Expressing Yourself ?

Thanks to technology we can--with a few keystrokes--or a few pushes with thumbs--let our emotions be known instantly  to our friends on blogs, Facebook, Twitter, and email. Here are some of these emoticons (Emow-shi-kons): I know of 24 different expressions.  

The most widely used: 

:-)   happy
:-(    sad
:-p  tongue stuck out (bluh)
:-D   grin 
;-)   wink
B)   smirky sunglassed face
<3   heart

But what about these not so popular ones: 
 
O:      is a gasping face
>:(    grumpy face  
:/       unsure
3:)     face with horns (devil)
O:)    angel with halo smiling
:*      kissing face
^_^  kiki   (giggling/laughing)
-_-   squinting face
o.O   confused face
>:O  upset face
:v     Pacman face
:3     face with curling lips
(^^^)   a shark head
:|]         a robot
<(")       a penguin
and
(y)   the thumbs up (Like sign on FB)

Question:  Are the ones in the not-so-popular list above not used because they require a few more keystrokes or they require one to think a little more to make sure the right keys are hit?  There are fun ones like the shark, penguin, kiki, angel, robot.Are people in such a hurry to send, they don't take time to think?  or do they?

Surprise!  The use of symbols or icons, though is not new.  Hobos used them to leave a message to other hobos to let them know whether they were welcome, or to stay away; if they could get food, or not at a place, and if there was danger. They made simple marks or symbols on posts, fences, etc. 

In one of the earliest known cave dwellings (Lascaux Cave)paintings were used to tell stories or send messages circa 15,000-13,000 B.C.  In the Uruk period (circa 4500-3100 B.C.), in what is now known as present-day Iraq,  a clay tablet features pictographic text through icons/symbols. The icons/symbols may have been made using a a reed or writing implement (like a stylus {needle}) to carve into the clay.   Here  is a link to view the tablet. (Click on this link below)  http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/me/r/record_of_food_supplies.aspx

I wonder what messages or stories these represent?  What we take for granted by typing or punching a few keys to send an emoticons, took ancient people months or years to create! Think about what you send before you send it.  With the speed of technology today, once it is sent, it can't be taken back or deleted.  There is always an electronic record of it somewhere.   However, a gentle :-) or :D is always welcome!  My favorite, and not on any list is :-k  which translates into a cat with whiskers. lol  (laugh out loud).  



Credit:  British Museum Terms of Use
and A History of Western Art, 3rd edition by Laurie Schneider Adams
Emoticons: someone from Facebook shared with me.