# emoticons **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 20, 2007, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emoticons/427169 "2007-11-20T10:06:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![SiouxChief](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@SiouxChief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiouxChief)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2007, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emoticons/427169/21 "2007-11-21T16:55:00Z")
My favorite examination of smileys came from Dave Barry in the book, “Dave Barry in Cyberspace”. The whole book was great, but the thing that stuck with me most was his rephrasing of the Tale of Two Cities: It was the best of times 🙂 It was the worst of times ☹ ---
**Author:** ![ChiefScott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@ChiefScott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChiefScott)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2007, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emoticons/427169/22 "2007-11-21T17:42:24Z")
[QUOTE=Tahssa] I was thinking about doing a post where I put an emote at the end of ever sentence but then I decided I wanted to continue living so I was hoping someone else would it instead. 😃 [/QUOTE] And still you did… ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2007, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emoticons/427169/23 "2007-11-21T19:13:55Z")
[QUOTE=SiouxChief] My favorite examination of smileys came from Dave Barry in the book, “Dave Barry in Cyberspace”. The whole book was great, but the thing that stuck with me most was his rephrasing of the Tale of Two Cities: It was the best of times 🙂 It was the worst of times ☹ [/QUOTE] That could be a fun game. . . From Hamlet I am but mad north-northwest; :mad: when the wind is southerly I know a hawk from a handsaw, 😉 Is this a dagger I see before me? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2007, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emoticons/427169/24 "2007-11-21T19:35:46Z")
[QUOTE=Trunk] Is this a dagger I see before me? :eek: [/QUOTE] …The wrong play’s the wrong thing… ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2007, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emoticons/427169/25 "2007-11-21T21:16:11Z")
[QUOTE=ChiefScott] I hate the bastards. I feel they are a crutch used by folks who’re unable to adequately (in their own minds) express themselves adequately using the written word. [/QUOTE] I don’t necessarily agree, but so what? Can’t you say the same about, forinstance, punctuation? And is it really so awful that some people are better writers than others? [QUOTE=essell] Virtually everybody knows these days about the importance of body language / non-verbal communication. _How_ they ascribe numbers to these things I don’t know but whenever I’ve seen a figure put on the importance of **the words** used communication it’s been less than 50%. So given that I’ve just lost over 50% of the _message_ by typing this rather than coming round to your house and talking to you, I think any tool that improves your ability to understand the mood, and tone, of a post should be considered useful. It’s true that kiddies may over use them but avoiding something because someone else likes it is as bad as being led by fashion. [/QUOTE] This I agree with. It’s another tool to help communication. That’s a good thing. ---
**Author:** ![lobstermobster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobstermobster/32/10033_2.png) [@lobstermobster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobstermobster)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2007, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emoticons/427169/26 "2007-11-21T21:29:10Z")
I hate them. I’ve always hated them. I don’t really know why I hate them, but I hate them. I hate certain ones more than others. I just take each one a certain way and they are all pretty obnoxious. My least favorite one of course is the green one with the toothy grin and closed eyes. With the type of statement it usually follows it says to me “I made a funny! I’m adorable!” Coming from a bunch of allegedly intelligent middle aged people, it makes me want to set my hair on fire. ---
**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2007, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emoticons/427169/27 "2007-11-22T11:27:02Z")
I’m not sure how related this is, but in my mind it seems connected to being unwilling to write in books (not to dredge up the same topics from another thread). I used to never do it, and still won’t in copies I care about, but since studying lit I realized how much they can improve my reading and thought process. It’s just another example of something that seemed really offensive to me at first, and I came to accept. I do agree with **TheLoadedDog** in that I often prefer the text-only ones most of the time. …and I just realized that my OP should have said omniscient narrator, not omnipotent (although now that I think about it, it might make an interesting concept for a story) ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2007, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emoticons/427169/28 "2007-11-22T12:24:02Z")
I don’t like them and hardly use them, but I concede that conversation via text is fraught with possibilities for misunderstanding of tone and intent, so there are times when the judicious insertion of a wink or grin emoticon eliminates ambiguity as to whether someone was being ironic, farcical, or just mucking about. :smack: is downright useful, or at least it is when you make the number of stupid mistakes I do - how can you convey :smack: any more concisely and clearly? I furiously despise the rolleyes thing though, especially in debates. ---
