The "Wow!" emoji

Amelia B said:
Ambiguity is difficult. I think it overworks our brains. I guess it is a good exercise in letting it go and not letting it matter, like you said. (but of course I'd still rather know! 😄 )
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The time it matters to me is when there was something I'm not sure about why an "anger" reponse was given. Most times I let it go, but I don't want to hurt feelings or make someone angry without wanting to find out why.
 

hearlady said:
I use it as a "wow" option.
I've commented before that I wish there was a hug option without a cute smile. Sometimes I want to send a sweet hug but sometimes it calls for a serious hug.
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Oh yes, I agree... absolutely. I've thought the same thing a few times. When someone is sad or grieving and I want to give a hug, it just seems odd to give one with that big pudgy-faced smile. 🤗 Yep, out of place sometimes. @hearlady
 
Myrtle said:
Posting on a public forum means that even though you are really nice to everyone sooner or later someone will disapprove. Let it be water off a duck's back. :)
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Good point, @Myrtle ... I've seen this and although I've never said it "aloud", my thought has been "why the devil are you picking on [insert name] because they never have anything bad to say about anyone." Hmmm... maybe that's why it happens... truly good and nice people are a threat to someone else's self esteem sometimes. :unsure: Maybe?
 
hearlady said:
I've commented before that I wish there was a hug option without a cute smile. Sometimes I want to send a sweet hug but sometimes it calls for a serious hug.
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This one really bothers me. There are so many times I just want it be a plain hug for someone who is sad.

Re the Angry emoji, Matrix once said something to the effect that he doesn’t want any emojis that are negative toward another person.
 
Jules said:
This one really bothers me. There are so many times I just want it be a plain hug for someone who is sad.

Re the Angry emoji, Matrix once said something to the effect that he doesn’t want any emojis that are negative toward another person.
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I am also sometimes confused if by using an angry emoji am I angry at the writer or angry in agreement with the writer.
 
chic said:
You know what I think? I think we all need to get a hobby.

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Learning anything and everything about communication is kind of a necessary hobby for me and psychology is interesting also. I would never post anything that I didn’t think was important to myself or somebody else. I can see why it might seem silly though.💗
 
Excellent thread, @Amelia B
I am glad that you started it, and that therefore, the posters have brought up some great points, regarding that particular emoji, and a few others, too.

Your sharing's in this thread about your personal, does point out one of the reasons that make it even more important for you, and for many other people who have those same situations that you do, for the same or for different reasons.

Plus, the ways that people use the emojis do differ, and do matter, sometimes, to some people, even if they do not have anyone else's particular reason.

And again, you were right, that the ambiguity can lead to misunderstandings or to unnecessary uneasiness, or to confusion, for anyone of us. :)

The emojis , I always thought, were intended to be a quick easy way for someone to clarify their reaction,
but often, it doesn't serve that purpose, at all, it seems to me. :oops::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

OH, and btw,
I am an over-thinker, too! :giggle::LOL::D:ROFLMAO::love:
 
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Amelia B said:
Learning anything and everything about communication is kind of a necessary hobby for me and psychology is interesting also. I would never post anything that I didn’t think was important to myself or somebody else. I can see why it might seem silly though.💗
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It doesn't seem silly. To many people, and I'm sure some here, too, meeting people and frequenting forums *IS* a hobby for them and I think that's wonderful. It helps with loneliness and the feeling of not mattering to anyone (perceived) in their life. I'd much rather know what someone means by using a certain emoji than wondering "did they mean this.... or that?" There would be a whole lot more misunderstandings without them.
 
Kaila said:
Excellent thread, @Amelia B
I am glad that you started it, and that therefore, the posters have brought up some great points, regarding that particular emoji, and a few others, too.

Your sharing in this thread, does point out one of the reasons that make it even more important, and many people have those same situations that you do, for the same or for other reasons.

Plus, the ways that people use the emojis do differ, and do matter, sometimes, to some people, even if they do not have anyone else's particular reason.

And again, you were right, that the ambiguity can lead to misunderstandings or to unnecessary uneasiness, or to confusion, for anyone of us. :)

The emojis , I always thought, were a quick easy way for someone to clarify their reaction,
but often, it doesn't serve that purpose, at all, it seems to me. :oops::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

OH, and btw,
I am an over-thinker, too! :giggle::LOL::D:ROFLMAO::love:
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CallMeKate said:
It doesn't seem silly. To many people, and I'm sure some here, too, meeting people and frequenting forums *IS* a hobby for them and I think that's wonderful. It helps with loneliness and the feeling of not mattering to anyone (perceived) in their life. I'd much rather know what someone means by using a certain emoji than wondering "did they mean this.... or that?" There would be a whole lot more misunderstandings without them.
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Exactly 😸
 
PeppermintPatty said:
For me, it’s just an emoji. I think if you read too much into anything, you do yourself a real disservice and I think this is one of them.
Who knows what the emoji user was thinking and more importantly, who cares. I’m not knocking your thread. I just think there’s too much emphasis given to a cartoon face.
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I agree with this in that cartoon faces are a poor replacement for actual human expression, but they are also all we have at present. -- However, I do see how they can and do get misinterpreted and really often think we should learn to live without them, which would force us to work a bit harder to communicate our thoughts/feelings in writing.

I have gone through periods with my partners wherein I declare I am no longer using emojis as I find myself, over time, leaning on them more and more such that I start to feel lazy, like I'm communicating via hieroglyphics.
 
Medusa said:
I agree with this in that cartoon faces are a poor replacement for actual human expression, but they are also all we have at present. -- However, I do see how they can and do get misinterpreted and really often think we should learn to live without them, which would force us to work a bit harder to communicate our thoughts/feelings in writing.

I have gone through periods with my partners wherein I declare I am no longer using emojis as I find myself, over time, leaning on them more and more such that I start to feel lazy, like I'm communicating via hieroglyphics.
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I agree with you;
Yet, sometimes we honestly do have limited energy for wording a response, and want to at least show the poster that we have read their post, and do offer our listening, and some support.
 
caroln said:
I don't know, sometimes when I see a "wow" on a post I've made, it makes me wonder if I crossed a line somewhere and was rude or insensitive to someone. Not over-thinking, just a little concerned. I try to think that it was meant in a positive way though.
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I experience the same conflicted emotions over the WOW emoji.
 

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