Internet Rapists: A look at the over use of lol

[Proxy]

I imagine once, not so long ago, a certain someone who was prone to fits of laughter was getting tired of typing out “hahahahahaha” every time one of his or (more likely) her friends said something funny. It couldn’t have been long after that that ‘lol’ was born. And from that should’ve-been-aborted baby came un-pedigreed line of ‘lmaos’ and ‘lmfaos’ and ‘rotflmfao’ and so and so on. Not unlike a southern white trash family the abbreviations for laugher multiplied like rabbits.

Fast forward five years later; today the ‘lol family’ is inextricably woven into the fabric of internet dialect. I, personally, prefer the occasional use of an ‘rof’ or an ‘lol’ to the seemingly maniacal “hahahahahaha!” (I mean, seriously, who laughs like that?) Yes, in spite of its unseemly conception, the ‘lol family’ is necessary and even useful.

But at what point is enough e-*******-nough? How many times can a person use one of the bastard off spring of ‘lol’ in an IM conversation, Private Message, Post or Thread before it becomes obnoxious and unacceptable? When is it acceptable for you, the recreational ‘lol’ user, to say “Look buddy, you’re using way too often… I think you should seek some help?” It gets annoying doesn’t it? Doesn’t it also further degrade the family? If every other post someone is ‘lmafo’in’ how funny can what they’re laughing at really be? How many times can one person seriously laugh their fu***** a** off in one thread? How much a** does said person have?

Maybe I’m just bitter after years of constant eye rape at the over use. Still, I think maybe, just maybe, there should be some generally accepted rule about overuse. Maybe we should come up with some name for these lol addicts. Thoughts?

[Angantyr]

lulz

Yes I agree with this to some extent, but sometimes when people say something trying to be funny I just say it whilst ignoring them. Often instead I use the terms heh or hah or as a joke "lawl" which is like a sarcastic way of saying it. Oh and obviously lulz; a corrupt for of l o l, well I don't use it but its used a lot... more for laughing at sick, obscene, vial kind of humour.

There is one guy I read (didn't take to him but I hated him anyway) who constantly said it, I couldn't help but noticed he was boring, dry and had a very bland sense of humour.

[Frank_White]

I personally agree with this. I mean, think about it. Does the average person really laugh all that much(and by laugh I mean, to actually start laughing out loud, as the acronym implies) at something they see on the internet? Granted, funny videos/pics may cause one to chuckle, or even laugh out loud.

But when you're on an internet forum, does typing "lmfao" or "rotflmao" really add anything to your post, aside from length and a "I'm an idiot!" post-it note? Is it really all that important to keep reminding us how much you're laughing? Woah buddy, calm down over there! Leave some party for us!

Or maybe you're really not having fun. Maybe no one's laughing, least of all you. Are you one of those people who has to constantly remind yourself of something, lest you lose focus and return to some dreary, personalized pergatory? Seeing that kind of behavior, you really can't help but think: "Wow, who's this guy trying to convince that he's laughing out loud... me, or himself?"

But please, don't take me for some monster who hates laughter. Laughing is great. Studies have shown that laughing more can reduce blood pressure, help with weight loss, and produce other healthy benifits.

It's just when people start throwing a word around, it becomes meaningless and redundant, which is then reflected upon the user. Isn't it annoying when someone speaks to you, using vocabulary with as much variety as the gene pool of a small Apalachian community where, as Einstien put it; "Everyone's relative?" *I just cracked a joke, see, I like laughing too.*

Common sense. A little respect for others. It's not hard. Mix your patter up just a little, and you're doing everyone a big favour.

[Silver]

Well I'm guilty of using emotes a lot to depict laughter.
But then again I do randomly crack up a lot in real life.
Maybe it's brain damage, maybe a neurological condition, maybe I'm more insane than just a little, but yeah I laugh all the time...

But then again, I try to avoid the text abbreviations if I can.
Something about over usage of those offends my eyes...

And yes, I am one of those people with a really annoying HAHAHAHAHAHA laugh in real life. Probably my worst feature...
My evil/psycho laugh is cool though. ^^

[Neo Necron]

LOL

Lol has changed it's meaning, the way i see it. It used to exclaim fits of hysterical laugher, now it just seems to acknowledge an amusing sentence. Not necesseraliy something funny, but perhaps something ironic or typical like:

Person 1 : "I didn't do my homework"
Person 2 : "lol me neither"

Hardly comedy genious.

