Cal Gaunt
Gen Z wants people to stop using the ‘thumbs up’ emoji as they think that it’s ‘passive aggressive’.
This generation includes people born between the late 1990s and the early 2010s, who grew up with technology.
Many Gen Zs believe the ‘thumbs up’ emoji is rude and it makes the people who use it look old.
A young Reddit user recently took to the platform to find out if others were just as unnerved when they received the dreaded emoji in a message.
They wrote: “I started an ‘adult’ job where we use Microsoft Teams to connect with each other for work.
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“Currently, there are only a few emojis you can use to react to a message (unless of course, you respond, and can use any emoji).
“Most people at work use the ‘thumbs up’ reaction all the time.
“I don’t use it much. I either ‘heart’ reactions or reply even if it’s a short ‘Great!’ or ‘Thanks!’ (I also feel like I use too many exclamation marks, but that’s a different story).
“Anyway, I think it’s normal to ‘thumbs up’ messages, but I still feel like it’s such an unsettling response.
“Does anyone else feel this way?”
Naturally, there was a raft of responses with people divided on what the emoji actually means and how it should be used.
One person commented: “For younger people (I’m 24 for reference) the thumbs up emoji is used to be really passive-aggressive.
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“It’s super rude if someone just sends you a thumbs up. So I also had a weird time adjusting because my workplace is the same.
“So yeah, it’s a generational communication culture difference.
“Everyone my age in the office doesn’t do it, but the Gen X people always do it. Took me a bit to adjust and get out of my head that it means they’re mad at me.”
A second user agreed: “I understand what you mean, my last workplace had a WhatsApp chat for our team to send info to each other on and most of the people on there just replied with a [thumbs up emoji].
“I don’t know why but it seemed a little bit hostile to me, like an acknowledgement but kind of saying ‘I don’t really care/am not interested?”
The thumbs up emoji is so passive aggressive, I can’t really explain it
— Drift (@DrifterShoots) October 12, 2022
A third wrote: “It’s not that odd to see it as passive-aggressive.
“Just imagine how would it feel to go into your boss’ room, say something, and then see him turn to you, look you in the eye, and [give you a thumbs up].”
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However, many disagreed that the emoji was an act of aggression.
One user said: “Passive aggressive? Are you being serious or facetious? It’s a thumbs up.
“It means ‘I got it’ or ‘OK, message received’.
“What in the world can possibly be passive-aggressive in that? Newsflash, not everything is a micro-aggression.”
Yes I use the thumbs up emoji and yes it makes me look old but trust me if actively tried to use some “not old” emoji I’d look way older.
— Arnie Niekamp (@misterarnie) October 12, 2022
A 40-year-old, who said they use the ‘thumbs up’ emoji ’90 per cent of the time’, was confused by those who find it ‘unsettling’ and questioned whether it was simply a ‘generational thing’.
Another wrote: “Damn I’m embarrassed to be Gen Z. It’s just a thumbs-up. Don’t search so deep.”
Fox News host Emily Compagno said she doesn’t care what Gen Z think about her and the emojis she uses in a recent debate on the channel.
“We have to somehow change our behaviour and our silent communication because they’re a bunch of snowflakes? No, thanks,” she said.
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