Does anybody else just despise emoticons?

[Spambot 3000]

I absolutely abhor emoticons. They just seem so freakin' babyish, they're a huge upright middle finger to basic grammar and like you mentioned, they get used to death.
What really pisses me off is when I'm reading someones argument on the Internet and they use '' after making a point. I mean seriously? What the fuck does this look like to you? A sext? Do you do that in real life? When you were on the debating team in school did they teach you to turn to your opponents and give them a flirtatious wink after stating your argument? Do you see anyone else doing that? No, of course not, it's completely and utterly inappropriate.
And as others have pointed out this: ':L' seems to be a thing now and I have no idea how the fuck that is supposed to work. Apparently it's meant to be a 'laughing smile' but I don't still don't see it. Hell I don't even know what a 'laughing smile' is meant to be (don't you impulsively smile when laughing anyway? Why not just use a smile emoticon? I don't frickin' know)Worst of all is that is that one of my friends uses it like punctuation.
Anyway, no proper reason behind my irrational hate to them. If it was up to me, there would be a law against using the damn things but I understand everyone else wants to have ... ugh, fun on the Internet so I suppose I can put up with them. However if you use them twice every single fucking sentence I will have a go at you. Rant over.

 

[TheFunPolice]

Yeahh I use them all the time, but I limit myself to only "", "xD" and "^-^"

I even use them in my posts on this very forum....GO AHEAD, DO WHAT YOU WILL, TORTURE ME IF YOU LIKE.

However, I strongly detest the use "=P" in any situation

 

[gazumped]

I actually find them kind of important. I mean, I don't use them even a fraction of the amount I used to as a teenager, but when chatting to friends they can be really important to ensure that you're getting the right tone across, especially if they're the sensitive type who can't detect when you're being nastily sarcastic or silly and friendly.

Emoticons save friendships!

I do agree they can be a bit tiring if overused, but they have their place. Also, when I'm actually physically around people, I communicate with facial expressions and noises about as much (possibly even more) than I do with words. X) and XD are all faces I pull during a normal conversation to express my appreciation for the other person's company, so I guess it feels pretty natural to put them into text as well. (I'm pulling that face now, tongue and everything...)

 

[Z of the Na'vi]

I am German.

That means that chatting with me on Skype or Facebook will end with loads of the following: xP ^^ xD

After every damn sentence. Deal with it.

I'm failing to see the correlation between being German and using emoticons. Is there some context I am missing here?

Elaborate, please.

 

[Ljs1121]

If one's thrown into a sentence just because like in your friend's text message, then I absolutely hate it.

Yeah, that's more of what I was talking about, actually. He does it a lot, too. Namely "XD".

I just...when I see them used like that I feel like all the integrity of the statement has been thrown out the window in favor of using a silly face rather than conveying exactly what you are trying to say in a cohesive manner. Perhaps I am being a bit dramatic, but it really wanes on me after a while.

I'm typically fine with emoticons, but I can't stand people using "XD".

Which sucks since that's about the only emoticon most people I know use.

 

[Al-Bundy-da-G]

I don't mind them, but the only time I'll really ever use them is when I find a really creative one.

c]:{D = Happy cholo

,o,o,O' ,o,o,O' = Some ant's ruined my lunch

o3=> = Naked sunbathing

Edit: Almost forgot

(V)(;,,(V) = Zoidberg

 

[Colour Scientist]

I don't use them too often on the forums here but I use them a lot in user groups, on Facebook, texting and chatting because, well, why the fuck not? It's just something to add on to the end of a message.

'I'm looking forward to tomorrow. '

I especially use them if I say something mean as a joke, just to convey that I'm not genuinely being an arse.

If someone were to cut off a conversation with me because of them, I probably wouldn't be talking to them in the first place because they're probably very uptight and/or boring.

 

[manic_depressive13]

Emoticons are useful for lightening the tone of your message. Since it's impossible to use voice or body language to convey tone over text, sometimes it's important to use emoticons to avoid offending or angering people. For example:

Have you sent me your half of the assignment yet? - on it's own could come across as irritable or accusatory to a sensitive person.

