I hate smilies

It's finally happened. I hate all smilies. I used to just hate the newer ones, which used characters like '0.o' and '>_<' and things like that. I *really* hate those. I'm getting annoyed just having typed them. But now, due to their excessive overuse, I really hate all the other ones too - ;), ;), :(, :], ad infinitum. It seems like you can't have three consecutive sentences in an online conversation without throwing in one or two. I understand their original meaning, use, and intention, but they've really lost all of that. They're pointless now, and I won't use them, nor will I respond positively to their use.