'Why is my teacher role playing with me in a formal email?': Internet debates if using 'stage directions in asterisks' is professional or cringe

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Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Feb 16, 2024 11:00 AM EST

The internet is always up in arms about some silly nonsense *shrugs ambivalently*. There are obviously many serious and big issues going on in the world, and it's nice to take a break from those important things to ponder the silliest and tiniest debates going on. 

This debate was flagged by a subreddit just for drama in the comments section, aptly named r/subredditdrama. The drama du jour was started after u/Justthisdudeyaknow posted a Tumblr meme from 2020. In the post, a student is surprised at how their teacher is addressing them. The teacher starts off their "checking in" email by writing, "*Nods* I hear you. One of the things about linear time[…]". The student posted this goofy email with a question: why in the world was their teacher roleplaying with them in a formal email? 

In the comments, people had a wide variety of reactions. Many thought that it was quite strange for the teacher to add stage directions. There's no need for the nodding, because it's implied by the next sentence where the teacher affirms that they're listening. Other people noted that emojis and gifs are similar to the asterisk style of stage directions, but they seem much more natural to the online conversation than the awkward *asterisks*. Some users even explained that despite being millennials or Gen Zers, they find the whole stage direction talk to be off putting. It's surprising there's even a debate over this---I don't know anyone who would engage with someone using stage directions in conversations, because the cringe would repel us a mile away. There's no faster way to get a conversation blocked than by starting out with something like, "Hello there *waves shyly*." 

Check out today's slice of super silly internet drama. Then, read about this software developer who accidentally cut his six-figure salary in half. 

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    Cheezburger Image 9881078784
    via Dom Fou on Unsplash
  • 02
    patronizing Follow M GMAIL Melendez Re: Checking In *nods * I hear you. One of the things about linear time ifuc now why is my teacher roleplaying with me in a formal email *pulls you closer* youre failing trigonometry
    via u/Justthisdudeyaknow
  • 03
    philosopherking1887 Follow Because millennials are now adults with teaching jobs, and we don't consider the "stage direction in asterisks" thing to be specific to roleplaying; it's just a way of inserting body language into online written communication. randomslasher Follow THAT
    via u/Justthisdudeyaknow
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    MaetelofLaMetal We need to bring back Greek chorus to text messages.
    via u/MaetelofLaMetal
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    GreyInkling I think most people don't assume that. This person is just revealing things about themselves and the limits of their interactions with others by assuming it's only a role playing thing.
    via u/GreyInkling
  • 06
    Zariman-10-0 Who uses stage direction in regular conversation is what I want to know
    via u/Zariman-10-0
  • 07
    lesbianspider69 Define professional. What constitutes being professional changes and shifts over time.
    via u/lesbianspider69
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    Zestyclose_Job6094 Im gen z, and i have never in my life equated asterisks to role playing 41 Reply Share LITTLE_KING_OF_HEART. *Turn my head slightly toward you, giving you a bombastic, criminally offensive side eyes*
    via u/Zestyclose_Job6094
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    Ulach9287 I'm a millenial and if I ever see that in a professional email or in a casual conversation, I will immediately cease taking the other person seriously. 4 26 ↓ Reply Share Justthisdudeyaknow OP. *nods* That's your right.
    via u/Ulach9287
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    lead_alloy_astray MS teams has native gif support and emojis. Your formal writing is in 5 years. The thing about emojis, stage directions and memes- they're less confrontational and more ambiguous. That makes them highly desirable for communicating without body language. With
    via u/lead_alloy_astray
  • 11
    increasingly better corporate tools for monitoring internal comms they'll be essential to staying off the radar (kind of like how Chinese netizens have some language intended to dodge auto monitors).
    via u/lead_alloy_astray
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    And I'm not just talking about Zoomers. Part of legal procedures is discovery so writing plainly and clearly can be a problem if you think those comms might be read in court. I'm sure there are going to be executives exploiting the ambiguity. out of
    via u/lead_alloy_astray
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    Written communication has always come off as more aggressive and is especially interpreted accordingly to the mood of the recipient. Stage directions, emojis, memes all serve to establish tone in tense communication, so they will be a part of the regular toolkit for communication that isn't legal in nature (ie it won't be in contracts, procedural guidance etc. it'll be used between people of similar status to avoid drama).
    via u/lead_alloy_astray
  • 14
    Makhnos_Tachanka WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH LINEAR TIME? 243 Reply Share 1CUpboat Student: it wasn't late because of this absurd reason. Teacher: let me explain to dumb that you how is.
    via Makhnos_Tachankau/
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    MobofDucks I think both are delusional here. Neither is that an indicator that this is roleplaying, nor is this by any means normal in formal mails. 753 chillychili *nods* Reply Share
    via u/MobofDucks
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    Iamnotthatbrian Who's this "we?" No one i know has ever used stage directions in casual text-based conversation. I don't think their life experiences are as universal as they think they are.
    via u/Iamnotthatbrian
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    Forgot_My_Old_Acct Man I did not expect this to be the heated discourse of my morning
    via u/Forgot_My_Old_Acct
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    im GonnaSHROOOOM It adds nothing to the conversation except for letting people know you're a dork, not that there's anything wrong with that
    via u/im GonnaSHROOOOM
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    Kittenn1412 I mean, *nods* and *shrugs* are both on this level, I've never RPed or even been ancillary in RP circles and definitely use them to this day. The simple ones are basically just things people did before the entire internet had emoji support, for a few things that basic smileys can't convey. Yes, I know a shrugging ¯¯\_(')_/¯¯ exists, but it uses characters not found on your keyboard so it's never been as easy as :) :( D: :D XD. Very different level than using full stage directions in
    via u/Kittenn1412
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    Whittle_Willow the amount of ppl in these comments trying to convince ppl this isn't weird and unprofessional is crazy like yeah they're not hurting anyone but this is a formal email not a text conversation with friends 37 Reply Share AaronsAaAardvarks If any of my friends pull this in a text conversation I'm telling their mothers. ●●●
    via u/Whittle_Willow
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    NIMA-GH-X-P Wait I use that a lot is it not normal? 4.↓ Reply Share psypher 98 It's fine, just a lot of people in here trying to gatekeep the evolution of communication as people often do.
    via u/NIMA-GH-X-P
  • 22
    I wouldn't use it professionally but in casual conversations I do as it's an easy shorthand to communicate body language, which is a nuance of communication typically lost in writing. I've found it to help prevent misunderstanding the tone of what I'm saying.
    via u/NIMA-GH-X-P
  • 23
    Gemmabeta 23 hr. ago This is like the dumbest molehill to get upset over yet. ↑ 219 Reply Share cgo_123456 23 hr. ago I embrace my trash as a plac... Thank God. I like my drama as petty as it is stupid.
    via u/Gemmabeta

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