Is it Ok to use these two smileys in non-Pit posts if:

About This Message Board
1

They are not directed at another user, but rather, things outside the SDMB?

:rolleyes: :wally

2

I’d think the first would be OK pretty much in any forum here, even if directed at another user. However in Great Debates the latter would be inappropriate.

3

I use :rolleyes: fairly often to express, “Oh, brother!” rather than, “You’re a f***ing idiot.” I’ve never called anyone on the board a :wally outside the Pit, though.

4

The rolleyes emoticon should be deleted. It makes my blood boil whereas wally doesn’t bother me in the least.

Just my opinion of course.

5

:rolleyes:
Whatever.

:dubious: :smack: :smiley:

6

The :wally smiley is basically calling whoever or whatever it’s directed at a “putz”, which is an insult. So, outside of the Pit, it shouldn’t be used if directed at another poster. I wouldn’t say there’s an absolute ban on it in Great Debates anymore than there’s an absolute ban on calling public figures “putzes”. You shouldn’t be posting Pit rants in Great Debates, no, but we don’t claim to be running a G-rated forum there, so the odd :wally directed at Donald Rumsfeld or Michael Moore or whoever is not out of bounds. (There are also certain specialized uses, as when a poster quotes himself making a particularly egregious typo, corrects the error, and then adds :smack: :wally at the end. The odd bit of self-deprecation is not against the rules.)

7

I agree. I don’t know what it is, but when I see the rolleyes, it drives me absolutely batty, even if the target of the rolleyes is completely deserving.

Of course, I also really, really hate anyone rolling their eyes in a “real-world” situation, so that might have something to do with it.

8

I like the rolleyes. I just wanted to stick up for it. Maybe we don’t need to use them against each other, but I find them perfect for work situations, and I do roll my eyes in real life, but again not at anyone in particular.

I understand why you don’t like them used against each other, though. It smacks of a very condescending attitude, as in, whatever you’re saying, it;s not important enough for me to even give you my full attention, or maybe, “there she goes again.”