The poetics of the 👍 emoji

& a case for the evolution of language

I recently came across a Forbes article: Gen Z Have Cancelled The Thumbs Up Emoji And Here’s Why You Should Worry.

I didn’t worry. Because you never see “And Here’s Why You Should Worry” after things that should actually worry you. “Apartment complex collapses and here’s why you should worry.” “Inflation reaches all-time high and here’s why you should worry.”

No, this one is trivial. But underneath it, a question worth considering — should the meaning of emojis evolve over time?

🤔 🤔 🤔

First, why the 👍 is now 👎

I’ve been using the thumbs-up on Slack for ages. I think of it as a friendly ‘confirming receipt.’ But now, perhaps it’s evolving.

We’ve seen this pattern with a lot of the OG emojis. They get overused until they retire or spin into new meaning. Few people use 😃 earnestly anymore — it’s so generic, it almost reads ironic.

And my guess is the thumbs-up is fatiguing, too. Becoming cold, low effort. And for Gen Z, ironic as well. (Ex. “Thanks for the support 👍” when someone’s critical.)

But would Gen Z ‘cancel’ you for using it the old way? Doubtful. It’s just that internet language — like any language — undergoes natural evolution.

The emoji evolution.

So going back to the article, the author writes:

Emojis have become a moving target. The meaning can change, and it’s hard to keep up … The solution is to avoid these types of proclamations. Emojis should be safe and reliable, not contain any extra hidden meanings or implications.

But I ✨ disagree ✨

All language is a moving target because communicating is complex. If only we could all connect our little Avatar tails and show people exactly what we mean.

But instead, we have to:
1️⃣ have the self-awareness to dissect our own thoughts & feelings
2️⃣ somehow channel thoughts & feelings into little ‘meaning vehicles’ 🚗 (aka words)
3️⃣ drive those ‘meaning vehicles’ over to somebody else 🚗💨
4️⃣ consider that each meaning vehicle (🚗) might be mistaken for an entirely different vehicle (🚙 or 🚕 or 🚓) & the meaning inside might not even reach its destination.

😅

And so if we want emojis to carry any meaning at all, we have to also expect that at times, they might be misinterpreted.

So why even have emojis?

They’re decorative, yes. But also, if you’ve ever felt the need to soften a message with an emoji, then you’re in the practice of prescribing emojis a function.

Ex, Sorry to hear that. and Sorry to hear that 😔 read entirely differently in my head.

And giving emojis a function expands our lexicon. Most communication is nonverbal, which puts text at a disadvantage, but emojis help us close the gap.

As evidence, some expansions from Gen Z:

• if you suspect something but don’t want to say it: 👀

• if you realize something you did was, in retrospect, foolish: 🤡

• if something is so cute or sweet, you can hardly handle it: 😭

• if you’re stressed but you’re trying to be chill about it: 😅

Look at all that nuance we’re adding!

Ok, but where are the definitions?

It’s true, we don’t have a formal dictionary for emojis, which makes it hard for us to be on the same page. But has it ever really been the dictionary that determines a word’s meaning?

Language is a living organism. It goes wherever it pleases. New words emerge and old words change definitions. The dictionary is just a passport full of stamps of where language has been lately.

So 👋 to the emojis and where their definitions sit. Tomorrow, 👋 might be canceled. And frankly, I find that exciting.

🐱
Emma

PS - Apologies for leaving you stranded on the throne for ages. The past few months have been a whirlwind, but I’m back to the ~regular~ twice-monthly schedule 😽