Dear Editor:

One of the greatest privileges in life is having the freedom of expression. It is also our greatest indicator enabling us to chime in on or discern the pain of another. However, relationships and life experiences can encourage or hinder our ultimate freedoms in expression. In some homes and settings there aren’t opportunities to express! Many of us constrict our own feelings to shackle the appearance of weakness or to camouflage the social presentation. We’re reminded through evidence of clarity as we pass by shallow, connecting energies from people in the community or see the emotional roller coasters in our co-workers, family and friends.

The stresses of life’s uncertainties can pose grave probabilities for many that can weigh in on family dynamics causing children to be affected the most. Parents often avoid telling their children the truth about family dynamic problems, which in turn masks their own real emotions. On the other hand, fathers are overworked and come home to a chaotic house, which can compound negative emotions. Most trials and errors of life are brought to the social fruition in the ups/downs of emotions.

But a new error and landscape has evolved the social communication platform. Emojis are now the new-aged expression. The variances and topical stamps attached to communication through texts, emails and social media has cornered the market as the fashionable fad of feelings. Technology has inadvertently pushed aside those organic poised character credos of expression that once was a societal bloom and ambiance. Contemporary platforms invite expressions of hurt or happiness with a convenient “click” of facial expression; inhibiting, the real gist of emotion.

The interpretation of pictures are subjective and can vary from person to person. True emotions must be expressed through visual or verbal communication, which is where sincerity and the real depth of how a person feels becomes evident. The inspiration here is that a touch on a friend’s shoulder or a hug to a family member is still our greatest genuine emotional anthem. Let’s not let emojis be yet another modeled social inhibitor that cripples a healthy right and privilege to elicit true expression.

Dr. Dennis Walter Smith Sr.

Seneca Falls, New York