If I were to react to a post with these reaction icons, how would you interpret it?

[+ quoththeraven]

Which makes my point. Thank you, @Corporate Shill.

 

When things like wisdom and intelligence and free will boil down to whether you have a choice of 5, 50, or 500 emojis, I think it's fair to say that the emojis in question are the symptom of the problem. They are certainly not the solution. This is a perfect illustration of the argument that social media is leading to, at best, dumbed-down democracy, and at worst digitally-regulated authoritarianism.

 

What's up for grabs in this "testing" period, as far as I can tell, is whether there is any website to be had that contains any type of discussion or debate worth actually having. :oops: And that's me being a bit hysterical, I know. :eek:

 

I assumed this website was offline until January. The reason I found out it was up is that last week I called someone after I got a call from a family member of @Traveler North informing me he had passed. The forum member I called informed me @tristanbaldwin had already posted a message here, thankfully. I think all of us would agree that type of information sharing is one very important community function this website has served, and will hopefully continue to serve. And we've all just shown we're adults who are perfectly capable of expressing genuine sadness at the loss of a dear member of our community, without needing a sad face emoji to do so.

 

But while we are on the subject of death:

 

"The collapse of our civilizations and the extinction of much of the natural world is on the horizon."

 

You can take a statement like that, or leave it. It was just spoken by David Attenborough, narrator of Planet Earth, at the keynote to the UN conference on climate change in Poland. If you choose to leave such rubbish, one might rather appreciate having an emoji to communicate one's contempt for such a statement. So, for example, let's posit that there is - for sake of argumentation - someone I will refer to as "Individual 1." And let's say - just for the sake of argumentation - that "Individual 1" likes to tweet every morning. Said "Individual 1" might feel that a "fake news" emoji (o_Oo_Oo_O ???) communicates the appropriate level of contempt for stupid concerns about the future of civilization perfectly adequately. In our new era of digital authoritarianism, a new and proper "fake news" emoji might be all we actually need to survive and prosper. Hell, my guess is we could even all be perfect gentlemen, and simply agree that the "meh" emoji is perfectly adequate to express our common contempt for idiots like Attenborough who are concerned about the future of civilization.

 

Then again, there is always the possibility that a few among us might prefer the idea of reading and sharing and debating hundreds or even thousands of pages of government and scientific reports that suggest that perhaps Attenborough actually has a point. Surely, no one in their right mind would think we can't get enough of that kind of reason. Right? Nobody would actually prefer dry reams of data when a lively "fake news" emoji will do, right? I mean, why would anybody actually fight passionately about data, or ideas, as if the collapse of civilizations was actually at stake? I mean, can't it all be adequately summed up like this: :mad:. Then can't we all just agree to move on to the next emoji? :)

 

Because once you go down that rabbit hole, you find out very quickly that tweets and emojis and rants about "fake news" are not the solution to the problem. They offer no discernible advancement to civilization. One might even conclude that the kind of tweets and emojis and rants about "fake news" we experience daily from my figurative "Individual 1" are in fact part and parcel of the grave threats our civilization actually faces.

 

Having a nice little pyramid on how to make an argument is all well and good. And if I were a school marm, I'd give extra points to any ambitious student who tried to make a well-documented argument using a nifty pyramid like that. But it still remains a good question as to whether just posting a nice little pyramid that explains the rules of logic and reason to a bunch of very smart people even begins to address the real problem.

 

As recently as - hmmm, let's see, today! - we had a perfect example of what one might argue is the real problem. Somebody real, who I will again refer to as "Individual 1" - said that unless people accept his facts - which are widely refuted - and his way of doing things, he is going to shut the entire US government down. No, this is not a test. This is real. I'm not sure there is an emoji to communicate concern that you won't be getting your Social Security check this month. Or that you'd best not plan a trip to a national park anytime soon. It all feels rather bullying to me. Surely, there must be a "bully" emoji?

 

So we might consider this: until we figure out a way to actually discuss and address the problem as it exists in the real world, and have civil and civilized discussions instead of digital authoritarianism and tweets and bullies, the choice of whether we have 5 or 50 or 500 emojis may have no real meaning. Surely that warrants a sad face, right? :(

 

Then again, others will surely disagree.

 

After all, what more choice do any of us really need? :D:eek::rolleyes::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

Instead of "verbose," we need a good tl;dr icon. ("Too long; didn't read.")

[+ stevenkesslar]

Instead of "verbose," we need a good tl;dr icon. ("Too long; didn't read.")

