Ever since someone roasted “old-guy texting” yesterday, I’ve cut back on emojis a bit.
Basically, I think you’re fine as long as you use about the same number of emojis as she does.
Young people use lots of emojis too—often sending several in a row, and definitely far more than what most would consider “moderate.”
That said, they sometimes use emojis to mean the exact opposite of what older guys think they mean, so there are always plenty of discoveries.
I’ve started using what I learn in messages to younger coworkers in our workplace group LINE chat, and they’ve reacted really positively. They seem happy, and it’s motivated them a lot.
Emojis are incredibly useful because they convey how much you appreciate and are pleased with someone in a way that words alone probably can’t. And if I hadn’t interacted with younger people, I don’t think I ever would have learned how to use emojis this way.
The phrase “in moderation” is what makes it risky, though（笑）。
In the end, isn’t that just your own idea of what “in moderation” means? You’ve adjusted it based on what you assume young people would consider moderate, so you think it’s fine. But the person who judges and decides how to evaluate it is always the other person—not you. I think it’s important to understand that.
As Kazu-san says, “old-man texting style” is easy to understand because you can find it on Wikipedia if you Google it. But thinking, “I read this, so now I understand it,” is actually another mistake. What matters isn’t understanding it, but accepting that you “can’t fully understand it.” Don’t make assumptions; observe the other person and listen carefully, including to the gestures and signals between the lines. That’s what’s important.
Women are all different, too. Some will pretend to adapt to you while secretly mocking you, while others will feel awkward about the generation gap but still make a genuine effort to connect. Even an attractive, highly educated woman may have an awful personality, while a ditzy gal may have a fundamentally decent character. I’d prefer the latter kind, but can you actually identify them?
“Listen carefully” is a nice phrase, isn’t it? When you’re constantly rushing around and making a fuss, it creates ripples and makes it hard to see what’s really going on. If you stop for a moment, calm down, and stay quiet, the waves will gradually settle. Then you can look around and see things more clearly.
Actually, it’s a pretty simple matter.
Taro
You know about search services like Google and Yahoo, right?
If you type “old-man texting style” into your browser, you can find the answer without even having to use ChatGPT.
It’s easier and takes less effort than posting on an anonymous Q&A site.