**Author:** ![Mame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/858c86/32.png) [@Mame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mame)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2007, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emoticons/427169/29 "2007-11-22T12:38:17Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] :smack: is downright useful, or at least it is when you make the number of stupid mistakes I do - how can you convey :smack: any more concisely and clearly? [/QUOTE] D’oh! ---
**Author:** ![Mame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/858c86/32.png) [@Mame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mame)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2007, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emoticons/427169/30 "2007-11-22T12:40:38Z")
Also, ain’t it fun being present at the birth of a new language?! ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2007, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emoticons/427169/31 "2007-11-22T14:13:39Z")
[QUOTE=Borborygmi] Hey, **ChiefScott** : [/QUOTE] How did you generate that? Surely not by hand? ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2007, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emoticons/427169/32 "2007-11-22T15:13:43Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] I don’t like them and hardly use them, but I concede that conversation via text is fraught with possibilities for misunderstanding of tone and intent, so there are times when the judicious insertion of a wink or grin emoticon eliminates ambiguity as to whether someone was being ironic, farcical, or just mucking about. [/QUOTE] Or being offensive. A member may assume from his experience of another’s sense of humour that a particularly deadpan comment is acceptable by the recipient (and would be if uttered face to face) but when translated to the screen it may come across as unpleasant and unfunny. This kind of post really can generate misunderstanding and needs care in its language and style of delivery. Or a wink. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2007, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emoticons/427169/33 "2007-11-22T15:31:31Z")
[QUOTE=Chez Guevara] Or being offensive. [/QUOTE] Quite - particularly that, as set apart from all the other jokey possibilities. ---
**Author:** ![lobstermobster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobstermobster/32/10033_2.png) [@lobstermobster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobstermobster)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2007, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emoticons/427169/34 "2007-11-22T17:58:46Z")
[QUOTE=Chez Guevara] Or being offensive. A member may assume from his experience of another’s sense of humour that a particularly deadpan comment is acceptable by the recipient (and would be if uttered face to face) but when translated to the screen it may come across as unpleasant and unfunny. This kind of post really can generate misunderstanding and needs care in its language and style of delivery. Or a wink. [/QUOTE] I feel like a great percentage of people’s problems with me could have been cleared up with a wink smilie but it’s not my responsibility to personally untwist the panties of a bunch of drama chasers. Oh and the eye rolling smilies are infuriating. ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2007, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emoticons/427169/35 "2007-11-22T18:35:09Z")
[QUOTE=lobstermobster] I feel like a great percentage of people’s problems with me could have been cleared up with a wink smilie but it’s not my responsibility to personally untwist the panties of a bunch of drama chasers. [/QUOTE] This places a reliance on people to automatically assume the best possible interpretation of what you are saying. It doesn’t always work. I don’t have any problem with you at all. Who are you anyway? ---
**Author:** ![Borborygmi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/borborygmi/32/217_2.png) [@Borborygmi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Borborygmi)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2007, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emoticons/427169/36 "2007-11-23T18:43:07Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] [QUOTE=Borborygmi] Hey, **ChiefScott** : [/QUOTE] How did you generate that? Surely not by hand? [/QUOTE] Yeah, entirely a manual process, sad to say. An Excel spreadsheet with graph-paperlike cells and a magnified smilie as the background helped the process along. Once created, it was a matter of waiting for a smilie thread to come along. Probably should have waited for one less serious/contemplative, but I had an itchy trigger finger. ---
**Author:** ![lobstermobster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobstermobster/32/10033_2.png) [@lobstermobster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobstermobster)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2007, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emoticons/427169/37 "2007-11-23T19:50:27Z")
[QUOTE=Chez Guevara] This places a reliance on people to automatically assume the best possible interpretation of what you are saying. It doesn’t always work. I don’t have any problem with you at all. Who are you anyway? [/QUOTE] It’s not important. Just one of the thousands of peopel at work today with the irish flu. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2007, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emoticons/427169/38 "2007-11-23T20:01:01Z")
[QUOTE=Borborygmi] Yeah, entirely a manual process, sad to say. An Excel spreadsheet with graph-paperlike cells and a magnified smilie as the background helped the process along. Once created, it was a matter of waiting for a smilie thread to come along. Probably should have waited for one less serious/contemplative, but I had an itchy trigger finger. [/QUOTE] For real? Wow. My hat is off to you sir (or madam). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emoticons/427169.md?page=1)