Text messaging first began in the 90's and became relevant in the early 2000's. Since then, it has revolutionized how people communicate via cell phones. If a phone call was similar to talking to someone face to face, a text message was like passing a note back and forth. Some may say that text messaging is disconnecting and not a real interaction, but today it is literally the leading form of communication for our generation.
Over the years, advancements have been made in the text message game. From "lol's" and "smiley faces" to iMessage read receipts and expressive emojis. Text messages may lack emotion, but in a way they allow a person to draw whatever emotion they think might be behind the words. However, emojis add some emotion in a simple but genius way. One emoji can turn a basic sentence into a funny, happy, or sad one. The power behind that is something special. At the same time, what does this say about the times we are living in, that it takes a simple cartoonish image to invoke emotion.
Why not pick up the phone and actually tell someone how happy you are instead of texting 7 smiley emojis? Or actually tell your friend that their new song is amazing without responding with 4 fire flame emojis. I hope, that as time goes on, we as people can get back to real communication. We do live in a fast moving world where time is of the essence (which is why text messaging is an amazing invention), but when real emotion needs to be expressed, don't marginalize it.
With that being said have a Happy New Year!
-MN
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