Paolo, you often mention the thumbs-up emoji to show how generations interpret things differently. Can you explain?

Ah, yes—the thumbs up emoji! It's the perfect example of how different generations can interpret the same symbol in completely different ways. The emoji itself is simple—just a little 👍, a universal symbol for approval or agreement. But how it's understood can be wildly different, depending on who you are and where you come from in the generational spectrum.

For older generations—say, Gen X and Boomers—the thumbs up is straightforward. It's a symbol of positivity. You send it to say, "Great job," "I agree," or just to give a quick, affirmative response. There’s no extra nuance or hidden meaning behind it; it’s just a polite, efficient way to acknowledge something.

But for younger generations, especially Gen Z, that same thumbs up emoji can carry a completely different tone. To them, it can come off as passive-aggressive or even sarcastic. It's not just a "Yeah, cool" anymore—it’s often seen as a dismissive, cold response, like saying “Whatever” in the middle of a conversation. Gen Z, growing up in a hyper-connected, emotionally nuanced digital world, tends to read more deeply into the tone and context behind emojis. A thumbs up, to them, can feel like you’re not engaged or like you’re brushing off the conversation. What’s seen as simple approval by one group might be read as detachment or even disdain by another.

This difference in interpretation comes down to communication styles. Older generations tend to view emojis as tools for clarity—a thumbs up means exactly what it looks like. Younger generations, however, have evolved to use emojis as part of a broader, more layered way of communicating, often mixing them with tone, sarcasm, and subtlety. They’ve grown up interpreting these tiny symbols with a level of nuance and emotional complexity that older generations didn’t attach to them.

The thumbs up emoji perfectly captures this generational gap because it shows how we’re all working with the same tools—the same technology, the same digital language—but interpreting them through completely different lenses. What’s an efficient "Okay, got it" for one person can feel like an emotional brush-off for another.

And that’s the larger point I’m always making: we’re living in a time where multiple generations are working, communicating, and living side by side, but we don’t always realize how differently we’re seeing the world—even with something as small as an emoji. It’s a reminder that we need to pay attention to these generational differences, not because one is right and one is wrong, but because understanding those differences is the key to effective communication, collaboration, and mutual respect.

So, the thumbs up emoji? It’s a symbol of how the same thing can mean very different things, depending on where you’re coming from. It’s a small but powerful reminder of the generation gap that plays out every day, even in the smallest digital interactions.