These emojis make you ‘old’ according to Gen Z
Language is an ever-evolving thing, full to the brim with nuance and meaning that might not seem obvious upon first glance - and it turns out that emojis are no exception.
Members of Generation Z have taken to social media claiming that using certain emojis is a sign that you’re “officially old” and that the popular thumbs-up emoji is actually rude.
According to users on Reddit, the official list of “cancelled” emojis includes:
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❤️ (Red heart)
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👍 (Thumbs up)
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👌 (“OK” hand)
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✅ (Tick or Checkmark)
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💩 (Poo)
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🙈 (Monkey covering eyes)
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😭 (Loudly crying face)
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👏 (Clapping hands)
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💋 (Lipstick kiss mark)
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😬 (Grimacing face)
Many younger users also considered the thumbs-up emoji to be rude, explaining that it gives off a passive-aggressive or even confrontational air.
“For younger people (I’m 24 for reference) the thumbs-up emoji is used to be really passive-aggressive,” one person wrote.
“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 chalked up the difference in the workplace to a “generational communication culture difference”.
“Everyone my age in the office doesn’t do it, but the Gen X people always do it,” they wrote. “Took me a bit to adjust and get out of my head that it means they’re mad at me.”
Others agreed, saying using it in the workplace makes team members “unaccommodating” and seems “unfriendly”.
“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],” one commenter said.
“I don’t know why but it seemed a little bit hostile to me, like an acknowledgment 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.”
Another said: ““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 a thumbs-up].”
But, older users expressed their confusion at this emoji etiquette, with one saying it must be “a younger generational thing”.
“So it’s like a sarcastic thing? Man I’m getting old lol,” one wrote.
Another defended their use of the thumbs up, saying it “means many things”.
“It means ‘I approve’ or ‘I understood and will obey’ or ‘I agree’. If anything, my only objection would be that some days it might be hard to tell which one it means,” she offered.
“But it is generally pretty clear.”
“It’s just a way to say ‘i’ve read your message and have nothing to add and I hope and pray to all the gods all the bazillion people in this group chat have nothing to say on it too,’” another chimed in.
Linguists have been studying emojis since the appearance of the modern emoji in 2015. In her book Because Internet: Understanding how language is changing, linguist Gretchen McCulloch explains that some emojis, like most of those that have been “cancelled”, are gestures, like the ones we make with our hands while talking.
While these can be quite universal, like the thumbs up or smiling emojis, there can also be nuance based on culture and the writing systems people use.
With younger people interpreting emojis such as the thumbs-up as “rude” or “old”, it seems there is nuance between generations too.
Image: Getty Images