10 emojis that give away your age - and what they really mean
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When it comes to technology and social media, we here at the Seniors Discount Club love our smartphones and tablets as much as anyone else. But even though we’re fully plugged into the digital world, there are still some things about modern life that leave us feeling a bit bewildered.
Emoji usage is one of them.
Most people use these fun little symbols without giving them too much thought; they add visual interest to texts and messages and help convey meaning in a more fun and relatable way than words alone can do.
But believe it or not, there’s quite a lot of etiquette that goes along with using emojis! Not everyone uses them in the same way – which can sometimes lead to misunderstandings between people of different generations.
In a popular Reddit post, a 20-year-old Gen Z-er asked: ‘Am I not adult enough to be comfortable with the “thumbs up” emoji reaction?’ and it prompted many others to share how they feel about the issue.
According to the user, they recently started a ‘professional’ job where they use Microsoft Teams to communicate with their team. They go on further to state that currently, there are very few emojis that they can use to react to a message. ‘Most people at work use the “thumbs up” reaction all the time. I don’t use it much.’ They explained.
The user was quick to clarify that they think it’s ‘normal’ to ‘thumbs up’ the messages, but that they feel unsettled by it. ‘Does anyone else feel this way?’ They ask their audience.
This thread gained hundreds of responses, and many validated what the user was feeling. One person wrote: ‘For younger people (I’m 24 for reference) the thumbs up emoji is used to be really passive-aggressive.’
Someone else chimed in and said ‘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.’ They went on further to explain that there tends to be a generational communication difference when it comes to using emojis.
However, not everyone agreed with this stance. ‘Why do you feel like it’s unsettling? Honest question... because 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.’ One person wrote in the comments. They even stated that they’d feel more unsettled if they were sent a ‘heart reaction’.
Another user supported this statement with: ‘Agree, to me the heart is reserved for friends and family, and has a more intimate meaning of love, while “thumbs up” is just simply agreeing. I’m 43.’
In a survey of 2,000 people made by Perspectus Global, it was revealed that people aged 16-29 think it’s a bit outdated to use the ‘thumbs up’ or ‘heart emoji’. Some of the emojis that made this list are:
Well, dear readers. What can you say about this story? Do you agree that using a ‘thumbs up’ reaction is ‘rude’? Or is it normal to send this emoji to friends and family? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section!
Emoji usage is one of them.
Most people use these fun little symbols without giving them too much thought; they add visual interest to texts and messages and help convey meaning in a more fun and relatable way than words alone can do.
But believe it or not, there’s quite a lot of etiquette that goes along with using emojis! Not everyone uses them in the same way – which can sometimes lead to misunderstandings between people of different generations.
In a popular Reddit post, a 20-year-old Gen Z-er asked: ‘Am I not adult enough to be comfortable with the “thumbs up” emoji reaction?’ and it prompted many others to share how they feel about the issue.
According to the user, they recently started a ‘professional’ job where they use Microsoft Teams to communicate with their team. They go on further to state that currently, there are very few emojis that they can use to react to a message. ‘Most people at work use the “thumbs up” reaction all the time. I don’t use it much.’ They explained.
The user was quick to clarify that they think it’s ‘normal’ to ‘thumbs up’ the messages, but that they feel unsettled by it. ‘Does anyone else feel this way?’ They ask their audience.
This thread gained hundreds of responses, and many validated what the user was feeling. One person wrote: ‘For younger people (I’m 24 for reference) the thumbs up emoji is used to be really passive-aggressive.’
Someone else chimed in and said ‘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.’ They went on further to explain that there tends to be a generational communication difference when it comes to using emojis.
However, not everyone agreed with this stance. ‘Why do you feel like it’s unsettling? Honest question... because 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.’ One person wrote in the comments. They even stated that they’d feel more unsettled if they were sent a ‘heart reaction’.
Another user supported this statement with: ‘Agree, to me the heart is reserved for friends and family, and has a more intimate meaning of love, while “thumbs up” is just simply agreeing. I’m 43.’
In a survey of 2,000 people made by Perspectus Global, it was revealed that people aged 16-29 think it’s a bit outdated to use the ‘thumbs up’ or ‘heart emoji’. Some of the emojis that made this list are:
- The ‘OK hand’.
- The ‘Tick’.
- The ‘Poo’.
- The ‘Loudly crying face’.
- The ‘Monkey eye cover’.
- The ‘Clapping hands’.
- The ‘Lipstick Kiss.’
- The ‘Grimacing face’.
Key Takeaways
- Gen Z folk have stated that using the ‘thumbs up’ emoji is kind of ‘rude’.
- This debate comes after a Reddit user asked if it is normal to ‘thumbs up’ messages.
- Many commenters said that for younger people, the ‘thumbs up’ emoji conveys passive-aggressiveness.
- A survey of 2000 people by Perspectus Global found that most people aged 16-29 think that using the ‘thumbs up’ or ‘heart emoji’ is outdated.
Well, dear readers. What can you say about this story? Do you agree that using a ‘thumbs up’ reaction is ‘rude’? Or is it normal to send this emoji to friends and family? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section!