Protest!

[Musical Shutterbug]

I think that bookworm should use more smily faces in his posts

[Knight Fisher]

That would be the end... I am actually crying right now. There are big tears running down my face. It can't happen! That would be like him changing his username.

[bookworm]

I don’t understand. I wasn’t aware that my use of smileys was inadequate.
I use them whenever I feel they are appropriate.

[American Eagle]

Compare:

I use them whenever I feel they are appropriate.

vs.

I use them whenever I feel they are appropriate.

[bookworm]

Compare what? The second one isn’t appropriate.

[American Eagle]

Yes, it is.

There's almost zero inappropriate places for the dancing smiley.

See?

[bookworm]

Not inappropriate that way, I know that smiley fits nearly anywhere. I meant that it changes the connotation of the message in a way that is inappropriate to the statement I was making.

[American Eagle]

In other words, you rather sound mellow, instead of chippy?

[bookworm]

In that example I sounded factual, which was what I was being, instead of whimsical which would have worked, but wasn’t the effect I intended or wanted.
My smiley usage or nonusage attempts to keep the perception of my post by the reader consistent with the perception I meant it to have in writing it.

[Marvin D.]

bookworm is too serious

And that makes him no fun

NOW.

bookworm is too serious. That makes him no fun.

See? xD

[bookworm]

If you’re directing that at me, yes of course I see. And I would use whichever of those was appropriate for the message I was trying to convey.

[Marvin D.]

Half the time you're too serious, bookworm Smilies make everything MUCH better If AE stopped using smilies. .I would go into denial.

And I cannot believe we're discussing appropriateness of smilies

[bookworm]

Half the time you're too serious, bookworm

That would depend on how you define serious. I have an excellent sense of humor, so I don’t consider myself a serious person in that way. What you seem to term ‘serious’ is my attention to clearly conveying my online messages, which I would see as a positive thing because with something as impersonal as the internet it’s never a bad thing to make sure people don’t take what you say the wrong way.

And I cannot believe we're discussing appropriateness of smilies

Why not? It’s a very valid topic. We actually had this discussion in a recent communication class when we were going over nonverbal communication and perception.

[Woody]

Bookworm, you are WAY too serious.

[bookworm]

Again, it depends on what you mean by that.
If you mean I tend to be factual in my statements as opposed to allowing more room for interpretation of what I’m saying, then I would agree. But I would argue that isn’t being serious, it’s making sure that people understand my statements in the way I mean them to. And I do that very intentionally, so I don’t see it as a negative.

[Woody]

And stop using such big words!

[bookworm]

It’s not a matter of big words and small words it’s about choosing the words that properly convey your message, something else I do very intentionally.
Even in real life conversations, but especially over the internet where words are all you have, it’s important to do everything you can to make your meaning clear.

[The Kings Daughter]

This is amusing to read through. And does there have to be a black and white for usage of smilies? To each his own!

In other words, you rather sound mellow, instead of chippy?

Smilies are like personality. If everyone had the same personality, where would Obama be today? o.O

And stop using such big words!

Big words...are cool.

[Taps]

Oh yes it is fun to read the verbal battle between AE and Bookworm, since both have completely different personalities.

[Knight Fisher]

And just think if all the girls acted like Marv.