WHAT :-) MEANS
WHAT :-) MEANS
Sent: 11/13/96; 12:50:36 PM
From: lolly@interport.net (LeslieHarpold)
Dave -
I, too have given :-) some thought. As a writer, emoticons do not fit in with all I have ben taught about good writing and striving to clearly express your self with power and doing so by using the best and most basic language possible.
I looked at all the emoticons, and decided this - :-) and it's related spawn mean one thing.
It means "I can't write".
Maybe the user can write, but lacks the necessary confidence to let his words carry the burden of emotion they are naturallt assigned through their meaning, or to set the tone for an off the cuff remark meant to be humorous, if slightly sarcastic, and the fear of the reader taking offense or misinterpreting is great enough that they are compelled to add the little winky-doo to cover their ass. No one really wants to do profound emotional damage when they are venturing to be clever.
Perhaps the user can't write. I have to constantly remind myself when I come across very sexy apps on the web with lackluster content, or no content at all, that the internet has not always been a medium of content creators. the real founders were techies who - although some are geniuses in all aspects o life - have been conditioned to believe that their ability to express themselves through classic channels - ie. words is lacking or not fully developed by the simple nature of their technical expertise. American culture especially teaches that you are either creative or technical/mathematical or logical (think lawyers) and never the twain shall meet.l Renaissance folks aren't excatly what we're fostering as a nation, and that's a shame, and another story for another time.
Those insipid smiley faces I've learned to forgive, I take them as a whole sentence - the conveyance of a whole precept - "I don't really think I can fully say what I'm trying to and have you understand it as intended and I really *really* want to be understood, so here's a little smiley in the hopes that it will reassure you that my heart is, indeed, in the right place" Same thing I assign to people who qualify their opinions with "just my $.02".
leslie harpold, writer, content developer
Leslie Harpold Hell's Kitchen, NYC http://www.interport.net/~lolly - the personal site ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said, in a rather scornful tone, "it means just what I choose it to mean -- neither more nor less." - Lewis Carroll [Through the Looking Glass]
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