I love using emoji.
My favorite is “man dancing”—the disco guy in the purple suit. If I text you “man dancing” I’m feeling joy, confidence, style, and devil-may-care. Or perhaps I’m reflecting your joy, confidence, style, or independence.
My brother, in contrast, refuses to use emoji. He professes to be anti-emoji.
I feel sad about that. He’s missing something. And, emoji deserve more respect.
So here’s my proof emoji are magnificent:
I. The great Marshal Rosenberg taught that communicating our feelings is sharing “what’s alive” inside us. And, sharing “what’s alive” inside us enables us to connect with others.
II. For example, you may never have your screenplay rejected, or have your child move to California, or get to do yoga on a beach at dawn. But if the person who experiences these things shares how they feel about them, you can relate. Because we’ve all been happy, sad, inspired, scared, excited, angry, or contented at one time or another.
III. Thus, since emoji help us share our feelings—what’s alive inside us—they help us connect. Connecting with others is magnificent. Therefore, Emoji are magnificent. Q.E.D
I recommend using as many emoji as you need, and as you please! (smiling face; flexed bicep; flexed bicep; man/woman dancing; red heart; red heart)
P.S. Happily, my brother seems to have found a way around his emoji aversion. In a recent text following a warm winter vacation, he wrote: “I’m back…just landed at a frozen Kennedy Airport. FROWN.”
P.P.S. (smiling face; flexed bicep; red heart)