Say It with a Smile: Emoji Are Replacing Text
Theory: We have evolved as verbal animals as far as we can, and the pendulum of progress is beginning a retrograde swing. We are gradually returning to our cave-wall-painting roots. Although in a much more fun way.
I have no other explanation for the recent trend of writing entire sentences, even entire books in icons or emoji, but I’m sold. If nothing else, it’s a great method of communication for those of us who are old enough to be forgetting words.
The Japanese, in their never-ending quest to be the cutest nation on the planet, created the concept of emoji, but things didn’t really take off until around 100 years ago (that would be 1995 if you’re not counting in base tech), when telecom companies sumo-wrestled for the hearts and minds of people who were struggling to understand the new world of digital communication. Without the visual cues of face-to-face conversation, all sorts of wacky misunderstandings ensued, and that’s bad news in Japan. Come to think of it, it’s bad news just about anywhere.
Now, of course, all the cool kids with their baggy pants and loud music are into emoji. Who needs to slog through the entirety of Les Misérables — or even the SparkNotes — when you can zip through this version in under a minute? (Spoiler alert, by the way.)
(Twitter)
Kicking someone to the curb? Beyoncé translates particularly well to emoji:
(emojilyrics/Tumblr)
Are you far too complex to communicate in mere words? Try adding some emoji to your every day conversation:
Even our ubiquitous food-finding app Yelp has gotten in on the action. Jonesing for some cannoli? Drop the Italian flag into the Search bar of your Yelp app and watch the magic happen:
See also: My Week Eating Only Food Represented by Emoji
Have a friend who is a charter member of the Bad Idea Club? Talk them off the ledge with emoji:
(weheartit.com)
Feeling spiritual and don’t know how to express it? Do it with … OK, even the most jaded among us will have to admit that this is both highly creative and beautiful:
(vedranmisicart/Tumblr)
Drag classical artworks kicking and screaming into the 21st century for their own good by combining them with … you know what? This is pretty funny.
(weheartit.com)
You can even enjoy this hilarious mockumentary about emoji living in the wild.
So count me among the converted. Emoji are here to stay, and we’d better get used to them. Now please excuse me while I text my kids:
Get the picture? Take our quiz: 10 Famous Movie Lines Written in Emoji
Is there something weirdly popular on the Internet that you’d like explained? Write to Deb Amlen at buzzologyYT@yahoo.com and let her know. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter (@debamlen).
