---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A lot of people use a smiley face when…"
description: "\"A lot of people use a smiley face when they write letters. But it's this huge insane compulsion, like \"I'm happy! I swear!\" I'm not buying it. I don't ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/073/nate-lowman-23779_believe_a-lot-of-people-use-a-smiley-face-when-t_1280667.jpg"
---

#  A lot of people use a smiley face when they write letters…

![“A lot of people use a smiley face when they write letters. But it's this huge insane compulsion, like &quot;I'm happy! I swear!&quot; I'm not buying it. I don't believe them.” quote by Nate Lowman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/073/nate-lowman-23779_believe_a-lot-of-people-use-a-smiley-face-when-t_1280667.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/073/nate-lowman-23779_believe_a-lot-of-people-use-a-smiley-face-when-t_1280667.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/073/nate-lowman-23779_believe_a-lot-of-people-use-a-smiley-face-when-t_1280667.jpg)

> “A lot of people use a smiley face when they write letters. But it's this huge insane compulsion, like "I'm happy! I swear!" I'm not buying it. I don't believe them.”

[Nate Lowman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-lowman/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Overuse of emoticons can feel insincere and mask genuine feeling.

**In simple terms:** Too many smileys seem fake.

Key Takeaway

Use genuine expression.

Themes

authenticity communication digital etiquette

Mood

skeptical thoughtful

Type

observation advice

When to use this quote

- email writing
- online messaging
- social media posts

Key Concepts

tone emotional honesty

Questions to Reflect On

- When is a smiley appropriate?
- How do you show sincerity without icons?

A Different Perspective

Emoticons can convey warmth when used sparingly.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Buying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buying/) [Compulsion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compulsion/) [Don't believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/don-t-believe/) [Face Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/face-write-2926825/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Happy Swear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happy-swear-1174046/) [Huge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/huge/) [Insane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insane/) [Letters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/letters/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Smiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smiley/) [Smiley face](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smiley-face/) [Swear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/swear/) [Text](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/text/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) [Use Smiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use-smiley-942848/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/)

## Related quotes

> [A lot of people use a smiley face when they write letters. But it's this huge insane compulsion, like 'I'm happy! I swear!' I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-lowman/a-lot-of-people-use-a-smiley-face-when-they-write-letters-but-it-s-2/)

[Nate Lowman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-lowman/)

> [4 Rules for texting a girl: 1) Don't take 40 minutes to reply. 2) Use good grammar. 3) Ask Questions. 4) Always use the smiley face](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/4-rules-for-texting-a-girl-1-don-t-take-40-minutes-to-reply-2-use/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Sometimes I use smiley faces so that my messages dont look rude!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-i-use-smiley-faces-so-that-my-messages-dont-look-rude/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [It's nice that I can go down the road of obsessing over this smiley-face bullshit so maybe I can get free from it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-lowman/it-s-nice-that-i-can-go-down-the-road-of-obsessing-over-this-smiley/)

[Nate Lowman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-lowman/)

> [Leo had wanted to paint a giant message on the bottom of the hull-WASSUP? with a smiley-face-but Annabeth had vetoed the idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/leo-had-wanted-to-paint-a-giant-message-on-the-bottom-of-the-hull/)

[Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/)

> [I was so happy every morning when I woke up that I was pissing smiley faces.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-sixx/i-was-so-happy-every-morning-when-i-woke-up-that-i-was-pissing-smiley/)

[Nikki Sixx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-sixx/)

> [Most of my friends from Columbia are going on to get advanced degrees. And why not? A Ph.D. is the new M.A., a master's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mccafferty/most-of-my-friends-from-columbia-are-going-on-to-get-advanced-degrees/)

[Megan McCafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mccafferty/)

> [If you're a Black artist, you could paint a wall of smiley faces, and someone will still ask you, 'Why are you so angry?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-walker/if-you-re-a-black-artist-you-could-paint-a-wall-of-smiley-faces-and/)

[Kara Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kara-walker/)

> [That's a lot of vegetables. "It is, yes, and if you eat them like a good girl..." He lifted the silver lid on another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-s-a-lot-of-vegetables-it-is-yes-and-if-you-eat-them-like-a-good/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Let me tell you something: for hundreds of thousands of years, this kind of discussion would have been impossible to have, or those like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/let-me-tell-you-something-for-hundreds-of-thousands-of-years-this/)

[Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/)

> [Just because you delete the smiley face from his contact, doesn't mean your over him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-anne/just-because-you-delete-the-smiley-face-from-his-contact-doesn-t-mean/)

[Olivia Anne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-anne/)

> [For a second we just stand there in silence. Then, suddenly, Alex is back, easy and smiling again. “I left a note for you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/for-a-second-we-just-stand-there-in-silence-then-suddenly-alex-is/)

[Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/)

> [I'm really not into that super-crazy-colour, smiley-faces-on-the-front-of-your-dress look. That's not my thing. You're not going to see me in pink. Or anything frilly. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-wasson/i-m-really-not-into-that-super-crazy-colour-smiley-faces-on-the-front/)

[Erin Wasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-wasson/)

> [I'm trying to broaden the scope of positive psychology well beyond the smiley face. Happiness is just one-fifth of what human beings choose to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-seligman/i-m-trying-to-broaden-the-scope-of-positive-psychology-well-beyond/)

