A new Wednesday, a new, perfect day to get a little worked up. So let’s gossip about all the terrible noobs in Heroes of the Storm, the incompetent hunters in Evolve, and of course, the casual comedians in SMITE. Anyone who has spent a few minutes in any of the mentioned games knows: Insults are part of the daily routine. But how about a seriously meant “Thank you” for a change?
The Gratitude of the Internet
An important point is the fact that the pure meaning of the word “Thank you” has been completely perverted on the internet. How often is “Thx” or a cryptic variation of it taken only ironically or as an insult? Without wanting to rely on any studies, I am pretty sure that half of all expressions of gratitude are not serious.
When exactly do you use the voice emotes for a “Thank you” in Smite? Exactly, when someone “stole a kill.” The same goes for other games where “experts” throw flashbangs accurately at their own team. Nothing is faster, more universal, and unfortunately also so well understood as a “Thank you” or “Thx,” which actually means “F*ck you.”
Lastly, I find that a “Thank you,” even when sincere, loses a lot of its power when it appears in abbreviated form like “Thx.” Maybe I am being very old-fashioned here, but if someone doesn’t take the time to write out a “Thank you,” they can’t mean it very seriously. The same goes for a sincere apology or a quick “Sorry” – the effect achieved is miles apart for me.
The Positive Effect
Maybe I’m completely rambling here, but I hope at least a few readers have a faint idea of what I’m getting at. A sincere, honest, and nicely phrased thank you can save the whole day. Last week, when I had another “slightly excessive” RP evening, I received this whisper at the end.
Honestly: You can hardly imagine what that did to me. When I read that, not even the GEZ fees could dampen my mood, and even Shoemann, with all his dark plans, couldn’t wipe the satisfied grin off my face.
Be more thankful and do it sincerely. That may sound like a parenting phrase for children (“When you receive something, you say thank you!“), but it seems to have been somehow lost in today’s internet age.
Or to conclude with the Skype saying of a good friend (who probably stole it from somewhere – or is even more genius than I previously thought):
One should never hesitate to smile, for one can never know whose day one might improve a little by doing so.
P.S.: For every “Thank you” in this post, I actually receive rubber points.
