Today is my in depth analysis as to why I dislike the term “LOL.” Keep in mind the difficulty I had writing this, as I needed to write the word LOL repetitively. Sympathy cards and donations accepted.
We all know that I am a full supporter of abbreviating, affectionately known as “abbreving,” and I admit, back in my preliminary online interactions, I was an active LOLer, and perhaps even an occasional BRBer, TTYLer, and IDKer. With my online interactivity growing and maturing, I find my use of each has faded nominally. I am not ten anymore; therefore, I choose to avoid writing as one.
Below are some of the reasons why I refuse to use the term LOL, and why you should refrain from doing so if you are an avid LOLer:
LOL makes you a liar. Calling my bluff? Think about it. For all the LOLers out there, how often are you actually “laughing out loud” when typing the three letter abrev/swear? I bet it is a rare occasion that your physical LOLs align with your typed LOLs. While sometimes you may have smiled, or even let out a small silent laugh (the kind where you stimulate your stomach muscles and smile, but don’t make a noise), a vast majority of the time you write LOL, you are most likely not smiling at all. If you cannot hear yourself laughing, then the use of LOL is not only inappropriate, but also a lie. Similarly, if you find yourself using the term ROTFLMAO, you are also lying. No person who is actually rolling on the floor, laughing their ass off, would be able to effectively communicate that they are doing so without getting off the floor first.
LOL is a conversation killer because LOL often means: “I have nothing else to say.” Its true. LOL perpetuates dying conversations everywhere by providing a shallow response to which there is no answer. In an attempt to salvage an ending conversation, a LOL user thoughtlessly throws the LOL card to place the next response, and the fate of the conversation, on the second party. The result? The conversation usually dies. While the LOLer’s attempt at continuing the conversation may have been meant in a proactive way, what can the second party say in response to such a thoughtless abbrev? Nothing. The LOLer has admitted that they have nothing of value to add to the conversation, thereby ending it with one “word.”
LOL provides false hope. LOL can mean: “You just said something you thought would make me laugh, but it didn’t. I won’t abstain from responding, as I want to give you the satisfaction of your [lame] pun resonating with me; however, I wont give you the satisfaction of a HAHA, because it really wasn’t funny.” This use of LOL is also a conversation ender.
LOL makes people cowardly. The use of LOL can often stop important conversations or topics from being seriously talked about. Often times people say things of significance then follow it with the LOL to add a lighthearted component to an otherwise tense conversation. This is one of the most frustrating ways to use LOL: “Its not a big deal, but I thought you were super obnoxious when you were dancing naked at the party on Friday. LOL!” Here, LOL serves much like the term JUST KIDDING, where the person has a serious thought to share, but doesn’t want to suffer the repercussions of sharing it. Adding the LOL at the end serves as a disclaimer to whatever they need to get off their chest. Ineffective use of time; say what you need to say, but get to the point.
Lastly, LOL CAN MAKE IT SEEM LIKE YOU ARE YELLING WITH LAUGHTER. If you are one of those few people who actually use LOL while LOLing, your use of LOL can be overbearing. When someone responds to something I said with LOLOLOL, I usually believe that they genuinely find me humorous; however, I will never know, as I haven’t spoken to them since they used that very term. Luckily, LOLOL rarely occurs in my personal online encounters, but rather is just a disassociated comment I stumble across while facebook stalking. Lets keep it that way.
While I admit that I am still a loyal OMGer (gasp!) and that at times I will use BRB when rushed away from the computer, I will never use LOL in a conversation…and neither should you.
I admit, I am still a full fledged OMGer. I know, I lower my head in sheer embarresment
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