face’ would be quite a cagey strategy for an antisocial personality or a narcissist or a con artist to undertake. Their intention might be murder or mayhem. They might be well practices in murder and mayhem.
First and foremost, they need to conceal their true intentions with a ‘slack face’. They might anticipate our ego will make the leap to claim their body as its own. And their well-concealed ego might then leap to the kill or the clutch.
I thought I would ask Google AI about the ‘slack face’ and my feelings of alarm and allurement.
WHY DO I GET AN EQUAL SENSE OF PERIL AND ALLUREMENT WHEN I SEE A MAN WITH A SLACK FACE?
First off, Google AI scotched my notion that antisocial personalities or con artists might consciously cultive the ‘slack look’. Here is what Google AI said …
Do Antisocial Personalities Have ‘Slack Face’? “No, there’s no consistent evidence that people with Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) have ‘slack faces’, but research shows they often have reduced or atypical facial emotional expressions, like less sadness or fear, and can struggle with recognizing emotions, sometimes appearing indifferent or using charm to manipulate rather than expressing genuine feelings, making their faces seem less responsive or even blank in certain situations, rather than necessarily ‘slack’.” –Google AI
Do Con Artists Have ‘Slack Face’? “No, con artists do not typically have ‘slack faces’. Professional con artists go to great lengths to manage their appearance and behavior to gain trust, often appearing charming, charismatic, professional, and knowledgeable.
They work hard to come across as trustworthy individuals, often blending into social, community, or religious groups to seem familiar. Their goal is to manipulate victims’ emotions and cloud their judgment, which requires a deliberate and often dynamic presentation, not a blank or ‘slack’ expression.” –Google AI
The Big Picture. So there was that. I thought I had best let preconceptions go, and instead I take a look at the ‘big picture’. Google AI had other things to say, including the stoic appeal of the John Wayne look … I asked Google AI: Why do I get an equal sense of peril and allurement when I see a man with a slack face?
Google AI said: “A slack face, characterized by relaxed muscles and a neutral, expressionless appearance, can evoke a complex mix of feelings including both peril and allurement due to evolutionary and psychological factors.
Peril
The sense of peril can stem from several factors:
- Unpredictability A neutral or slack face provides little emotional information, making the person’s intentions difficult to read. The lack of an decipherable expression can be interpreted as a sign of something hidden or unpredictable, which the human brain often associates with potential danger …
- Deviation from Norm Most social interactions involve a constant exchange of subtle facial cues. A complete lack of expression deviates from this norm, creating a sense of unease or uncanniness because the expected social script is absent …
- Association with Stoicism A slack, emotionless face can be associated with intense self-control or a guarded personality, sometimes linked in popular culture or personal experience with individuals who might be intimidating, untrustworthy, or emotionally unavailable …
Allurement
The sense of allurement can also arise from these characteristics:
- Mystery and Intrigue The same lack of expression that creates unease can also foster a sense of mystery. The unknown nature of the person’s thoughts and feelings can be alluring, prompting curiosity and a desire to discover what lies beneath the surface …
- Calm and Self-Possession A consistently emotionless face might also be interpreted as a sign of extreme calm, confidence, and self-possession. In a world full of overt emotional displays, this stoicism can be seen as powerful and attractive …
- Blank Canvas Effect A slack face serves as a ‘blank canvas’, allowing the observer to project their own desires or interpretations onto the person. This ambiguity can be more engaging than a face with a clear, defined emotion …
Ultimately, these reactions are subjective and depend on an individual’s personal experiences, cultural background, and current context.”
I Dove Deaper, and Google AI had some quite intriguing things to say: “The sensation of combined peril and allurement when viewing a ‘slack face’ (a lack of emotional expression often called flat affect) typically stems from a psychological disconnect between what you see and what your brain expects to find.
Why It Feels Like Peril (Danger)
- Uncanny Valley Effect: Humans are highly sensitive to facial movements that appear ‘not quite right’. A face that should be expressing emotion but remains slack can trigger a subconscious sense of eeriness or revulsion because it mimics ‘non-living’ or unnatural qualities.
- Loss of Social Predictability: Facial expressions are essential for social communication. When a person’s face is slack, you cannot ‘read’ their intentions or emotions. This lack of feedback is unsettling because the brain prioritizes detecting threats; an unreadable face is a potential hidden threat.
- Association with Instability: In clinical psychology, flat affect is often a symptom of serious conditions like schizophrenia or PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder]. While the individual may not be dangerous, the [observer’s] brain’s ‘danger alarm’ (the amygdala) may react to the lack of social cohesion as a signal of unpredictability.