Have you sent me your half of the assignment yet? =D - lightens the tone by virtue of looking silly, as you said. Makes the person feel less like they are being pressured or accused.

I don't like to use them superfluously. Like "lol" they are made meaningless and annoying due to overuse, but there's nothing inherently wrong with them.

 

[Tactical Pause]

i dont mind them.
but in all fairness thats mostly because i tend to write things out a lil to bluntly and a or a at the end of a somewhat off sentence helps me to not offend to much..

(basically i cant trust text to bring across the same meaning as words+facial expression would and the emoticons take the edge off)

This is pretty much my exact reason for using emoticons. I honestly don't mind them for the most part, although excessive overuse of "XD" (which seems to happen any time somebody is actually willing to use 'XD') really starts to bug me.

 

[Beryl77]

I like emoticons and unless we all start talking like the Elcor, they're useful in my opinion. If I don't use them, it feels like I'm talking to people without any facial expressions sometimes. I'm just really used to them and I don't think they're just there for silliness. There will always be people who are going to misuse them xD but it doesn't really bother me.

 

[Yopaz]

I've grown into tolerating them because they can be useful in order to show emotions when writing text messages. It makes your texts look more personal, but I dislike excessive use. Tossing out one for no reason is annoying, using one to add emotion to a text message is OK.

As for a forum post I wont ever use them. I feel that they ruin credibility of a well written post. Seeing emoticons is as annoying as someone typing lol, rofl, lmao or terrible grammar.

 

[G32420NL]

I hate texting because things can be picked up in so many ways, extra if some people are sensitive,
Took my a while and a few useless arguments to learn.
that and someone spamming 3 messages before i have the time to awnser.
There is a difference between saying:

Suck it up.
Suck it up

it indicates that i mean it well but i do agree that there is a limit to the amount you should use,
i get mails from a 17 year old girl sometimes and although her spelling is good i have to concentrate and filter out the smilies.

edit: everyone already explained the reasons for emoticons, but here's my two cents anyway.

 

[Vegosiux]

Emoticons are okay as long as they don't convoluted, and I do admit to using >.>, >.< and 0.o quite often myself.

What makes me froth at the mouth is l33t sp34ak trololo BBQ. Oh and replacing v's with w's and i's with y's (especially galling in my native language that does not even have w's and y's). Seriously, that's just annoying >.<

(V)(;,,(V) = Zoidberg

Woooooop-woop-woop-woop-woop-woop...

 

[SadisticBrownie]

Yes. While an occasional one can be appropriate, I generally do hate them.
Especially XD.
Fuck you, XD.

 

[Nazulu]

There are a lot of new things I dislike (especially 1337 speak which I find every now and again), but emoticons I don't mind at all. I use them sometimes when I feel that the message I'm sending may give of the wrong impression, so I make a little smile or what ever.

Sorry Z, but I find them actually useful so I'm gonna keep using them when needed.

 

[Piorn]

When you have alot of time to think about a post, you don't need them, but when you're chatting with someone, they are handy to convey your intentions, emotions, and prevent misunderstandings. As long as you don't overuse them.

 

[Strazdas]

When they are used appropriately - no
(example: a joke is told, laughter emotion to symbolize laughter in real life)

when emotions are used badly - yes
(example: "i like pancakes ;( <3")

 

[Arkhangelsk]

I use them if they serve to show what facial expression I probably would show in real life. I had one friend who at the end of every sentence would write three emoticons, many of them being those annoying kawaii emoticons. It drove me insane. The problem is that if you have a habit of using emoticons often with certain people, if you suddenly stop using them, people will think that you're upset or something, simply because of the change of tone in your messages.

Also, when writing personal things with another person, when you can't tell if that person is being light-hearted, serious, sad, sarcastic, etc. it can very easily cause misunderstandings.

I only use emoticons with friends though when texting or on the Facebook chat. On message boards and whatnot I barely use them at all.