To Emoticon, Or Not To Emoticon, This Is The Question

Emoticons - Image Credit: Google Search Images

To Emoticon, Or Not To Emoticon, This Is The Question

Emoticon: e·mo·ti·con
əˈmōdəˌkän/
noun
a representation of a facial expression such as:-) (representing a smile), formed by various combinations of keyboard characters and used in electronic communications to convey the writer's feelings or intended tone.

When one looks for a definition of this form of expression, one of the first slugs on the word is what pops-up - noted above.

For people who write, embracing, and adding this form of imparting thoughts, concepts, emotions (of course, emotions), and ideas has become problematical on several levels.

One topic that I love discussing on this blog are signs and symbols because I've notice that a lot of people are NOT taking this business seriously...even though in the occult agenda symbolism means everything and anything. Most people are caught unaware that even corporate "logos" had hidden meanings. Like for instance on above list of emoticons there's :42: So what does 42 means? 42 is the meaning of life....confused? Image and Caption Credit: WISDOM OF A FOOL

This excerpted and edited from Justin C. Nuyens -
Facebook - 12-30-2015

Tonight in crawling traffic driving home from dinner in The City [San Francisco] with a select group of cousins at the home of Auntie Saint Janeann Mother of All, I began to write a letter in my head. As in, a letter that I would write with a pen, stick in an envelope and send with the mail. I have something important to say to someone, important enough that it cannot be properly conveyed through any sort of electronic post.

It's a different medium with a different impact, one I utilized often before the internet existed. Anyone who knows me knows words are my babies. You need 'em I got 'em and I know how to use 'em.

Plus there is the physical connection. From my hand to yours. Not an impulsive barrage in the heat of the moment but a work of consideration and intent, a commitment that the words will hold true after the stamp has been cancelled.

Of course, it use to be the only way. College application letters, birthday invitations, notes to your sweetie-pie, friends in other places. Now that we have the internet, "I'm thinking about you" is all too trivial.

Sure you're thinking about me. But enough to write it down and stick it in an envelope?

In matters of the heart ~ mind you these need not only be about love ~ there are some things that simply should not be written in a font. That alone invalidates the dedication of the thought. Pick up a pen and write it like you mean it.

So I'm devising a letter in my head that is meant to move a mountain, to eradicate the beast, to win the heart of my true love fair or something along those lines, and what keeps happening?

In this letter, in my head, I CANNOT SEEM TO FINISH A SENTENCE WITHOUT PUNCTUATING IT WITH SOME SORT OF EMOTICON! ... You get that???

I, the grand master of prose and poetry and prosetry, have had my gift corrupted and bastardized by this modern-aged cop-out! 

I'm trying to write a letter the old fashioned way, wherein all intent must be expressed through careful choice of word and linguistic melody, and instead I'm all like ~

grin emoticon 

Grin Emoticons - Image Credit: Google Search Images

and wink emoticon 

Wink Emoticons - Image Credit: Google Search Images

and heart emoticon

Heart Emoticons - Image Credit: Google Search Images

This is what it has come to. I would worry whether to laugh or cry but dammit I'm trying to write a letter...
[Reference Here]

So true ... there are many cultural things many think are "just too cute" to not participate in or to dispense with ... but this emoticon thing is beyond a disruptive and limiting form of communication.

It's "Logoesque" nature serves to minimize impact when these emoticons seek to actually embellish impact - and therein lays the problem.

Once these images are in the ether, their impact is interpreted and fixed by the observer forever coloring the communication to their specific impression - and, maybe not the one intended by the author.

Happy New Year Emoticons - Image Credit: Google Search Images

Happy New Year and welcome home Justin C. Nuyens (we need you here).
[place winky emoticon here]


TAGS: emoticon,  Logoesque, heart, wink, grin, communication, write, written, Justin C. Nuyens, MAXINE,

Thoughts On A Train: About Impressions & Communications

Does the lack of color in an image, or description, change the impression intended? Image Credit: Justin C. Nuyens

Thoughts on a train ~ 
by Justin C. Nuyens - June 8 at 4:07pm

Cheyenne, Wyoming - I recently listened to comedian Jimmy Carr talk about racism and perceived racism. He said that people ~ whites in particular ~ are so guilt-tripped and paranoid about being perceived as bigoted that the discourse is being compromised.

Carr's example was that a white robbery victim, afraid of being thought racist, might fail to mention to police that the perpetrator was black even if he was.

That might seem extreme and unrealistic, but I have in fact seen newspaper stories about crimes in which weight, height and clothing of a suspect were described but no race mentioned. Now what should i do with that? Assume the perp was black? Now THAT would make me racist.

The reason I bring this up is because I'm sitting in the observation car of Amtrak's California Zephyr train from Emeryville to Chicago. All Chicago-bound passengers riding coach are assigned seats the same section of the train, meaning a number of us have been together for 30 hours with 23 to go.

In this particular microcosm, if someone wants social contact the population is not great enough to pick according to one's common demographic.

The conversations started out slow if not guarded as passengers first overcame the fact that we are all different in impression. That is to say, normally we would not be associating under any circumstances, if only because we live in different neighborhoods let alone our differences in age, appearance, opinion and interest.

And then, slowly, a society is made. Smokers hitting each other up on the station breaks. Drinkers bitching about the cost of beer on the train. People asking, is there wifi? Nope. Guess we'll have to interact.

Then people start opening up. One woman is traveling to Cincinnati with her 14-year-old son to start over, a brand new life. Meanwhile she gets a call from the son she left in Sacramento. HE GOT THE JOB! He's gonna be a host at a restaurant in town.

Another woman is making a break of another sort. She is leaving her boyfriend. When he gets off work today he will find a house emptied of everything including furniture. The girl will be long gone, where to? I haven't asked.

There's a man with a jaw harp. A dude with a goatee. A guy with glasses...

<<< Additional Images - Credit: Justin C. Nuyens >>>

Since departing the Bay Area one couple with a baby was spotted smoking a glass pipe during a smoke break in Green River. They were left behind. An hour ago we made an unexpected stop in the middle of nowhere. Rumor was a guy was smoking weed on the lower deck and Sheriff was coming.

So here is a story unraveling. And find myself asking, at what point does physical description become important to the narrative?

It doesn't matter that the woman leaving Sacto and her son are black does it? Or does it? If i tell you the girl leaving her boyfriend is obese does it change the story, or that the meth smokers were white?

I guess it depends on me. If I wanted to paint a vivid picture I would describe physical traits, mannerisms, speech patterns...

For the moment it isn't necessary. We're all the same. On the train with strangers. Finding where we belong. Negotiating the path. Trying to make friends along the way.

Don't mind me. I'm searching for America on my way to Europe.

Didrik told me to keep an eye out...
(ht: Justin C. Nuyens - assumed permission)

TAGS: Travel, communication, Train, Thoughts, Racism, Description, pictures, strangers, America, Europe, The EDJE, JustinAmerica, Justin Of America