Woke Language

I use it a lot when I agree with whatever the person has said. What else are we supposed to use for 'OK'? (Please don't say 'OK'!)

I use it. What’s wrong with it? How is it aggressive?

Aggressive - what's all that about !!! ?

Yes I use it as well.

Oh no! I’ve just answered my dil with a thumbs up - I hope she’s still talking to me!

Well, if that's the case I'll move over to ❤️ then!

Daft!

I often use it to acknowledge a message that doesn’t require a reply.
Why is it aggressive? What’s aggressive about it?

Ridiculous and I wont be taking any notice.

Fortunately I do not have 'woke' friends!

I think friends know you and know you are not being aggressive 👍

Those people who don’t like it are free to stop using it but I will continue to use it as will many others. A storm in a teacup.

In British sign language the thumbs up is used to denote agreement, positivity, and acceptance.

The fact that the poster's granddaughter confirmed that it is now aggressive says it all. Is the correct use of language and signs to be dictated by teenagers/young people?

Another I want to change the accepted meaning to suit me decision. 😴

I shall carry on using it.

Saves a lot of unnecessary typing.

This from last summer explains:

english.elpais.com/lifestyle/2024-08-26/the-emoji-revolution-and-how-the-thumbs-up-came-to-be-passive-aggressive-and-old-fashioned.html

Generation Z consider it passive aggressive, while older people believe it is used as a sign of affirmation and agreement.

… it has a new function and is used to stop a conversation,” … “When you use this emoji at the end of a message, it seems somewhat blunt, because it indicates that the conversation is over. That is why some people think that its use is passive aggressive.

… this is precisely what happened with the laughing emoji, which ended up having a sarcastic nuance; now it is the turn of the thumbs-up emoji.

You see that used on this platform a lot - laughing emojis as sarcasm.

I don’t use emojis as I find them unnecessary but I had friends who would often respond with a thumbs up. I don’t think I’d label it passive aggressive but it did definitely feel like the other person was putting an end to the exchange when sometimes I thought there was more to say.

I always thought it was the single index finger gesture that was rude. Never heard of the 👍🏼 being rude, so will continue to use it where appropriate. I’m sure context is everything.

Sorry, middle finger, not index finger 😁, getting myself muddled there.

eazybee

The fact that the poster's granddaughter confirmed that it is now aggressive says it all. Is the correct use of language and signs to be dictated by teenagers/young people?

I often check in with my GCs about modern usage; not because they are the arbiters but because they are taught to use language and symbols in a certain way at school.

I think what they are taught is dictated by school policy following decisions made, presumably, by older educators not teenagers.

I don't think it's a 'woke thing' - no one has "taught" genZ the "new"meaning, it's casual language evolving - the new meaning is a new one on me. I also cant see why its a "stopper". It can mean I suppose "fine and thank you" but also "fine lets continue".

The urban dictionary confirms its now seen at least as ambiguous.

I understand why it seems that way, although I sometimes use it. If it's used after a message such as 'I'm waiting under the clock' it just means 'message received' and is fine.

If it is used after a conversation it does seem to say 'over and out' which could be perceived as a bit rude.

I don't think the British are very good at this sort of thing, are we?

Wyllow3

I don't think it's a 'woke thing' - no one has "taught" genZ the "new"meaning, it's casual language evolving - the new meaning is a new one on me. I also cant see why its a "stopper". It can mean I suppose "fine and thank you" but also "fine lets continue".

I agree. It isn't woke just another "language" evolving.

I don't like emojis, especially when used on their own. I prefer real words but that's just me.

Occasionally, I catch Richard Osman's House of Games where they sometimes have an round where the title of something: book, film, TV show has to be depicted in emojis. I can never work it out.

It's very convenient to end a conversation with when you've said all there is to say & recieve what seems like a "signing off" text. Otherside you can go backwards & forwards with no-one wanting be the one to not reply!

I can only think that gen Z feel they need to be available to their friends' comms to the second they're posted, all their waking hours. That would be a recipe for poor mental health, for me personally.