Poll: Do you find the "=)" to be sarcastic?

[Gralian]

Ok, so basically i've had this nagging feeling about people who use "=)". I know this is probably going to be just me who thinks this, but does anyone else consider it to be sarcastic? Not friendly in any way, just patronising and sarcastic. I get far more annoyed when people use "=)" instead of "". "" feels like a genuine, friendly smiley while "=)" feels like the person is staring you down like you're some kind of retard. I know, weird right? An example may be if you say "I think The Saboteur is the best sandbox game" and someone replies "No, GTA4 is the best sandbox game. =)" it's almost like they're going "There there, i know you're too stupid to realise that GTA4 is more open-world than Saboteur *Patpatpat*" rather than "No, GTA4 is the best sandbox game. " Which feels like someone is giving a genuine, honest opinion.

All very convoluted, i know. But... What do you think? I'm anxious to know if i'm the only one who thinks this!

 

[El Poncho]

You know now that you've mentioned it i'm gonna think it's like that goddammit, I always use because I think I have a problem just ending a normal simple post with not a big point in it with just a full stop...

 

[Asphyxiation]

How is that sarcastic, that doesn't make any sense.

 

[Mr.Pandah]

I'm so confused...I use =) all the time. I hate the way looks in most texts/IM's. That is, even if it doesn't convert it to some retarded emote.

 

[Distorted Stu]

The =] is easier tp type. I mean look, the = is right next to the ] and you dont have to hold down shift!

 

[orangebandguy]

No. When it's sarcastic it's usually obvious.

 

[Jamienra]

i use emoticons to much. but i never find them sarcastic. cept the shity eyes ¬¬

 

[RyQ_TMC]

I hate emoticons, period.

Don't get so wound up over nothing.

Thank you!

Someone else sane on the interblag.

Your welcome!

I never seen the point of them to be honest.

The point seems to be that some people can't or won't read your intentions from the wording. Which basically means that they either don't understand the text or are too lazy to think. I try to avoid emoticons as much as I can (although I've slipped a few times even on the forums here), but it just happened to me a few times that I didn't put a "" after a joke and one friend or other got offended, or worked up about it, or something else. Now I remember that I have to point out to them that I'm not serious. Which is annoying.

EDIT: OP - I think you're reading too much into it...

 

[thiosk]

Oh yeah, this is such a good topic for a thread. Lets all talk about smiley truncation for an hour. =)

 

[RyQ_TMC]

That's the flaw of text based communication. I prefer to speak to people but in cases like here I have no choice. It's up to whoever reads it to use their brain to figure it out.

I don't think of it as that much of a flaw... You can usually deduce it from the wording, context and overall atmosphere of the conversation, it's not like we announce our emotions loudly when we talk face to face, either. I think the problem is more that we have become overreliant on emoticons, to the point where not putting anything after a sentence is seen as a signal saying "oh, that guy's serious".

 

[Ace of Spades]

Uhhh... no? His eyes are just longer =)

 

[Low Key]

Usually when I use it, it means I'm trying to be a little sarcastic or poke fun. It really depends on the words that preceed it though.

 

[ma55ter_fett]

It's not sarcastic =)

Nor am I, (^_^) though I look damn smug