 

Lovely idea!

 

They aren't exactly emoji's, but would any of these work to make the point?

 

 

 

Edited December 14, 2018 by stevenkesslar

[+ stevenkesslar]

Instead of "verbose," we need a good tl;dr icon. ("Too long; didn't read.")

 

Or, instead of a suggesting a negative connotation - like how some newspapers are just really long and boring - perhaps it would be best to come up with a universal icon or symbol that suggests "short and lovely - how nice!"

 

For example, how about this:

 

[+ SundayZip]

The negative emojis work fine on FB. On anonymous forums, they tend to be most useful to trolls.

 

I agree. If I were to get a negative emoji on my post, I'd want to know why? What exactly is it about the post that elicits the dislike or anger or sad emoji? On the other-hand, if I get a positive emoji, I'll just be happy about it and not care so much why. I think it boils doing to what engenders respect versus animus. An affirming emoji needs no explanation. A negative reaction to a post should be in the form of a reply that includes an explanation.

[+ Cock Eyed Optimist]

If you hover over the icon you'll get a word. For the first one "Verbose" and for the 2nd one "Ad Hominem"

 

I have hovered and hovered over the thumb icons but I never get anything. If I hover over the Avatar, I DO get a pop up window.

I am using a Mac desktop with Safari. Any help will be appreciated.

[+ Cock Eyed Optimist]

If you hover over the icon you'll get a word. For the first one "Verbose" and for the 2nd one "Ad Hominem"

 

I have hovered and hovered over the thumb icons but I never get anything. If I hover over the Avatar, I DO get a pop up window.

I am using a Mac desktop with Safari. Any help will be appreciated.

[rvwnsd]

Lovely idea!

 

They aren't exactly emoji's, but would any of these work to make the point?

 

 

 

Actually, the articles, stories, and parables in these publications are quite easy to read. The key, I think, is the quality of the writing and editing. There’s also the use of these literary devices called “getting to the point” and “having one.” Can’t speak for others, but for me they make or break a piece.

[rvwnsd]

Lovely idea!

 

They aren't exactly emoji's, but would any of these work to make the point?

 

 

 

Actually, the articles, stories, and parables in these publications are quite easy to read. The key, I think, is the quality of the writing and editing. There’s also the use of these literary devices called “getting to the point” and “having one.” Can’t speak for others, but for me they make or break a piece.

[+ stevenkesslar]

The key, I think, is the quality of the writing and editing. There’s also the use of these literary devices called “getting to the point” and “having one.”

 

Damn. Thanks for letting me in on that. I wasn't aware of that, really.

 

I thought it was always just about how lovely the guy doing the talking or writing was.

[+ stevenkesslar]

The key, I think, is the quality of the writing and editing. There’s also the use of these literary devices called “getting to the point” and “having one.”

 

Damn. Thanks for letting me in on that. I wasn't aware of that, really.

 

I thought it was always just about how lovely the guy doing the talking or writing was.

[TruthBTold]

. . . I thought it was always just about how lovely the guy doing the talking or writing was.

 

It is isn't it? God, I hope it is. I might as well put my finger down.

[+ stevenkesslar]

I thought it was always just about how lovely the guy doing the talking or writing was.

 

It is isn't it? God, I hope it is. I might as well put my finger down.

 

Or not.

 

After all, who says a guy can't be both sexy and smart?

 

 

Students Discover Their Gorgeous Ph.D. Mathematics & Engineering Professor Is Also A Top Supermodel

 

https://www.feelguide.com/2015/03/29/ucl-supermodel-math/

 

[TruthBTold]

Or not.

 

After all, who says a guy can't be both sexy and smart?

 

 

Students Discover Their Gorgeous Ph.D. Mathematics & Engineering Professor Is Also A Top Supermodel

 

https://www.feelguide.com/2015/03/29/ucl-supermodel-math/

 

 

Oh, him! They always pull him out. God damn him! (Besides why not just post yourself to prove your point. )

[+ stevenkesslar]

God damn him!

 

Didn't you mean to say, "Fuck him!" ?

 

[TruthBTold]

Didn't you mean to say, "Fuck him!" ?

 

 

Perhaps, but you know what a fuckin' discreet whore I am.

[BabyBoomer]

Didn't you mean to say, "Fuck him!" ?

 

 

Ok. I'll admit it. I looked. All I can say is you must have been absolutely LOVELY looking 30 years ago.

 

~Boomer~