"

Women use exclamation points online as indicators of a “friendly interaction.” We’ve been socialized to try to make people feel comfortable and to keep the peace. Hence sentences like, “Bill, I can’t wait to see the 4th quarter EMBO Report on the new 12-gauge ball bearings!”


She’s not excited to see that report. No one is excited to see that report. She’s letting Bill know that she’s not angry that it’s late yet. When she’s angry, she’ll use a period.

"
—

An Open Letter to the Person in Charge of New Punctuation

(via halliecantor and nogreatillusion) (via vivaleah) (via claudia) (via oliviaisferosch)

FACT: When I don’t end the majority of sentences in an email with an exclamation point, I feel like I’m being rude. (via leilacohanmiccio)

I think we’re about at the point where we need to come up with masculine and feminine punctuation marks for emails.  I’m loathe to use exclamations or — god forbid — emoticons, except when absolutely necessary; but I feel like this expresses to anyone talking to me that I find them to be utterly unfunny and possibly even a bit of a dullard.

…where is my manly punctuation signifier, that I can use to convey to people “good gravy, I find you hilarious,” while also “please take note of how rugged and manful I am.” ?