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[Seriphyn]

The January 112 Pan-Federation Smile (S4/E13/H59 female variant) as exhibited by Rhea Inhonores

The Pan-Federation Smile is widely used by both individuals and organizations in many Gallentean societies. It is employed for a variety of different goals and purposes, from a company trying to sell a product, to an individual trying to raise their own social standing. The technique is extremely specific, dependent on one's gender, as well as eye, skin, and hair colour. It is both refined and revised by hundreds of finishing schools each year, who all work together in reaching a consensus for that season's particular style. Experts note that the Pan-Federation Smile (when adjusted for individual variables) has a 70-85% chance of a positive reception on most Federation worlds.

Although such quirks of social interaction has existed in Gallente societies for hundreds of years, the Pan-Fed Smile in particular is a relatively recent development. When advertising, many corporations would simply follow the presentation styles popular in Luminaire for their products. However, on other worlds, such styles were found to be ineffective, and even offensive in some cases. In one instance, a community on a particular planet mistook an advertisement for morphite jewelry as one for prostitutes instead, due to misinterpreting the smiles of the men and women in the sequence to be similar to that of local sex workers. That community subsequently filed an official complaint with the Federal Administration, and the company was fined several thousand ISK for inflicting cultural offense. Similar problems would emerge with civilian space travel in the Federation, where transport companies would receive negative feedback for what was interpreted as inappropriate conduct by their stewards and stewardesses.

As a result, these companies began to work with Gallentean finishing schools and cultural centres to produce what was the least culturally offensive form of PR conduct, while maximizing receptiveness to as many individuals and planetary societies as possible. The result was the Pan-Federation Smile, which was first adjusted for the six primary homeworlds, before moving on to other major worlds. It would be adjusted again when being introduced to planets that were new to off-world trade. As cultures and societies shifted, such as with the large influx of Minmatar immigrants, the Pan-Fed Smile would be tweaked yet again to compensate for Matari social customs and their resultant influence on native groups.

Today, the Pan-Federation Smile is visible on most forms of interstellar media and advertising in the Federation, and has influenced similar mores in the thousands of cultural constituencies that make up the union. It is prevalent in other empires, but far less influential, due to social taboos against smiling in public and/or formal environments. Indeed, to many groups, the Pan-Federation Smile is considered plastic and pretentious. Cosmetic and vanity implants exist to emulate the Pan-Fed Smile according to the most recent updates from planetary cultural streams, forcefully pulling at the facial muscles of the user at their discretion to mirror the smile in its exactness. Many elites consider this to be an inferior imitation of the smile, which can take many weeks to hone to perfection.

[Ulphus]

I laughed.

Nice article Seriphyn.

[Matariki Rain]

It is prevalent in other empires, but far less influential, due to social taboos against smiling in public and/or formal environments. Indeed, to many groups, the Pan-Federation Smile is considered plastic and pretentious.

I played with the new character portrait options for ages before realising that the reason they didn't work for me was that Mata wouldn't smile in her licence portrait. This is not necessarily a general Matari thing, but it was interesting in terms of public roles and character description.