Apple limits self-expression by changing a pre-existing emoji

[elagache]

Dear WeatherCat industry observers,

There is a very disturbing report from Business Insider about Apple's plans to change the handgun emoji to that of a water pistol.  Here is a link to the article:

http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-change-pistol-emoji-toy-confusion-precedent-meaning-retroactive-2016-8

As the article points out, Apple doesn't create emojis.  Instead, they are set by a standards-setting body called the Unicode Consortium.  So this change would violate an international standard.  Also as the article points out, this isn't preventing people from using the emoji, it is changing the meaning.  So that messages written in the past won't be seen as the author intended.  Paradoxically, it is a change that might be particularly harmful for those opposed to gun violence.  There would certainly be situations when a handgun emoji could be used to press the case of how handguns kill and maim people.  Such a message that would be compelling on an Android device will instead look utterly strange and foolish on an iOS device - water pistols don't kill or maim.

This is sadly another example of an well-intended, but poorly thought out action.  If the phrase: "guns don't kill people - other people do" holds true, certainly the concept of a handgun cannot be intrinsically harmful - if for no other reason than you need the concept if you want to oppose it.  This change won't cause those who want to act violently to be any less so.  If anything it might generate even more hostility as such people will recognize that their right to free expression is being abridged.  On the other hand, Apple is imposing censorship without any sort of scientific basis that this change will have any positive effects on society.  Censorship of any kind should be opposed as a matter of principle.  An educated and civil society should be able to get along without the need to limit our means to express ourselves wisely and civilly.  If people aren't willing to do that, then we have failed to educate our citizens correctly and that's where the effort should be invested.  Apple in engaging in a kind of corporate denial.  The problem in question won't go away because Apple wishes all handguns where nothing more than water pistols.

Edouard

[xairbusdriver]

An educated and civil society should be able to get along without the need to limit our means to express ourselves wisely and civilly.

Well, there's your problem! I don't know for sure about your location, but I certainly don't live far from a society that does not fit that definition. Im not sure I even see this action by Apple as a "slippery slope". While I understand your Constitutional concerns, since the idiotic ruling (in my humble opinion) a few years ago by the Supreme Court, Apple has the same rights of speech as any real human. If they, like many other humans, decide not to provide 'weapons' to everyone who has the money, that's fine with me. After all, they are not the only ones 'supplying' emojis.

[Blicj11]

I read your post. I read the link. Interesting perspectives so thanks for sharing. I cannot imagine why Stu hasn't loaded the handgun emoji here for us to handily use for Weathercat posts. Perhaps I just shot myself in the foot. 🔫 🔫

[HantaYo]

...Apple has the same rights of speech as any real human...

No, you have the math all wrong- it is not 1:1.  The equation  of how many votes, hmm... free speech a corporation gets is actually V=√m(1/Q^2)  m= corporation's net worth,  Q= average IQ of American Voter.  So in the case of Apple, √624,000,000,000(1/20^2) or  Apple buys 39,497 votes.  The net worth of the corporation is expressed in billions and the IQ of  the American Voter is around 20 (in the Idiot range).  So in the coming election Apple buys 39,497 human votes in any and all elections, being local, state, national or interstellar.  Keep in mind the equation hints at the end of the world as IQ hits zero there will be nothing. 

Please send any and all math equation errors and time-space anomalies to:

First Street Southeast, Washington DC, DC 20510

[dfw_pilot]

Well said, Edouard. Further, I tire of the term "gun violence" as if guns are violent. We don't talk about car violence, or fertilizer violence, or alcohol violence.

[xairbusdriver]

You are correct, HantaYo about there being a formula. Although I think you may be over-estimating the average IQ value. Thanks for that address. I wonder if there is anyone there capable of reading?

[Bull Winkus]

Thank you for your perspective, Edouard. It is actually very much similar to my own, though mine is a bit more extreme. I see it as just more indication of political correctness raging through our society like a wild fire, destroying intellectual perspective along with bits of communications capabilities as it goes, while instilling a peer pressure fear of ostracism in those who might oppose it. Well, I oppose it. It is an Orwellian attempt to remold society by undermining the language of malcontent through the use of the ban. The self appointed "thought police" believe that thoughts are derived from words, and that removing the offending words can change people's thoughts. So, they've taken it upon themselves to lobotomize society by selectively snipping out words used in stereotyping groups, and substituting terms, in instances where negative feelings might be invoked. A secretary becomes an area associate. A janitor becomes a maintenance supervisor. A housewife becomes a domestic partner. While other words with highly negative connotation are simply banned, with no regard for the language concept and communications vacuum left by the the inability to invoke a word for it. It's ridiculous. It's absurd. It's destructive. And yet it just keeps going.

I chalk it up to the de-intellectualization of society by an acute liberalization of institutions of learning to be more inclusive of different cultures in the march to globalization. Instead of rigid standards of learning that support international standards organizations and engineering societies with requirements in mathematics, physics, rules of scientific discovery, materials science, etc? we get education requirements watered down by inclusion of studies by and concessions to other cultures, both primitive and otherwise, which no longer support the previously high standards of education required in highly advanced technocracies. Corporations can no longer trust in degrees from previously favored institutions to indicate merit, and are required by law to be inclusive, throughout every division and discipline, regardless of merit. It is really a crisis of epic proportions, and no one seems to be manning the wheelhouse on this.

And the worst part is that it just makes things worse! A society that refuses to hurt anyone's feelings compensates by lowering its standards. Engineering gets sloppy. Management gets lazy. Discovery and reporting becomes haphazard. The overriding principals of accomplishment and purpose, get replaced by bench warming paycheck suckers. Dead wood, as it is described euphemistically and probably politically incorrectly.

 

[dfw_pilot]

1

[xairbusdriver]

...And the worst part is that it just makes things worse! A society that refuses to hurt anyone's feelings compensates by lowering its standards. Engineering gets sloppy. Management gets lazy. Discovery and reporting becomes haphazard. The overriding principal of accomplishment and purpose, gets replaced by bench warming paycheck suckers. Dead wood, as it is described euphemistically and probably politically incorrectly.

Well said, sir!

[Blicj11]

Amen, Herb! Well stated.

[Bull Winkus]

Thanks guys! It is one of my pet peeves.

 

[elagache]

Dear X-Air, Blick, HantaYo, dfw, Herb, and WeatherCat concerned citizens,

Thanks for your replies and thanks especially Herb for your thoughtful and passionate defense of our rights to speak freely so we can choose to speak civilly.

However, I think I disagree a bit on the motivations associated with Apple's move.  I do think they are trying to "make a difference."  The leaders within Apple are genuinely fearful and worried about gun violence and want to do . . . . something.  Sure it is good PR, but it is also out of sense that things are getting worse and nobody seems to know how to stop it.

Alas the pivotal point is the last one.  If we don't in fact have a meaningful solution, it is hardly productive to flail wildly hoping actions like this might help.  As sad as it sounds, it is a kind of slow motion "panic attack" on the part of our social institutions.  This is hardly time to resort of irrational activity, but alas, rationally allow appears to be in very short supply these days.

Oh well, . . .  Edouard