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AIBU?

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Original poster

Passive aggressive or ?

36 replies

BlanketBlues · 16/03/2026 16:39

Is it a passive aggressive reaction to send a thumbs op as a reply to one holiday picture in Messenger ? Or is it an ok answer? We are in our late forties/early fifties. No other pictures sent.

OP posts:
Malasana · 16/03/2026 17:14

I believe a thumbs up is seen as rude by younger people though I don’t know why.
If someone sent me a holiday pic I’d probably do a heart emoji or sunshine or a wine glass. Something like that.

Kiramman · 16/03/2026 17:08

A thumbs up emoji usually indicates agreement, so if the picture was something you had to agree to it’s fine.
It does depend on the context, but as someone in my 30s if I only ever got back a thumbs up in response to pictures or messages I’d sent, I’d stop sending them as I’d view the lack of interaction as disinterest. An infrequent thumbs up wouldn’t bother me and I wouldn’t think it passive aggressive, but if you wanted to convey interest without sending a full message back I’d use a heart emoji instead.

Theyreeatingthedogs · 16/03/2026 17:08

👍

BillieWiper · 16/03/2026 17:01

It has a reputation I think as being seen as potentially dismissive. Like 'that's great but I'm not interested in communicating with about the subject any further'?! Haha.

I know one person who uses it that way every time I try and text them. But I mean I know he doesn't really like me (family) so it must also by used in a nice normal 'that's great, I agree'. kind of way.

Ladybyrd · 16/03/2026 16:57

Depends on context.

NuffSaidSam · 16/03/2026 16:56

I don't think it's passive aggressive, but I wouldn't use that emoji to respond to a holiday photo. It's a bit dismissive I think. But equally I wouldn't be bothered if someone used it in response to a message I sent.

Original poster
BlanketBlues · 16/03/2026 16:49

Thank you all of you..

OP posts:
Rainbowdottie · 16/03/2026 16:47

The trouble is, everyone sees and believes different things. I’m the same age as you (older) and a few years ago was basically ghosted by a good friend with a series of 👍. Well she was trying hard to ghost me and I wouldn’t let her lol so either I got radio silence or I got an occasional 👍 to every message. Even if I asked a question, I got a thumbs up lol…so to me it is considered quite rude. But then sometimes I do a thumbs up if I literally have nothing say or add but still trying to acknowledge that I’ve seen the message, if that makes sense. But most of the time, if I have nothing to say or add, I’ll still try to write something mildly relevant or polite like “nice 😎☀️” to maybe something like a holiday picture.

i guess it’s really debatable where you are in life and how you see emojis. I have a friend who’s quite confrontational and she puts a 🤷‍♀️ after most comments which my other friends find quite rude. You’ve found a 👍 quite rude/dismissive but the sender that might be an everyday emoji

ErrolTheDragon · 16/03/2026 16:45

👍Grin.
Seems perfectly reasonable to me but I’m 65. If youngsters ascribe negative meanings to innocently meant emojis (or even punctuation!) then tbh that’s their problem.

Original poster
BlanketBlues · 16/03/2026 16:42

Ok I hope you are right..

OP posts:
Hankunamatata · 16/03/2026 16:40

I send thumbs up for nearly everything. Never thought it passive aggressive