I have another question for mostly the women of TSR

It's fairly common knowledge in dating circles that 'women' 'dislike' guys who use 'emoticons excessively'.

There are "dating circles?"

In my opinion, writing without emoticons comes across as more direct, which is a characteristic of traditional masculinity. I think using emoticons can come across as almost apologetic towards what you've written. For example, if you say something that could be perceived as a little abrasive, and try to lighten it up with a smiley face at the end, it comes across as weak - like you don't have the stomach to stand by your words alone.

Personally I try to be a nice person, and I try to be compassionate, but don't go overly out of my way to adjust the tone of my beliefs or opinions, because they are what they are, and if it's appropriate to share my opinions, then watering them down seems to be both less honest and more likely to encourage emotional weakness at the level of society.

However, in terms of attracting girls, I really don't think it matters that much. Winking or flirtatious emoticons in particular.

I was gonna say something exactly like this.

Are you that same guy who also stole my ideas about people on TSR being fake?

That's me!

Uncle Foobert has identified 4 main phases, in this regard:

1) Keeno beta (you know the type, they cover girls' walls with colourful VMs, bless 'em) #ForeverFriendzoned

2) Wannabe boss (go out of their way to avoid using emoticons because they're terribly concerned with projecting maturity/masculinity [often 'compensating'])

3) IDGAF ~ I'll use emoticons to be expressive if I want - if a girl is that judgemental/unable to discern my finer qualities then she can 'do one'

4) Mature or non-student e.g. past it/too busy/too serious

Aye, one can trust to most reasonably sensible girls to be able to roughly discern the above, without being terribly prejudiced by snap judgements