created, $=dv.current().file.ctime & modified, =this.modified
tags:
rel:Jokes - Control Language - Islands lol
There’s something going on with laughter as an attempt to control a power dynamic. I notice with a lot of reactions, if someone perceives a power imbalance and they are fundamentally unequipped to fight back (“I understand, but I believe you are wrong because…”), they’ll resort to an “lol” or smile emoji reaction. It’s as if engaging with someone (who is attempting to communicate) is shut off, and beneath them.
An example:
I saw someone speaking how the local forest fires were smelt from their apartment in the city. This is clearly a deeply unfunny event. The subtext to a lot of this discussion is “unusual fires are nearby, what is causing them? it’s clearly drought, should we be concerned about climate change?” But the reaction I saw was (incongruously, to someone normal) “LOL.”
Following the election results you see it further, this type of simplistic trolling. Someone will be voicing concerns about the upcoming administration, and the reactions will be overwhelmingly “laughing.”
I understand this stems from the IRL interaction of laughter as a form of dismissal (“you are ridiculous”), but there is a kind of collective summing of all of these voices that comes out in reactions online.
I’m reminded of early Tech Linguistics where prior to emoji reactions being implemented there was cause the worry that textual engagement would fall because of the ease of reacting. Certainly the case, but also I fear the problem stems from the speaker, who would likely provide (and be incapable of providing) not much else.