The Culture of Emojis // or, Are emojis a universal language?

Are emojis the answer to humankind’s search for a universal language? Are they likely to bring about world peace? They’re used all around the world - but does this mean they’re a truly global form of communication? In this short video I look at how emojis, despite their status as a world-wide phenomenon, still reflect the cultures of the communities who created them. I start with a discussion of universal languages more generally - languages such as Esperanto - which were invented as a way of bridging the linguistic and cultural divides between people. But all forms of communication are closely tied up with culture, and emojis are no exception.