Body language is a stupid language!! !

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Apparently, for example, if you mess with your hair while talking, it's a sign of sexual availability...Yike. I mess with my hair a lot no matter who I am talking to. I must be sending a LOT of wrong signals.

Why can't people just listen to words rather than (mis)interpreting every little movement you do?

Humans are strange creatures. I also wish everything be in words.

I think it's a very stupid language.

I agree it is stupid it is not a language in my opinion as it is more animalistic. all this sending out signals. A complete waste of time unless you are a monkey. Monkeys use body language but they can't speak Humans do not have that excuse for this simian form of behaviour.

I disagree. Body language may, generally, be extremely informative and important. Let me give you an example:
Police officers are called to a house by a concerned neighbour. He suspects that the woman's abusive ex-husband is back, and asks the police to come by and check. The police knocks on the door, the woman opens. The officers ask: "Everything all right here, ma'am?" The woman replies: "Yes, of course". Based on the fear the officers can read from the woman's body language (posture, look in her eyes, tense lips, arms crossed stiffly, etc.), they realize that something is in fact very, very wrong. And they intervene.

Should e.g. police officers act solely upon information coming from people's mouth, they wouldn't be able to prevent much crime, I'll tell you.

I work as an interpreter, and for me the information gleaned from observing the client's body language is very important when I strive to convey the client's message as precisely as possible.
The fact that much body language (like for instance playing with one's hair) may be interpreted in a number of ways, does not make it useless. In combination with context and words uttered, a person's body language fills in the blanks and completes the picture. For the vast majority, body language is something which we rely upon even if we're not very aware of it.

Body language is strange and you can never be sure that you get right signals. It was my special interest for sometime. This is probably something we should left for our unconsciousness

I agree with Jaydee, body language makes a lot of sense. The thing is, it's very nuanced. An action in one scenario may mean one thing, but in a different situation, the absolute opposite.

Mechanicalgirl, don't worry too much about the hair twirling. Body language has to be taken in context and those that know you will realise it's just your habit.

Even if strangers do not know your habits, very few people approach someone based on one signal alone. Say you were standing with your arms crossed and scowling, but twirling your hair at the same time; they will probably think you are just nervous or distracted.

To be mistaken for flirting, you'd probably have to be talking to the person, or at least staring at them and laughing/giggling etc.. Even if you do act like that, a lot of women do too with people they have no interest in. It actually seems to work really well for them; people like them more and act more friendly around them.

Body language is communication shorthand. It would take FOREVER if we had to communicate everything we wished to communicate, including all subtleties, via just words. And it would also take a considerable amount of energy for the listener to discern all information from a single mode of communication.

Multiple modes are better, even if there are those of who suck at it.

I think the OP was referring to a quiz on another thread. But although the quiz was stupid, body language is not, any more than any other language.

I've read that leaning your neck to one side and exposing your neck indicates submissiveness and possibly sexual availability. LOL, my neck is permanently in that position. It's like my brain is heavier on my right side. I think it's more likely a bit of scoliosis.

i can not speak "body language" because bodies are dead.
if i was psychic, maybe i could.

i wish i was better at it.

I can understand the body language of animals but since humans have the capacity to use langauage they don't need it.

My mum was twirling her hair today while talking to people.
I'm just going to think it's a habit. I have a habit of messing the back of my hair up. I also like the messy look.

What bothers me about body language is that when the body language and the words don't match up (which for me is all the time) people are more inclined to go by body language. And I put an enormous amount of effort into choosing my words carefully and precisely.

Very frustrating.

It's not a stupid language. It is just a very simple, basic animalistic language. Spider Monkeys do it. Cockroaches do it. Humans do it.

Humans also have the capability for almost infinitely more complex verbal languages. The sad fact is that many humans have very poor verbal language skills and revert back to "doin it cockroach style" most of the time.