Gen Z feel the smiley face emoji is 'sinister' and 'passive aggressive'
Topics: Community, News, Technology
Gerrard Kaonga
Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Image
Topics: Community, News, Technology
The use of emojis is sky-high, and yet between the generations there is vastly different interpretations of what they actually mean.
There are always differences between the generations, in what they like to wear, what music they listen to and how they talk, just to name a few.
But while emojis are a mainstay of the technological boom over the last couple years, there also seems to be a generation divide for this as well.
So, the way your mom messages probably isn’t exactly the same way a 16-year-old messages the group chat... who would have guessed, eh.
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But one thing that has caught people’s attention over the last couple years is the interpretation of the smiley face emoji.
Seems innocent enough but to some among generation Z, it isn’t a welcomed guest to close off a text message.
Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, 21-year-old Hafeezat Bishi spoke about her experience with the emoji as some of her new co-workers greeted her with a bright smiley face when she started a new job.
And while many might use it to try and make a message or email friendly or lighthearted, this isn’t always how it comes across.
“I had to remember they are older, because I use it sarcastically,” Bishi said of her co-workers using it. “There are so many emojis, and Gen Z can never take things in a simple manner.”
Hailey Francisco, 18, also spoke to the Wall Street Journal and said that during her sophomore cheerleading season at Eastlake High School in Washington she and her teammates received a smiley face at the end of texts from their coach.
“It wasn’t until the whole team was at a basketball game together, someone told her that the smiley seemed passive-aggressive” Francisco said.
She went on to say her coach was shocked and switched to using a blushing smiley emoji instead.
23-year-old Ellie York spoke to the Independent and attempted to try and explain the reasoning behind the unease around the use for her generation.
She said: “There is definitely a more sinister passive-aggressive or sarcastic side [to the smiley emoji].
“I think it’s the eyes. It’s got an ‘oh really’ expression,” she explains. “People my age who use emojis tend to use this in conversations with each other, not as a happy response, but in a more sarcastic or ironic sense.”
So there you have it, so you better start changing how use emojis... or don’t, it really won’t make a whole lot of difference to your life if we are being honest here.