Sincerity...

theia · Post by **theia** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 4:55 am

has anyone ever posted an insincere smilie? By that, I mean a "hug" or a "love" without much emotion or thought behind it. I know I have, though I'm not proud of admitting it.

When I realised this, I determined only to respond when my response felt genuine to me. Otherwise I felt that I was compromising both the integrity of the recipient and my own. I mean to say, who would really want to be on the receiving end of an insincere smilie?

But I've been thinking about this today and wondering if my thoughts on this are askew. Does it really matter if my smilie is insincere or not? Would it show? Should I just post away and hope that it feels supportive to the recipient and sod what I think about it? I mean, I've been grateful enough for the support I've had from friends on here and I don't think I ever questioned the intent behind their smilies.

Yes, ultimately, I know it's my choice and I should do what feels right to me, but it would be good to hear some other views on this.

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 5:02 am

Ive probably not used them when I should have more often than using them falsely.

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 5:07 am

I mean what my smilies say, otherwise I wouldn't spend the time looking for them. They do seem to move around alot here, and are hard to post anymore.

Sometimes to even have a smilie response at the end of day, is the only smile some people receive. I think it is a nice gesture on the part of most people here. I am talking about general nice back and forth responses, not any of the "jokes" with smilies attached. That, I feel, is very insincere, and makes the "joke" moot.

koan · Post by **koan** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 5:24 am

My smilies are sometimes sarcastic but I've always written the post in a way that makes the meaning clear. Or tried to.

Only on a forum would we see a question like this. :wah:

I love it!

Uncle Kram · Post by **Uncle Kram** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 5:36 am

koan;522941 wrote: My smilies are sometimes sarcastic but I've always written the post in a way that makes the meaning clear. Or tried to.

Only on a forum would we see a question like this. :wah:

I love it!
For me, Smilies are genuine intonation indicators. Using Smilies with sarcasm is fine. It accentuates the message which stands a much better chance of being interpreted correctly. Most blow-outs on here can be the result of things being taken the wrong way, and I would imagine in most of those instances, smilies were absent.

pantsonfire321@aol.com · Sat Jan 20, 2007 6:15 am

Pinky;522922 wrote: Nope. I mean every one of mine!

Me too . If i say it i mean it . I'm not interested in sucking up just be liked or to follow the crowd . If i care i say so ..but mostly in private .

Marie5656 · Post by **Marie5656** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 6:25 am

I have tried hard not to "over kill" on the emotes...and will only use the ones I see as appropriate for whatever I am responding to. If I do not feel a post warrents one, I leave it out.

But, I will put one here, just because it works.

Post by **Betty Boop** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 6:26 am

Interesting..........

The general smilies I use frequently, although I don't think I've ever used them without any thought at all.

The :-4 and :yh_hugs ones I actually think about very carefully and only go out when I really mean it, just as in my real life they don't get doled out that easily.

Galbally · Post by **Galbally** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 6:28 am

My favorite smilie is

because that sums up how I feel a lot of the time! :wah:

:wah: is good as well though!

Marie5656 · Post by **Marie5656** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 6:36 am

theia;522917 wrote:

But I've been thinking about this today and wondering if my thoughts on this are askew. Does it really matter if my smilie is insincere or not? Would it show? Should I just post away and hope that it feels supportive to the recipient and sod what I think about it? I mean, I've been grateful enough for the support I've had from friends on here and I don't think I ever questioned the intent behind their smilies.

.

I re-read your opening post after posting my prior response. In a way, for all of us, not just you theia, it does matter.

Think about it....all we are here is the printed words. The reader cannot see things like body language, or facial expression. Sometimes the smilies are all we have to show what may be behind our words, and how they should be taken.

I have used this one :p often to show I was just kidding, or being a bit silly with my posts.

I think we all have to have some way to show at least some of the feeling behind our words.

pantsonfire321@aol.com · Sat Jan 20, 2007 6:45 am

Pinky;523018 wrote: Yeah, you're lovely like that!:-6

Thankyou .

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 6:48 am

If your heading out its nice to put a few in your pocket for convenience. If youre in a restaurant and the waitress comes to check on you while your mouth is full, you can just lay a wink on the table.

Uncle Kram · Post by **Uncle Kram** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 6:52 am

Nomad;523062 wrote: If your heading out its nice to put a few in your pocket for convenience. If youre in a restaurant and the waitress comes to check on you while your mouth is full, you can just lay a wink on the table.

