Totally (sorena)
Overview
Totally (sorena, a Japanese word meaning "so true") is youth slang that expresses strong agreement with what someone said, as in "that's exactly right" or "I think so too."
What sets "totally" apart is that it expresses agreement alone without giving a reason. It doesn't explain why you think so. It simply tells the other person, "I feel the same." It is communication centered more on empathy than on logic.
Question boxes and "totally"
When an answer from a question box is shared on social media, followers sometimes reply "totally" to the post. It is a way of showing that they relate to the content of the answer, or that they had been thinking the same thing. For the person answering, "totally" is one simple but welcome form of feedback that shows people relate to their answer.
"Totally" is also sometimes used in the answers themselves. It is used to agree with the sender's opinion, replying, "Totally, I think so too." However, some senders may find an answer that is just "totally" unsatisfying. After agreeing, adding why you think so or what happened in your own experience helps raise the value of your answer.
The power and limits of empathy
Expressions of empathy, with "totally" as a typical example, are a lubricant for communication. Feeling "So it wasn't just me" can bring a sense of relief. When you open up about a worry in a question box, just having the person answering reply, "I get it, I was the same," can be a huge relief.
However, empathy alone doesn't solve problems. A conversation that ends with "totally" feels good, but it's hard to move forward from there. If you want to go one step further as the person answering a question box, after empathizing, offer an answer to "So what now?" Empathy is closer to the entrance of a conversation than to its exit.