Why It Feels Like Allurement (Attraction)
- The Limerent Object: Intense fixation on another person, known as limerence, can make even ambiguous or ‘slack’ expressions seem magnetic. The lack of a clear message can act as a ‘blank canvas’, allowing you to project your own desires or interpretations onto their face.
- The ‘Vulnerable’ Allure: Some research suggests that certain non-threatening or passive facial states can elicit a ‘behavioral approach’ or prosocial response. A slack face might be subconsciously interpreted as a sign of vulnerability or a need for help, which can be mistakenly felt as attraction or a desire to connect.
- Intrigue of the Unknown: An expressionless face creates a mystery. This ‘emotional blindness’ (alexithymia) or flat affect may draw you in because you are trying to solve the ‘inverse problem’ of what they are actually feeling inside.
Medical Context for a Slack Face
If you observe a sudden or persistent slackness in a face, it may be due to:
- Neurological Issues: Conditions like Bell’s palsy, stroke, or Parkinson’s disease can cause facial drooping or ‘masked face’.
- Mental Health: Flat affect is a common ‘negative’ symptom in schizophrenia or a result of deep depression or autism.
- Medication: Certain psychiatric medications can cause a blunting of emotional expression as a side effect.”
. . . . . . . . . .
Alice’s Analysis
Uncanny Valley Effect. Here is more on the Uncanny Valley Effect: “The uncanny valley effect is a hypothesized psychological and aesthetic relation between an object’s degree of resemblance to a human being and the emotional response to the object. The uncanny valley hypothesis predicts that an entity appearing almost human will elicit uncanny or eerie feelings in viewers.” –from Link: “Uncanny valley,” in English Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncanny_valley#:~:text=The%20uncanny%20valley%20effect%20is,or%20eerie%20feelings%20in%20viewers. … CC BY-SA 4.0 License
I had already read about ‘flat emotional affect’ (which is another name for ‘slack face’) being a heads up for psychosis. So there is that.
. . . . .
Limerence. I particularly liked the discussion about ‘Limerence‘. I checked with Wikipedia; apparently Limerance is like a childhood crush … intense infatuation with someone …
“Limerence is the mental state of being madly in love … or intensely infatuated … when reciprocation of the feeling is uncertain. This state is characterized by intrusive thoughts and idealization of the loved one (also called ‘crystallization’), typically with a desire for reciprocation to form a relationship. This is accompanied by feelings of ecstasy or despair, depending on whether one’s feelings seem to be reciprocated or not ….” –from Link: “Limerence,” in English Wikipedia … https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limerence … CC BY-SA 4.0 License
. . . . .
The Vulnerable Allure. “The ‘Vulnerable Allure’ refers to the powerful attraction and connection created when individuals reveal their authentic, imperfect selves, showcasing emotions, fears, and flaws, which fosters intimacy, trust, likability, and deeper human connection, despite societal pressures to appear strong or invulnerable, often explored in psychology, relationships, and even marketing. It’s the surprising strength found in openness, moving beyond perceived weakness to invite empathy and genuine belonging.” –Google AI
There is big trouble here for empaths such as me. We are open-hearted and vulnerable. We seek friends who are like us. We may mistake the ‘slack face’ for emotional openness. Big faux pas!
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Sidebar: Why Might Slack Face Be Mistaken for Emotional Openness?
I asked Google AI: Why might slack face be mistaken for emotional openness?
Google AI said: “‘Slack face’, or a neutral facial expression, might be mistaken for emotional openness because of several factors related to how humans interpret social cues and the inherent ambiguity of facial expressions.
Misinterpretation Factors
- Projection of Desired Emotions: When a face is relatively expressionless, observers may project their own interpretations or desired emotions onto it. A ‘slack’ or neutral face serves as a blank canvas, which a person hoping for emotional openness might interpret as an inviting, receptive demeanor.
- Cultural Context: The interpretation of facial expressions is not universally uniform and is heavily influenced by cultural context. In some contexts, a neutral expression might be perceived as a sign of calm, trustworthiness, or being ‘open’ to a conversation, rather than a lack of emotion.
- Contrast with Stronger Emotions: Compared to expressions like anger, fear, or sadness, a neutral face is low-intensity. This absence of intense, clearly defined emotional signals may be perceived as a non-threatening, accessible state, which can be misconstrued as openness.
- Expectation Bias: If an observer expects someone to be emotionally open (due to the situation or a prior belief), they may interpret ambiguous cues, like a slack face, in a way that confirms their expectation.
