To Emoji or not to Emoji…
Magdiel Márquez, and the in-love poop Emoji pillow. 2018
One thing that has lately resonated strongly with me is the use of Emoji. I admit it, I wouldn’t be myself texting if I wouldn’t send at least one Emoji… per message.
I feel Emoji-less messages are cold, devoid of meaning and, more often than not, they send the wrong ‘message’.
If something makes me happy I send a happy Emoji (the geek Emoji is one I’m relating myself to when I’m happy 🤓), if I’m angry I send the smokey-nose Emoji, if I’m flirty I send the sideways looking Emoji and so on. The thing is, I can’t sms/whatsapp/comment or something else without adding my Emojis, because doing so makes me feel like a mean/cold/harsh person.
But then a question arises: am I ‘too old’ to be using Emojis?
At 28, it’s annoying to feel that Emojis are restricted to teenagers and people under 22 (that’s a number I’m picking up right now). Is it that we, adults, are not allowed to be silly in public? To feel silly when texting a friend or relative?
Some people are so stagnant about this that people like me, I know there’s plenty out there, feel out of place when being honest to who they are. The use of Emoji shouldn’t rest us credibility, or makes us less capable to the eyes of others. But sadly, apparently (certainly), it does.
Why being ‘the way I am’ should be judged, discredited and make an outcast in this (or any other) business just for the use of (or lack of thereof) Emoji?
We deserve to feel normal while expressing our thoughts, likes and dislikes, while being flirty with that special someone or cocky with our bunch of guys.
Maturity and seriousness, the point of my statement, is not attached to your likes, your posts, your smiley faces written with two dots and a parenthesis or the Emoji you love to use. Is more about the way you see life, the impact you make in others’ lives.
Is about staying true to who you are, how you feel comfortable expressing yourself, rather than worrying for how childish you look for writting Emojis every. other. word.
So f*ck it up. Don’t become your own worst enemy. Don’t judge yourself like others would for doing something that makes you who you are. You’re free to express yourself in the way you consider best as long as you’re not damaging/hurting other people.
Be truth to yourself and forgive yourself for wanting to throw rocks at what you have built just because people doesn’t see you as professional or mature as you’d like them to.
Let them be the ones to judge, to throw stones at you and doubt about what you’re capable of, of the message you’re able to express through your silly Emoji. Don’t be the one throwing rocks at yourself.
