I have a confession to make. I'm afraid I have fallen pray to the LOL and the :) generation. It is a horrible syndrome to which there is no cure.
There is such a thing as smiling too much. Yes. It is not so bad when you see someone in person, except you might end up looking like your face is cracking. Imagine this: you see a friend or acquaintance you have not seen in awhile. Of course you must smile, act like you are happy to see them, ask about them, and endure as they ask about you, your life, how you are, and bla bla bla. So you keep that smile on your face for dear life even as you are thinking, 'ok when is it polite to end this conversation, do I have to hug her or can I get away with a wave, ya like she really wants to know about my life'. Etc. Cuz if you wouldn't smile, well that would just be weird.
But I'm talking about a different type of smiling. The online kind. Here's an example of a fictional conversation that could be real:
Random Person: Hi Altie!!!!! How are you????? (yes, they must put lots of explanation marks. Makes them sound more excited, and high on something.)
Me: Hi! :) I'm good, how are you?
RP: good!! :) hows life?
M: :) its great. (it's really not.) How's yours?
RP: amazing!!!! I miss you!!!
M: :) :) I miss you too! (I don't.)
RP: Happy birthday!!!! :) How does it feel to be 20?
M: :) Thank you! It feels great. (It doesn't.)
RP: So did you do anything special for it?
M: :) :) :) :) :) :)
(here's where I make up an excuse and sign off.)
Here's my point: not every sentence must be punctuated with a smiley face. And if you don't G-d forbid use a smiley or a million exclamation marks, doesn't mean you are depressed or not high on life. Maybe you are just smiling for real.
Same thing with LOL. Stop using it as a filler. Most people who use it are not really laughing out loud.
Don't let your conversationee force you into a smile you don't really mean.
There is such a thing as smiling too much. Yes. It is not so bad when you see someone in person, except you might end up looking like your face is cracking. Imagine this: you see a friend or acquaintance you have not seen in awhile. Of course you must smile, act like you are happy to see them, ask about them, and endure as they ask about you, your life, how you are, and bla bla bla. So you keep that smile on your face for dear life even as you are thinking, 'ok when is it polite to end this conversation, do I have to hug her or can I get away with a wave, ya like she really wants to know about my life'. Etc. Cuz if you wouldn't smile, well that would just be weird.
But I'm talking about a different type of smiling. The online kind. Here's an example of a fictional conversation that could be real:
Random Person: Hi Altie!!!!! How are you????? (yes, they must put lots of explanation marks. Makes them sound more excited, and high on something.)
Me: Hi! :) I'm good, how are you?
RP: good!! :) hows life?
M: :) its great. (it's really not.) How's yours?
RP: amazing!!!! I miss you!!!
M: :) :) I miss you too! (I don't.)
RP: Happy birthday!!!! :) How does it feel to be 20?
M: :) Thank you! It feels great. (It doesn't.)
RP: So did you do anything special for it?
M: :) :) :) :) :) :)
(here's where I make up an excuse and sign off.)
Here's my point: not every sentence must be punctuated with a smiley face. And if you don't G-d forbid use a smiley or a million exclamation marks, doesn't mean you are depressed or not high on life. Maybe you are just smiling for real.
Same thing with LOL. Stop using it as a filler. Most people who use it are not really laughing out loud.
Don't let your conversationee force you into a smile you don't really mean.
oh boy is it true!(!!!!!!!!!)
ReplyDeleteThat's why is stick to "hahaha"
and say 'LOL' if the OTHER person says lol
perhaps when someone says ':)' it's really just the top part of a guy w/ a uni-brow...LOL!
:)
ReplyDeleteI use lol instead of a period. It's a bad habit I'm trying to break(lol)
ReplyDeleteI think that because it is impossible to sense how another person is reacting/responding in a textual conversation, people write and like to see LOL and smilies as a way of gauging how things are being taken.
ReplyDeleteyes, literally LOL means "laughing out loud" but it has become colloquially acceptable as a response to anything found or meant to be somewhat humorous.
If things aren't really good, don't pretend that they are. (I guess unless its not worth discussing or whatever)
tracht gut vet zein gut does not mean ignore or pretend you don't have problems.
Before I opened the comments, I knew that the first few would say LOL or put a smiley.
ReplyDeleteAltie: you’re thinking right. Next step: stop smiling for pictures.
wait, i cant figure out if you are serious about that last part. sometimes i really am smiling in pictures. and anyways, pictures capture a moment in time. doesnt matter if you are not smiling. do it anyway. ya thats another post.
ReplyDeleteI am saying, fake smiles just for pictures are stupid. Better be yourself.
ReplyDeleteit comes naturally to smile when you see a camera. you dont even think about it anymore. yes sometimes you really are happy and just smile, but other times you force it. no one wants to be the dweeb in the picture who didnt smile.
ReplyDeleteNobody wants to be dweeb, and that is why everyone is fake.
ReplyDeletei get what you are saying. you are a realist with strong opinions and the desire to do what's right instead of what everyone else is doing. good for you, pat on the back, i hope you change the world.
ReplyDeletethat is not sarcasm, just pessimism.
Who cares about the world? I just dislike being fake for other people who are not worth it. What do I care what they think?
ReplyDeleteIf you’re not true for yourself, then why bother with anything?
ReplyDeletei like the way you think.
ReplyDeletealas, my way of thinking is not as great or untainted by outside influences as yours.