What does the mask hide? What does it reflect? Does it reveal what we truly feel, or merely what is expected of us?

Emoticons were originally created to enrich written communication with emotions—emotions we naturally interpret, often subconsciously, from the expressions on another person’s face. Over time, they began to replace words, sentences, and even entire thoughts. Today, our interactions are often reduced to an exchange of symbols: smiling faces, tears of joy, or hearts. Through emoticons, we express genuine feelings, yet just as often, we conceal entirely different ones beneath the mask.

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The flat, simplified face icon has supplanted the depth of authentic conversation. Emoticons have become our masks—worn, adjusted, and recycled to suit the rituals of online existence.

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