[Martin Seligman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-seligman/)

> [The door swung open and Kate walked in. Her jeans and T-shirt were splattered with blood and she was carrying a severed vampire head.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/the-door-swung-open-and-kate-walked-in-her-jeans-and-t-shirt-were/)

[Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/)

## More by Nate Lowman

> [It's nice that I can go down the road of obsessing over this smiley-face bullshit so maybe I can get free from it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-lowman/it-s-nice-that-i-can-go-down-the-road-of-obsessing-over-this-smiley/)

[Nate Lowman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-lowman/)

> [To me, a drop of oil paint or a xerographic dot are the same thing - they're all just language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-lowman/to-me-a-drop-of-oil-paint-or-a-xerographic-dot-are-the-same-thing/)

[Nate Lowman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-lowman/)

> [Language is the most beautiful and destructive thing because it allows you to express yourself, but it totally confuses everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-lowman/language-is-the-most-beautiful-and-destructive-thing-because-it/)

[Nate Lowman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-lowman/)

> [I do believe that I will see the apocalypse in my lifetime. And when it comes, I'm not repenting for anything I've done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-lowman/i-do-believe-that-i-will-see-the-apocalypse-in-my-lifetime-and-when/)

[Nate Lowman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-lowman/)

> [I don't have a great imagination to share something with you that you don't know, so it's about interpreting things - a dialogue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-lowman/i-don-t-have-a-great-imagination-to-share-something-with-you-that-you/)

[Nate Lowman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-lowman/)

> [I think of other artists as generous when I get inspired by their work. That's why I like curating. You don't want to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-lowman/i-think-of-other-artists-as-generous-when-i-get-inspired-by-their/)

[Nate Lowman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-lowman/)

> [There are so many different desires that make you execute an artwork.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-lowman/there-are-so-many-different-desires-that-make-you-execute-an-artwork/)

[Nate Lowman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-lowman/)

> [The night schedule is a crazy pit I fall into most of the time, but I do like it because the buzz of normal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-lowman/the-night-schedule-is-a-crazy-pit-i-fall-into-most-of-the-time-but-i/)

[Nate Lowman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-lowman/)

> [Dead people don't really die. They live on within you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-lowman/dead-people-don-t-really-die-they-live-on-within-you/)

[Nate Lowman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-lowman/)

> [For me, Corsica is a place that I visited with my friends, maybe five or six times over the years, and I'm so happy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-lowman/for-me-corsica-is-a-place-that-i-visited-with-my-friends-maybe-five/)

[Nate Lowman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-lowman/)

> [I'm really interested in the difference between selfishness and generosity. It confuses me to no end because sometimes it all just feels like pure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-lowman/i-m-really-interested-in-the-difference-between-selfishness-and/)

[Nate Lowman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-lowman/)

> [People have these weird ideas about artists being romantic, generous people, and sometimes I feel like an asshole, a selfish kid, a brat, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-lowman/people-have-these-weird-ideas-about-artists-being-romantic-generous/)

[Nate Lowman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-lowman/)

> [It's a shame when other people's gambling habits change the meaning of paintings or when fluctuations of value start to dictate how people perceive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-lowman/it-s-a-shame-when-other-people-s-gambling-habits-change-the-meaning/)

[Nate Lowman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-lowman/)

> [A lot of the images I use are already out there in the public or in the news. I just steal them or photograph…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-lowman/a-lot-of-the-images-i-use-are-already-out-there-in-the-public-or-in/)

[Nate Lowman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-lowman/)

> [I make images from things I find serendipitously. I don't know what it is, but I know it when I see it. It could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-lowman/i-make-images-from-things-i-find-serendipitously-i-don-t-know-what-it/)

[Nate Lowman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-lowman/)

[Explore all 25 Nate Lowman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-lowman/)

## More Believe quotes

> [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/)

[Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/)

> [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/)

[Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/)

> [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/)

[Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/)

> [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/)

[Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/)

> [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/)

[Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/)

> [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/)

[Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/)

> [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/)

[Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/)

> [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/)

[Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/)

> [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/)

[Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/)

> [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/)

[Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/)

> [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/)

[Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/)

> [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/)

[Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/)

> [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/)

[James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/)

> [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/)

[Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/)

[Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "A lot of people use a smiley face when they write letters. But it's this huge insane compulsion, like \"I'm happy! I swear!\" I'm not buying it. I don't believe them.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Nate Lowman"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-lowman/a-lot-of-people-use-a-smiley-face-when-they-write-letters-but-it-s/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Believe"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-lowman/a-lot-of-people-use-a-smiley-face-when-they-write-letters-but-it-s/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/073/nate-lowman-23779_believe_a-lot-of-people-use-a-smiley-face-when-t_1280667.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/073/nate-lowman-23779_believe_a-lot-of-people-use-a-smiley-face-when-t_1280667.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/073/nate-lowman-23779_believe_a-lot-of-people-use-a-smiley-face-when-t_1280667.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“A lot of people use a smiley face when they write letters. But it's this huge insane compulsion, like \"I'm…” — Nate Lowman",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Nate Lowman",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-lowman/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "A lot of people use a...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-lowman/a-lot-of-people-use-a-smiley-face-when-they-write-letters-but-it-s/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-lowman/a-lot-of-people-use-a-smiley-face-when-they-write-letters-but-it-s/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
