Why Gen Z is calling for people to stop using 'unsettling' and 'hostile' thumbs up emoji

Nothing seems to be safe from what Gen Z wants to cancel, change or question (rightly and wrongly in certain cases it must be said) and a popular emoji can be added to that ever growing list.

For those not in Gen Z, the thumbs up emoji is frequently used to agree with something, give approval or even to mark that something has been read.

But those in Gen Z seem to interpret it rather differently, with views ranging from "unsettling", "passive aggressive" and even "hostile".

In a post that's since been deleted on Reddit, one user asked the question: "Am I not adult enough to be comfortable with the thumbs up emoji reaction?"

The user explained: "I started an 'adult' job where we use Microsoft Teams to connect with each other for work. 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' emoji. 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?"

And it got a lot of people talking in the comments.

AdditionalAttorney asked: "Why do you feel like it's unsettling? Honest question... Bc that's literally how I respond to 90 per cent of messages... I'm almost 40 though, so I wonder if it's a generational thing... I’d feel more unsettled w the heart reaction."

HuaAnNi replied: "For younger people (I'm 24 for reference) the thumbs up emoji is used to be really passive aggressive. 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."

Further comments were split with those seemingly older defending the use of the emoji and those younger saying they think it has a negative meaning.

AvalancheReturns said: "Its just a way to say 'I've read your message and have nothing add and I hope and pray to all the god all the bazillion people in this group chat have nothing to say on it too'."

SasiBan commented: "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 👍 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'? Don't know if that's the way you feel but I got used to it in time and I'm just as bad for sending a thumbs up now."

So there we have it - it seems there's a generational divide on the use of the thumbs-up emoji... 👍 (take that how you will)

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