23 Comments
User's avatar
Rindy Iam's avatar

I don't use them because I'm not always sure what they mean. I don't want to accidentally insult someone because I used a green heart instead of a blue heart. Things could go very wrong if an emoji means something to one person and not the other and you probably wouldn't even know why they were upset.

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Mark's avatar

That’s a good point Rindy, kind of like the couple who said they wanted the apartment in the example, they clearly didn’t use the appropriate ones! 💃

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Alea Montañez's avatar

This was such a fun read! I love emojis so much ✨ (though I can't imagine them on Pride and Prejudice hahaha 🤣)

Kidding aside, I agree that emojis make a huge difference in the tone of your writing. I once read a Substack guide saying you should absolutely stay away from emojis in your long-form posts, but I'd rather not follow that advice... 😶‍🌫️🧋

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Mark's avatar

Thanks Alea, I appreciate it, it depends how you write and who for. I can see how someone writing news reports might want to stay away. Do what works for you 😊

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Malick Abdullah's avatar

Thank you for the shortcut Mark! I didn't realise it was that easier and it definitely is a game-changer. I like your conversation of hieroglyphics where you highlight that visual communication has been a mainstay long before emojis, and it is a very interesting comparison.

Not only that but your analysis of emoji was like the thought-process we go through when we try to convey how we feel or are on the receiving end of emojis or the lack of. Amazing post.

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Mark's avatar

👍😊Thanks Malick

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Krspeace's avatar

"Windows: Press Windows key + full stop (.) or Windows key + semicolon (;)"....I had no clue 😃

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Mark's avatar

Mind blown 🤯 and just finding out that little keyboard shortcut was the inspiration for the whole post. I got carried away!

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Krspeace's avatar

Funny enough those quirky ideas are usually the most viral articles

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Jennifer Louise's avatar

25 years…now I feel really old! Thanks for that! 🤣

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Mark's avatar

Yeah, I know right!😳 Sorry 😔

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Jennifer Louise's avatar

No worries 🥰🤎

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Mayank's avatar

I never realised their relevance before. Thanks for writing this 👏

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Mark's avatar

Thanks for reading it Mayank 😊

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Bette A. Ludwig, PhD 🌱's avatar

I absolutely love using emojis and they can be a lot of fun. However, they can also lead to confusion, especially since some cultures interpret certain emojis very differently. There’s also a big generational divide—like how Gen Z sees the 👍 emoji as passive-aggressive. Like everything even emojis can create their own set of communication challenges.

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Mark's avatar

Yeah, especially like the couple who didn’t get the flat in the end, they caused some confusion.

I was talking about the aggressive 👍at work. I feel like some people live in a parallel universe!

Thanks for reading Bette 😊

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Leo in L.A.'s avatar

Fun read 😊 I love anything that makes communication more clear. I am similar... I craft every damn thing I say or write, in real time. lol So I enjoy emoji.

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Mark's avatar

Thanks Leo 🦁, I do appreciate you reading 😊

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Hafsa's avatar

I didn't know that emojis coined back to 1999. 🤔

Amazingly wirtten Mark. 👏🏼

“We can discuss your promotion tomorrow 🕵️‍♀️ 🖇️.” - I know it's you who has been stealing all the paperclips, don't expect the promotion."😂😂😂

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Mark's avatar

Thanks Hafsa 😊 Yes, they have had quite the evolution haven’t they :-) =>➡️🙂

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Dom de Lima's avatar

I was surprised to learn how old emojis actually are!

I LOVE them!! If they’re the seasoning of conversation, then my chats with family & friends are basically the equivalent of Asian food! 🌶️🔥😂 But for some reason, I hold back a little when using them here… maybe I need to start spicing things up a bit more! 😏

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Mark's avatar

😂 Thanks Dom, they are definitely the seasoning of conversation 😋

It depends where you use them of course, you wouldn’t want to put spice on your cereal would you? 🌶️ 😂

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Dom de Lima's avatar

😂

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