- Focus on Other Cues: When the face provides minimal information, observers may rely on other cues, such as body language, eye contact, or tone of voice. If these other cues align with ‘openness,’,the neutral face is likely to be interpreted accordingly.
- Ambiguity of Neutrality: Research indicates that facial expressions can be highly ambiguous, and even basic emotions can be misclassified, such as fear and surprise being confused. A neutral face is the most ambiguous, making it susceptible to varied, and sometimes incorrect, interpretations.
Ultimately, facial expressions alone are not a reliable way to gauge a person’s precise emotional state, and context matters a great deal in accurate interpretation.”
. . . . .
Crystallization (love). I also checked on the word ‘crystallization’ as mentioned in the unusual context above. Wikipedia had this to say …
“Crystallization is a concept, developed in 1822 by the French writer Stendhal, which describes the process, or mental metamorphosis, in which the characteristics of a new love are transformed into perceptual diamonds of shimmering beauty. According to a quotation by Stendhal:‘What I call ‘crystallization’ is the operation of the mind that draws from all that presents itself the discovery that the loved object has some new perfections;’ ….” –from Link: “Crystallization (love),: in English Wikipedia … https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystallization_(love) … CC BY-SA 4.0 License
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OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER (OCD), POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD), AND OCCASIONAL VIOLENCE
This word Crystallization reminds me of Monk’s fixation on his wife Trudy in the movie series “Monk.” As you may know, Trudy had disappeared … or putatively so … or had Monk murdered his wife? I ask that because Monk had obsessive compulsive disorder … a psychological state that I, as a Christian, associate with ‘on again, off again’ demonic possession.
Ian Freckleton of NIH associates obsessive compulsive disorder (sometimes in association with PTSD) with various crimes. Might murder be one of these? For more on this search the term ‘crime’ at this link …
Link: “Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder and the Criminal Law,” by Ian Freckelton, QC, in National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), National Library of Medicine, NIH … https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8009125/ ..
See also my discussion of the above-referenced article here …
Link: “Are There Obsessive Compulsive People Who Are Walking Time Bombs?” by Alice B. Clagett, written and published on 9 December 2022; revised on 12 December 2022, on 3 June 2023, on 31 July 2023, on 17 October 2023, and on 25 December 2025 … https://awakeningwithplanetearth.com/is-obsessive-compulsive-disorder-related-to-multiple-personality-and-satanic-possession-by-alice-b-clagett/ ..
I have to wonder if OCD – PTSD folks sometimes errupt in acts of violence, such as murder of their wives, whom they need to remember as perfection itself through a process termed ‘Crystallization’?
Could ‘Crystallization’ by an OCD person be the notion behind obsessively careful ordering of what is in their visual array? Ought I say ‘visual array’ or simply ‘physical environment’, I wonder.
Striving for regularity or simplicity, or for repetitive similar thought processes, or mentally building on an buyoing idea … such as Trudy’s perfection … might be ways of re-inventing one’s world after a shattering PTSD experience.
(That reminds me a little of repetitive spiritual chanting as a way of acchieving neutral mind and peaceful feelings.)
If so, then the infrequent lapses of OCD people into violent criminal ‘acting out’ … or what I as a Christian term ‘demonic possession’ might be temporary breakdowns of the internal OCD chant, and memories of PTSD experiences?
And the repetitive rituals and what I posit may be Crystallization of OCD people might be self-healing techniques?
Do OCD Have ‘Slack Face’?
Out of curiosity, I asked Google AI: Do OCD have ‘slack face’?
Google AI said: “While OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) doesn’t cause a universally “’lack face’, research suggests subtle facial differences, like thinner lower lips in males or smaller nasolabial angles in females, and impaired emotional expression (affective flattening), can occur, stemming from brain structure variations and the constant emotional distress of obsessions, leading to reduced facial movement and seemingly ‘flatter’ affect.
Subtle Facial Differences (Research Findings)
- Males: Studies have found lower lip red height (thinner lower lip) in male OCD patients compared to controls, correlating with neutralizing compulsions.
- Females: Female OCD patients sometimes show smaller nasolabial angles (less pronounced smile lines/mouth area).
- Brain Structure: Thinner inferior parietal cortex, involved in interpreting sensations, has been noted in people with OCD, potentially impacting emotional expression.
Impact on Emotional Expression
- Affective Flattening: Patients with OCD often show incongruent facial expressions, meaning their feelings don’t match their face, leading to a less animated or ‘flatter’ appearance, similar to symptoms seen in schizophrenia.
