Quello qui sopra è il primo “emoticon” che ho mai digitato in vita mia, e vorrei che restasse l’unico. Le ragioni le spiega bene Mary Elizabeth Williams su Salon.

When I see a smiley, my first thought is, “What are you, 12 years old?”
What is it about the emoticon that fills me with such loathing? Maybe it’s the wastefulness of the enterprise, the redundancy of it, the implied lack of confidence in the writer’s ability to communicate, or mine to comprehend. If you say, “I’m looking forward to seeing you tonight,” I think you’re looking forward to seeing me. If you say, “I’m looking forward to seeing you tonight. :-),” I think you’re not sure I understand the extent of sentiment in that seven-word message. And if you write, “I’m looking forward to seeing you tonight ;-),” I think your assumption of getting laid this evening may have been a bit premature, Winky.