What single work of creation would you remove from the world?
- Thread starter jefmcg
- Start date
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I was going to challenge this. Then I saw who had liked it. But I decided to challenge it anyway.
When we interact with someone face to face, we naturally use every means available to make our communication as effective as possible, combining our words with eye contact and body language.
When we speak with someone on the phone (or radio), we lose the ability to use body language, but we still use intonation, pace, volume etc to supplement the words in the interest of maximising effective communication.
When we communicate in writing, we are even more restricted. But there have always been supplements available - underlining, italics, capitals, and more recently emojis. Yet, for some reason, educated people have always been snobby about all of those.
I submit that objecting to emojis is prioritising our sense of our own culture and education over maximising the effectiveness of our communication. And I submit that deliberately failing to communicate as effectively as we could is close to being the unforgivable Sin Against the Holy Spirit.
He has a point though. And whilst some entertain a wholesale disdain for all smilies, and others scatter them willy-nilly through every post (which plays havoc with the line spacing), many of us probably have a more ambivalent relationship with them, on account of the conventions of their meaning being various.
These are the ones I detest:
for any reason, but especially when used by someone who thinks it prevents their post being insulting or obnoxious. 
or 
or 
to 'excuse' an obviously sexist joke or observation.
or 
or 
or 
to accompany an entirely conventional opinion, in the mistaken belief that it is radical or original.
after a joke. Never laugh after the punchline, FFS!And these are a few I quite like:
and 
, because they are generally just used to be nice to people, the first when there's generally not much else to say and the second when finding the right words might be difficult or others have already said it all.
for sour beers and other unreasonably exciting things, obvs!
because it's nicely observed, and because I'm shy.
and and 
because they are ambiguous enough to acquire nuances.
Loaded with meaning for the feminist semiotician!
The only appropriate response to a certain kind of troll, when one has exhausted the possibilities of conversation.Anyway, I don't think I agree about writing being 'more restricted' than speech, but that's another discussion...
I think the key point for me in @srw 's post is the "I'm obnoxious but I'm pretending I'm not" bit, otherwise known as the bantz defence. I'm sure smilies/emojis can be used to enhance the meaning of the written word in a constructive way, but too often they get used as an all purpose excuse.I was going to challenge this. Then I saw who had liked it. But I decided to challenge it anyway.
When we interact with someone face to face, we naturally use every means available to make our communication as effective as possible, combining our words with eye contact and body language.
When we speak with someone on the phone (or radio), we lose the ability to use body language, but we still use intonation, pace, volume etc to supplement the words in the interest of maximising effective communication.
When we communicate in writing, we are even more restricted. But there have always been supplements available - underlining, italics, capitals, and more recently emojis. Yet, for some reason, educated people have always been snobby about all of those.
I submit that objecting to emojis is prioritising our sense of our own culture and education over maximising the effectiveness of our communication. And I submit that deliberately failing to communicate as effectively as we could is close to being the unforgivable Sin Against the Holy Spirit.
I don't use them, but that's mostly because I don't understand what they're meant to mean.
Inertia
I feel like I could... TAKE ON THE WORLD!!
I agree,the restriction is quite often down to the user.
I've sometimes struggled to disagree with someone and not sound like I'm being an Ass.
There are probably better words but if I don't know them,a smiley can help.
They can also be used in a passive aggressive manner though
lazybloke
Ginger biscuits and cheddar
- Location
- Leafy Surrey
I'm half-tempted to erase "Big Brother" from creation, but if I can be permitted to stretch the rules I will instead erase the cult of celebrity (a far bigger problem)
AndyRM
XOXO
- Location
- North Shields
I reckon you can chart the cult of celebrity using Big Brother. I remember watching the first (UK) series and it was just a bunch of normal folks interacting in a difficult environment. Now it seems that people are deliberately picked for their abrasive personalities. And the "celebrity" version seems to be folk who've won other reality shows.
It's a pretty amazing experiment I think.
petek
Über Member
- Location
- East Coast UK
Has anybody mentioned wasps yet?
Trope, innit. Acting unnaturally when suspected of something. Denoting a claim to innocence, ironically or otherwise.
U
User169
Guest
Poop emoji is the best
Tin Pot
Guru
Bastards. Wasps are the meth addicted cousin of the bee.
slowmotion
Quite dreadful
- Location
- lost somewhere
Someone will be along shortly to tell you that @waspyfecker provides a vital service as a pollinator. I won't be issuing a like.
Fab Foodie
hanging-on in quiet desperation ...
- Location
- Kirton, Devon.
Good call.....