She probably goes back into the kitchen and says " We've got a right Winker at table 4"

Uncle Kram · Post by **Uncle Kram** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 6:56 am

For Nomad, Opportunity Knocks.......and I mean that most Sincerely folks!

Attached files

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 7:06 am

Uncle Kram;523074 wrote: For Nomad, Opportunity Knocks.......and I mean that most Sincerely folks!

Im coming up short on this one. :wah: :-3

Dont you hate it when you have to explain your jokes ?

Bez · Post by **Bez** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 8:38 am

I don't think I've used any when I didn't REALLY mean it...like chonsi said, there's no point in hunting for smilies if you don't genuinely mean it.

I've noticed that some people use them to attempt to 'soften' something derogatory that they've said...not sure that always works....

I like

and

and :wah: and a few more but can't show'em 'cos we're not allowed more than 4 :rolleyes:

Bez · Post by **Bez** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 8:41 am

Nomad;523062 wrote: If your heading out its nice to put a few in your pocket for convenience. If youre in a restaurant and the waitress comes to check on you while your mouth is full, you can just lay a wink on the table.

and if the meals not up to scratch....which one would you use ??

or :yh_angry or ???

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 8:45 am

Bez;523175 wrote: and if the meals not up to scratch....which one would you use ?? or or ???

Its nice to have options.

:-5 :-6

RedGlitter · Post by **RedGlitter** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 11:32 am

Nomad;523062 wrote: If your heading out its nice to put a few in your pocket for convenience. If youre in a restaurant and the waitress comes to check on you while your mouth is full, you can just lay a wink on the table.

:wah: (and I mean that)

I can honestly say when I have used the :-4 I have always meant it. But sometimes I will use a different smiley insincerely, but it's to make a harsh post or unpopular opinion seem less harsh. That doesn;t not always work though.

theia · Post by **theia** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 3:58 pm

pompom;523728 wrote:

(Now I feel really inhibited and can't bring myself to use one at all!)

Me neither, Pompom...it's a weird feeling

Hey, have you ever tipped for an abysmal haircut? I have...and generously!

theia · Post by **theia** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 4:06 pm

Kathy Ellen;523754 wrote: Theia, Your name is so beautiful. What does it mean?

Thank you, Kathy. I found it in Robert Graves' The Greek Myths. It means divine but theia was only a minor goddess (she said, trying like crazy to hold on to a modicum of modesty)

theia · Post by **theia** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 4:08 pm

pompom;523763 wrote: Same here, and recently. And the sad thing is I'll probably go back to the same place!

Yep, that's me too!

Post by **Betty Boop** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 4:16 pm

pompom;523763 wrote: Same here, and recently. And the sad thing is I'll probably go back to the same place!

I had a very bad haircut, she completely ruined my hair by razor cutting it, took me nearly a year to get it back in condition, I would never go back there but find myself being pleasant to her if I meet her in the street :-5 .

Post by **spot** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 4:19 pm

theia;523766 wrote: I found it in Robert Graves' The Greek Myths.Great book, that. I used to read bits to my children for bedtime stories a long time ago, which rather defeated the object of bedtime stories because they always wanted to talk about why afterwards. They did much the same with the Magnus Magnusson's Laxdaela and Njal's Saga translations. I enjoyed reading aloud, I don't get much excuse these days.

theia · Post by **theia** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 4:29 pm

spot;523778 wrote: Great book, that. I used to read bits to my children for bedtime stories a long time ago, which rather defeated the object of bedtime stories because they always wanted to talk about why afterwards. They did much the same with the Magnus Magnusson's Laxdaela and Njal's Saga translations. I enjoyed reading aloud, I don't get much excuse these days.

My children were stuck with Sam and Dudley the famous detectives and the Bad Tempered Ladybird. But it's wonderful reading to children, their imaginations are so alive and they delight in every word.

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 8:47 pm

I have a very expressive face. When I joke around, sometimes you can only tell by looking at me. So I have to use smileys here to get close to the same effect.

I like using this one as often as I can. :yh_dance

.

theia · Post by **theia** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 12:56 am

Accountable;523955 wrote: I have a very expressive face. When I joke around, sometimes you can only tell by looking at me. So I have to use smileys here to get close to the same effect.

I like using this one as often as I can. :yh_dance

.

Your sense of humour can be so much like Pompom's. I love it.