That's how I use it, if ever, anyway. Here's how I express response to humour online:

AAAAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA!!!!!! - If something is absolutely hysterically funny. I'm talking something funnier than anything I've heard in a LONG time. (sometimes I will actually use ROFL! (like that, capitalized) if I'm feeling lazy).
Hahahaha! - Something is actually rather funny. Hilarity factor is expressed by the number of 'ha' iterations, and maybe in caps for extra expression of amusement.
Haha - Made me chuckle.
Heh - When I can tell something is funny, but not actually laughing.
lol - That was an ironic or typical statement.

I tend to read other people's responses in this way too... even if this isn't how they actually use such responses ^_^

[Zoe]

Hi my name is Luci and im an 'lolz' addict. Or was, i should say. I used to be a freakin annoyng person who would say those three, or five little letter all the too often. However i realised my wrong doings and the lack of my actual laugh in exchange for someone else feeling good about their crappy joke. Therefore in hindsight, one who 'lol's too much, is just wanting others to feel good about themselves and their aweful lack of good humour.

[ManBeef]

I think that you're taking it far to seriously, and to the point where there is really no need. The "lol" is just an abbreviation of "laugh out loud". That's it. It's short and to the point, and when you're just to lazy for the whole "hahahahahahaha" thing.

[Ayse]

Honey, I really appreciate the thought and effort you've put into creating a few paragraphs on how much you dislike something as silly as internet dialect, but really, its just the internet. I suggest you go outside, calm down a bit, maybe get a life, and not worry about the overuse of an abbreviation of certain pharses And while your out there, maybe you could start worrying about things that are a little more worthy. There, hope you feel better about it lolz ^_^

[Chez Daja]

I use "hahaha". I chuckle, smile, and even laugh at things out loud from the Internet.

I find lol, lmao and rofl annoying and used mainly but those that "spk liek dis. n itz rly annoyin"... So I generally associate it with people that can't spell properly. It's probably a bad generalization.

"Lol" is used so sarcastically and as a conversation stopper so often that it's just annoying to see.

Lol is no longer used as a laughter icon. It's used as an answer to almost everything.

"hey cliff. u hav a smal cok."
"lol!"

"hi."
"lol hi."

"wots up"
"lol nuffink u."

So on and so forth.

[Pete]

I completely agree with Harmonize. It's the internet. Go outside and get some air, or maybe even some sunlight. It's good for you. You might even notice that such trivial matters... are just that- trivial! But we'll have it your way, because y'know this has only been a staple of internet use for the past 10 or so years.

"I found Harmonize's statement to be such a rollicking good time that I found my sides splitting in fits of laughter."

or just lol @ Harmonize.

But seriously. Go outside. Please.

[OmniTense]

I'm with Harmonize and Pete. You let something as small as that under your skin and then it really doesn't take too much to upset you. Pretty soon you become unhinged. I agree that it certainly can be repetitive and overused, but as you, yourself said, it's also useful.

-Sin

[Tifa]

Roflcopter.

My conversations are filled with "lol". People have gotten pissed off at me for using it so much, but at this point in time it tends to be conversation filler... when I have nothing to say. Lawl. Actually for the most part, I tell people once and it passes over for them. The only person who constantly brings it up is rather socially awkward. Nothing big.

[Frank_White]

It is precisley because people consider the idea of lol being annoying that the acronym has been abused so badly.

If someone walked around constantly screaming "GORILLA PENIS!", you'd get pretty annoyed too. It's the same deal.

[Ayse]

Originally Posted by Frank_White

It is precisley because people consider the idea of lol being annoying that the acronym has been abused so badly.

If someone walked around constantly screaming "GORILLA PENIS!", you'd get pretty annoyed too. It's the same deal.

No, theres a huge difference. I have infact become so used to reading the word "LOL" that my brain totally ignores it now, because I understand that its just being used to fill a bit of conversation OR to lighten the mood of a conversation. It's not annoying because it's just a phrase someone is using. But if my real life conversations involved someone constantly saying "LAUGH OUT LOUD", then yes, they would find my foot in their ass.