On GIFs
“I like GIFs so much because they convey emotions that are layered — a 5-second little video of pictures, basically a tiny movie. They can be more precise than words: you can say you’re excited, but a few seconds of an excited face (hopefully authentic) communicates that feeling instantly. Whether it’s from a movie or not doesn’t really matter; the emotion lands more comprehensibly for the recipient than the word alone. That’s why it’s powerful — like emojis, but richer. Cartoons/stickers hit less because you miss real people, movement, and facial nuance (unless there are real people in there). GIFs are superior because it’s a moving image. Why don’t we use them so much anymore? Maybe we’re not as in touch with our emotions, and bold expression used to be more common.”