- Anxiety & Compulsions: The intense anxiety from obsessions and the mental effort of compulsions can reduce spontaneous facial movements, making expressions seem muted or ‘slack’.
Why it’s Not a Universal Symptom
- OCD Varies: Symptoms differ greatly between individuals; not everyone experiences these subtle physical or emotional expression changes.
- High-Functioning OCD: People with high-functioning OCD might hide their internal struggles well, though they still experience the intrusive thoughts and compulsions.
In essence, while not a defining feature like handwashing, facial expressions in OCD can be subtly affected by brain changes, emotional suppression, and the constant mental effort, sometimes resulting in a less expressive or ‘slack’ appearance.”
Do PTSD Have ‘Slack Face’?
Google AI’s answer seems to me not to be a straight fit for OCD with regard to ‘slack face’. So I asked Google AI: Do PTSD have ‘slack face’?
Google AI votes yes for flat emotional affect, and no for ‘slack face’, which they define as facial paralysis.
Once again, I got that I had best segue to the ‘big picture’ …
WHAT SORTS OF PEOPLE HAVE FLAT EMOTIONAL AFFECT? (substituting this term for ‘slack face’)
There is a conflict of my terminology with that of Google AI. so I opted for the term ‘flat emotional affect’. I asked Google AI: What sorts of people have flat emotional affect? (substituting this term for ‘slack face’) …
Google AI said: “People with flat affect show little to no emotional expression, common in conditions like schizophrenia, depression, PTSD, Autism (ASD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), and sometimes due to medications (like antidepressants), or neurological issues (Parkinson’s). It’s a symptom, not a disorder, meaning they may feel emotions internally but can’t express them outwardly through voice or face.
Associated Conditions & Causes:
- Schizophrenia: A core ‘negative’ symptom, involving monotone voice, blank face, lack of gestures.
- Depression: Can cause emotional numbness (anhedonia) or stoicism despite internal feelings.
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): May present as robotic mannerisms or reduced facial/body expression, sometimes linked to masking.
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Emotional numbing and detachment can lead to flat affect.
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): Damage to emotional centers can alter expression.
- Neurological Disorders: Parkinson’s disease and dementia are linked.
- Medications: Antidepressants are a common cause of emotional blunting (inability to feel) or flat affect (inability to show).
- Schizoid Personality Disorder: Characterized by emotional coldness and detachment.”
Key Characteristics:
- Monotone voice.
- Blank facial expressions, limited eye contact.
- Lack of typical reactions (e.g., to joy or sadness).
- Reduced gestures or nonverbal cues.
Treating the underlying condition is key to managing flat affect.”
CONCLUSION
Well, Ok. What I call ‘slack face’ Google AI calls ‘flat emotional affect’, which it associates with schizophrenia, depression, autism, PTSD, and Schizoid personality disorder, amongst other things.
People with these issues may or may not act unexpectably, so a feeling of danger may or may not be warranted.
So then, despite the conflicting feeling of allurement that flat emotional affect may engender in the observer, my advice to my Readers is this ..
Be observant. Be careful. Expect the unexpected. Dont go ‘Limerent’! Don’t Crystallize! Don’t cozy up … move farther away, just in case.
In other words, don’t be hypnotized by what may be an Apex Predator. Survival matters! Survival first!
Well, that’s all for now.
In love, light and joy
This is Alice B. Clagett.
I Am of the Stars … and so are you!
Compiled and published on 15 January 2026; revised on 17 February 2026
NOTE: In this post, quotes from Google AI are in light blue font.
MORE INFORMATION
New word … Anhedonia … aka ‘the blahs’ … “Anhedonia is the inability to feel pleasure or interest in activities once enjoyed, manifesting as numbness, apathy, or emptiness, and is a core symptom of depression, schizophrenia, and substance use disorders, though it also appears with Parkinson’s or PTSD. It involves deficits in both wanting (motivation) and liking (enjoyment) rewards, often linked to dopamine system issues, and requires professional diagnosis to treat the underlying cause with therapy, lifestyle changes, or specific medications.” –Google AI
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0). Attribution: By Alice B. Clagett.
More license information
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narcissist, con artist, obsessive compulsive disorder, possession, limerence, limerent object. crystallization, post-traumatic stress disorder, neutral mind, peaceful feelings, chants, psychology, psychiatry, acting out, survival, predator-prey, reptoids, crocodiloids, dracoids, lizardoids, serpentoids, crime, murder, empathty,
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