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Research suggests that crying is not a sign of weakness, but one of the most sophisticated social technologies in the natural world.

Many people grow up believing that crying is a weakness, or some kind of a sign that you’ve lost control or can’t cope. So when the tears come, we fight them back, apologise for them, or feel ashamed.

The act of emotional crying is far from random or useless. Instead, it seems to be woven deeply into our social and emotional ...