The belief that crocodiles shed tears while eating led to the term “crocodile tears” to describe false displays of emotion. The practice is considered manipulative and offensive, and some people use tricks to produce tears. Crocodiles excrete a lubricating fluid from their tear glands while eating, which likely led to the ancient belief.
The creature known as a crocodile can have a number of abilities, but shedding real tears is not one of them. At one point in history, however, crocodiles were believed to produce tears as they devoured their prey, particularly when the size of the prey exceeded the crocodile’s capacity. From this ancient and erroneous belief came the first literary reference to crocodile tears, i.e. false tears shed during hypocritical displays of sadness, empathy or sympathy. Such tears may feel real, but they are meant to be more manipulative than sincere.
The modern concept of hypocritical “crocodile tears” can be traced back to Elizabethan times, if not earlier. Crocodiles were considered exotic creatures, rarely seen by the average citizen, but tales of their ways of shedding tears were quite common. By the mid-1600s, writers were already using the term to describe false displays of sadness or other deep emotions. Unscrupulous politicians and businessmen were often accused of shedding false tears to gain favor with the common people.
Shedding crocodile tears is still considered a disrespectful practice, especially when the person’s true feelings or motives are well known. Some people can train themselves to cry at will, including producing convincing tears when the situation calls for it. Others might use the acting technique called memory of the senses to recall a moment of true sadness in order to generate false tears. As a last resort, some people have been known to use foreign irritants like soap or pepper to cry for the manipulative effect.
While it’s true that crocodiles don’t shed emotional tears for their prey, they excrete a lubricating fluid from the tear glands near their eyes. Some have speculated that these glands are stimulated as the crocodile works its jaws during feeding. This is most likely the basis of the ancient belief of emotion-based crocodile tears.
Regardless of its origins, the practice of shedding crocodile tears is generally considered offensive and demeaning. The shedder is often confronted by others who sense his insincerity or dubious motives. Children throwing tantrums can also accompany them with fake tears, but parents often learn to ignore the ploy and let the tantrum take its course.
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