Although the laughing emoji normality has changed through the years due to the constant use of TikTok and other platforms, we can look at some of the normal ones that have been used the most.
Some of those include the following:
2010-2020 Laughing Emoji 😂 (Also notably the word of the year in 2015 by Oxford)
2020-2021~2023 Skull Emoji 💀 (Still commonly used, but not as popular and seen as cringe by today's standards)
2021-2021 Chair Emoji 🪑 (Started as an inside joke but never caught on)
2023-2024 Sobbing Emoji (Loudly Crying Emoji) 😭 (Still used in tandem with today's laughing emojis)
2024-Present Wilting Flower Emoji + Empty Battery Emoji 🥀🪫 (Used to signify more depression than humor)
With this list, we can also observe the slight decline through the years that Gen Z has been putting in affect as the "new normal". Ever since the crying emoji in 2023, Gen Z had started basing more of their humor off of darker jokes. This can also be observed with the wilting flower and empty battery emojis as they signify weakness or sadness. One popular way it's used is as acceptance. Memes that include horrible scenarios with no way of the reader/speaker getting out is another popular scenario. Although I'm not trying to make my generation's dumb memes sound sophisticated in any way shape or form, it is interesting to see how the laughing emoji norm has changed over the years and the new humor that develops alongside it.
Some of those include the following:
2010-2020 Laughing Emoji 😂 (Also notably the word of the year in 2015 by Oxford)
2020-2021~2023 Skull Emoji 💀 (Still commonly used, but not as popular and seen as cringe by today's standards)
2021-2021 Chair Emoji 🪑 (Started as an inside joke but never caught on)
2023-2024 Sobbing Emoji (Loudly Crying Emoji) 😭 (Still used in tandem with today's laughing emojis)
2024-Present Wilting Flower Emoji + Empty Battery Emoji 🥀🪫 (Used to signify more depression than humor)
With this list, we can also observe the slight decline through the years that Gen Z has been putting in affect as the "new normal". Ever since the crying emoji in 2023, Gen Z had started basing more of their humor off of darker jokes. This can also be observed with the wilting flower and empty battery emojis as they signify weakness or sadness. One popular way it's used is as acceptance. Memes that include horrible scenarios with no way of the reader/speaker getting out is another popular scenario. Although I'm not trying to make my generation's dumb memes sound sophisticated in any way shape or form, it is interesting to see how the laughing emoji norm has changed over the years and the new humor that develops alongside it.
by mfomari March 27, 2025