What are your favorite emojis?
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I have struggled with the rise of emojis.
I loathe them.
This 1934 Robert Pirosh pitch letter, included in the wonderful “Letters of Note” book, summarizes my feelings in its first sentence.
“I like words.”
I love language.
I think it’s harder to convey as much through emojis, which is ironic to me because I guess their purpose is to enable a person to get his or her point across in one emoji as opposed to a few words.
For those who excel at emojis, how do you express, say, “gluttonous?”
How do you substitute such a word with something which used to be a smiley face?
Do you simply close its eyes and put jowls on it?
I just don’t understand why someone would settle for a jowled former smiley face when “gluttonous” is available.
I’m a curmudgeon when it comes to emojis.
I think part of my disdain for them is a lot of their meanings confuse me.
When emojis exploded onto our screens, I had to ask people what they meant.
I feel like I’d have to ask about a jowled former smiley face, but if I tell you I’m gluttonous most people know what I mean.
There are several emojis I don’t think I’ll ever figure out without help.
- 😖 Are you mad, constipated or has your mouth been sutured?
- 🤢 Are you sick? Are you in the advanced stages of gangrene?
- ☺️ Did I make you blush, or are you trying to hide a fever?
Add the fact I’ve noticed some emojis mean different things to different people, and I don’t feel so bad about my confusion.
I’ve said before, if this continues, I think there’s a market for some kind of emoji glossary.
I’d even download it as an app.
I’d consider it conducive, especially for those of us who overreact when words are replaced with confusing countenances.
Casey's Column 