Smile, an ever-plastic smile...

There's something so unreal about a smile. Telling so much more than what's evident, definitely less than what's on the smiler's mind. It's up to the person being smiled at, to interpret.

It's grossly deceptive, when inserted in a conversation. It could indicate that the smiler has "left the building", so to speak, and is simply being polite by smiling. Or that he's just laughing at you, on the inside, so on the outside, it's really a smirk - doused in condescension and pity. Or maybe it's a pathetic effort at pleasing company. In any case, it isn't what it's defined to be for.

And in the hideously inappropriate avatar of an emoticon, a smile, or rather, a smilie, is everything but a smile. Definitely the two most politically motivated symbols activated with the shift key. It's to cushion the harsh impact of verbal blows, it's to keep things light while ripping your soul to shreds. To lend a human touch to an otherwise clinical act. An after-thought of decency. All that's remained from the self-help books.

And the recipient, unless he overthinks the situation, probably nods happily to himself. Til a later hour, when the message undilutes itself, shrugging the smilie off, and lands its full and complete impact.

Can't believe there are people who consider this emoticon unprofessional. It's the greatest weapon of destruction - how did we ever manage without it?!