Dear Popular Culture:
I really have no idea why, over the past few years, the excellence of the English language has been soiled by the use & overuse of ridiculous-looking comic symbols and icons called “emojis.”
I have seen highly intelligent people burst forth with a Facebook comment and add about five or ten identical emojis of indiscernible meaning or value to their posts. What exactly are these emojis intended to convey? Is this supposed to be “fun” or something? I find it completely annoying.
Worse is the phenomenon of the “moving emoji” which will actually rotate back and forth on the screen. Those of us who have been blasted with severe ADHD are then drawn to the moving symbol on the screen, and (at least in my case) can no longer effectively focus on any other word or image on the entire screen.
IDK maybe I’m just getting grouchy in my old age. But it just seems that the world of modern technological devices can be over-stimulating enough as it is, without having to stimulate us much further.
Also, when I begin to think this way, I ponder the time-honored value of getting out into Nature, soaking in the vibes, listening to the wind & the birds and watching the panorama of Beauty dancing across the screen of the sky.
I’ve even pondered how beautiful it would be to die in Nature. Saying my prayers of thanksgiving before the stars, thanking the Almighty for a job well done.
Fat chance. If this ludicrous culture keeps moving in the direction it’s going, I’ll die of a sudden stroke once some drunken Facebooker throws a 3-dimensional moving emoji at me from out of my computer screen.
Off the grid & fast.
Andy OUT
Please donate to Eden in Babylon.
Eden in Babylon 
Great post Andy!
I agree that there needs to be better balance between nature + our computers. After all, technology developed over centuries as a means to enhance our lives – not control it. And yes, getting out in nature in all of it’s variety – can often do much more to get us in touch w the profound things in life.
I was talking to a friend that the old hit “Take It Easy” – where the singer is looking out at the traffic going by, might not be a hit today. After all…if someone is standing on a corner nowadays, there’s a good chance they’re staring at their phone!
Keep playing your piano + getting out into nature Andy! I sure enjoy it! :)
See ya bud,
Perry
LikeLiked by 1 person
Howdy Perry – your account involving “Take it Easy” reminds me of how just the other day, a young man I’m working with says he believes that the Internet and social media have reduced his attention span. “And how I want my full attention span back!” he exclaimed.
We naturally then began to discuss Nature and the healing properties thereof, also meditation. We need not be controlled by this technology we have created.
LikeLike
I don’t know if my computer just doesn’t display them or if it’s just a Facebook thing (and I don’t use Facebook), but I haven’t come across moving emojis yet. That would definitely annoy me.
I use heart and smile emojis, and I like that they’re a way to respond to comments without having to fish words out of my head.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Your not using Facebook is definitely an asset. People seem much more out-of-control in their use of emojis on that platform than elsewhere. Once someone used a moving emoji so huge it literally took up over 1/2 the area of my computer screen.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yikes!
LikeLiked by 1 person