Is The Thumbs Up On Messenger Dismissive?

[EternalOptimist7]

Sometimes I have really made an effort with my posts & then someone responds with a thumbs up. I hate it! Does anyone think it’s dismissive or a bit lazy?

I don’t get why people dislike it? I use it in a professional context on Teams at work, it’s a recognised way of acknowledging that a message has been read and/or agreed with.

I use it if something doesn't really merit a reply but I don't want to be rude and ignore it.

Why can't people just write "ok"

I can’t see a difference between OK and a thumbs up tbh. How is OK any less dismissive, or taking the conversation any further?

I thought 👌🏻 was the sarcastic 'ok then' one. What does that mean then?! God I hate being old.

Exactly - if you write 'ok' in Messages, the thumbs up comes up as a suggestion. Surely, it's precisely for when there is no response, no continued conversation necessary, but it's polite to acknowledge.

I don't use it as I've changed mine to a different icon but I don't see it as patronising.

I use it a lot but it is ending a convo.
So at the end of a convo about meeting at a time and place id use it as my last message. Sort of means “ok that’s settled”.

@LaMainDeFatima

Why can't people just write "ok"

How can that be too much effort for people ?

I find it passo aggro because they are basically ending the conversation. What do you reply to a thumbs up?

I once got pulled aside as my "OK" responses were deemed rude, aggressive, and insulting.

Someone took offence to my capitalisation of the word and I got dragged into a HR meeting (where I proved that is merely how I wrote OK and I wasn't being rude or disobedient and the person who pulled me in looked like an utter, petty fool)

I don't have a problem with it. I see it as a final part of the convo, as it's sometimes difficult to end a messenger conversation, without the social cues we usually have in RL.

@Crunchymum surely it's supposed to be in capitals ? (I think it was someone's initials originally) It's worrying that your HR dept didn't realise that

Unless it's to confirm a time and date are ok then yes. It seems to me like the reply of someone who can't be bothered to put in the tiny effort to type a few words.

It was said on The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City that two thumbs up together was taken to mean “fuck you”.
Nope, news to me as well.

Definitely generational, I'm early 20s and it would be a polite fuck off from most people I know. I can't think of something that would need acknowledgment but not a response... I just wouldn't respond at all if it didn't need one. If it's on Facebook they can see I've read it.

I’m in my forties and use it both as polite acknowledgment l when no further comment is needed and to say ‘end of conversation you fucking pain in my hole’.

Yes and no. I used to use it with my ex as a response to his earnings.

But with friends it's just an acknowledgment that I've read something but have nothing further to say

Me and my Dsis tend to use it when we don't agree with what the other has said but also don't want to get into an argument about it. So yeah, dismissive.

Rantings not earnings (it used to piss him off no end)

When it's in response to a message, it's equivalence can be on a spectrum starting with passive aggression and ending with passive violence. It's not good!

I hate it but I know that most people who send it don't mean it in a dismissive way. My dad uses it more than words, majority of our conversations he replies with a thumbs up 😂 I only ever use it if I'm pissed off with my ex someone and can't be bothered engaging any further.

@LaMainDeFatima

Why can't people just write "ok"

How can that be too much effort for people ?

I find it passo aggro because they are basically ending the conversation. What do you reply to a thumbs up?

What would you reply to "ok"?

Everyone is so sick of reading messages it's an easy way of just saying 'I've read what you wrote, got it'.

Otherwise where does the conversation end?

I find it passo aggro because they are basically ending the conversation.

What’s wrong with ending a conversation? I hate messaging someone where you feel like you have to keep replying when you have finished discussing whatever it was.

It just means “ok” or “great”, doesn’t it?
It does when I use it.

I do it and I don’t mean it to be dismissive, but thinking about it I do a bit. I send it when I think ‘yes great idea, but I am busy with something else right now and don’t want to get into the details’, so it is a bit dismissive.
Don’t mind when someone sends it to me though.

I use it as:
Approval
Great
Over and out
(And sometimes to say please stop messaging me. This conversation has gone on long enough. I want it to stop but you'll see I'm still using the app and I'm talking to someone else and don't want to offer you)