Let’s face it, we’re all busy. If we can find ways to do something faster, we’ll do it, or at least try. Take communicating. Years ago we’d write long, hand-written letters, but when email came along, we were happy to jump onto the shorter, faster electronic mail bandwagon. And though email is still widely used, like everything else, there arrived a speedier form of messaging: texting. Even grandmothers took to texting. At first, texts were just shorter emails. Then they were made shorter with abbreviations: LOL, BFF, OMG. However, for something that was supposed to save time, I found myself spending more time deciphering them. SLAP? (Sounds Like A Plan). JTLYK? (Just To Let You Know). Exasperating. But even abbreviated words appear archaic as now we’re onto the next thing: emojis. We use them to:
Make plans: – It’s ❄️. Still wanna 🚴? Or 🏂 instead? – What U want for dinner? 🍔? 🍣? 🐔?
Describe what we’re doing: – Just 👞 biggest 🐞 – Getting 💇🏻 at 🕑
Or simply to pass along a message to a sweetie: – ❤️💍😻
Don’t get me wrong, emojis are cute and easy to use, but sometimes it feels we’re not communicating information as much as we are putting out a feelings chart. 😀😦😕 With the plethora of symbols available – 🐷, 🍕, 🎇, 🎱, 🚗, ☎️, even a 🚽 – what will we do if we come across a word there is no symbol for? Not use it? Or (gasp!) spell it out? Will emojis begin dictating and limiting what we say based on if there is a graphic for it or not? 😱
Some might see emojis as progress, but aren’t they just updated modern forms of hieroglyphics (♈︎) once used when there were no words? If you don’t believe me, stop by a history museum and check out an exhibit on the evolution of hieroglyphs. From there, go to the nearest Starbucks and look at the pictographs being tapped into smartphones. Yes, we’ve come a long way. Or have we? 😳
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