Friends and family know that I just can’t stand emoticons. It used to be that I would abruptly stop IM chats with friends who would use emoticons in the middle of online discussions, and block them from my list for weeks at an end as punishment. I’ve mellowed over time though. I don’t excommunicate friends for using emoticons any more. I refrain from commenting on emoticons unless they are overused. Last month, as a birthday present, I even gave a friend permission to use upto three emoticons without fearing any recrimination .

But seeing an emoticon being used still hits me in the gut though. These things are evil. They are rapidly eroding our ability to use words, language and sounds. And worse, verily they are corrupting our youth! Our dreams and aspirations are pinned on minds that are probably enfeebled by dreaming in flourescent smileys. What hope remains for us?

This is why I was surprised -nay disappointed - nay shocked - nay dismayed - nay crushed - to see my own co-blogger Sajid use the following in the comments section for the the last post:

July 28th, 2007 at 4:28 am

Sajid:                    Indeed. :}

Et tu, Brute?

Explain to me, please, this smiley. What is the use of the flowery bracket supposed to signify? I understand :) or :P or or :D . They have some connection with the physical operation of the part of the face beneath the nose. But it’s physically impossible for the mouth to contort itself into a } . Go ahead - try it and see.

So what is this :} supposed to be? A smile marred by a giant fora (boil) on the lower lip?  A smile with the implicit threat in it - with one fang disclosed? Not a smile at all, but a handlebar mustache botched by an overeager unskilled barber wielding a straight edge blade? Or may be some kind of sorry attempt at deconstructing the idea of smiling?  

 Sajid, please explain yourself.