Has OK Become a Sign of Passive Aggression?

[jtbell]

From https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/21/business/kk.html

When I respond to a text or email with “O.K.,” I mean just that: O.K. As in: I hear you, I understand, I agree, I will do that. If I reply with “K,” I’m just being more informal.

However, I have been informed by my Millennial and Gen Z co-workers that the new thing I’m supposed to type is “kk.” To write “O.K.” or “K,” they tell me, is to be passive-aggressive or imply that I would like the recipient to drop dead.

Is this the backstory behind the recent viral "OK boomer" moment?

 

[BillTre]

Well, OK is OK with me.

Did I just tell myself to drop dead?

Personally, I prefer OK to O.K. or okay.

Just k is just Cray.

 

[RPinPA]

I'm not going to worry about this. I mean OK as a completely neutral acknowledgment. This to me is akin to the old joke about someone getting all upset at "good morning". "What do you mean by that?"

As far as I know, everybody I have occasion to text with also uses OK as a neutral response.

 

[gmax137]

funny, just the other day I was wondering where the "kk" thing came from. never would have guessed "ok" is aggressive. I'd like to read the linked article but NYT wants me to pay for it. that's not OK

 

[OmCheeto]

funny, just the other day I was wondering where the "kk" thing came from. never would have guessed "ok" is aggressive. I'd like to read the linked article but NYT wants me to pay for it. that's not OK

Fortunately, I (now) have 4 remaining free NYT articles left.
I believe the following is free to read by anyone, and is very similar in content.

Why Replying 'OK' In Work Chats Sounds So Aggressive, According To An Internet Linguist​

It's one of the most secretly fraught words to use with co-workers.​

By Monica Torres​

02/12/2019 03:39pm EST | Updated February 13, 2019​

​

More words in general sound more polite​

Gretchen McCulloch, an internet linguist and author of the upcoming book "Because Internet", said "OK" is not inherently rude but the length of a reply matters.​

It makes me glad I'm retired, and don't have to interact professionally with young people anymore. Actually, the old people could be annoying too.

 

[WWGD]

For the sake of context, from discussions elsewhere:

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=are+farts+mysoginistic&t=ffnt&atb=v189-1&ia=web
Edit: This is a hoax. A friend had told me about this , not sure if he knew it was a hoax.
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=is+the+name+black+hole+racist&t=ffnt&atb=v189-1&ia=web

There may be some good reasons, aspects for the PC movement, but it also seems to have gone
off the rails.

 

[OmCheeto]

...
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=are+farts+mysoginistic&t=ffnt&atb=v189-1&ia=web
...

Including results for fart rape.​

​

It would appear, I've missed a lot in the last 5 years...

Fart Rape: Man Sues Boss For $1.8 Million​

Mar 27, 2019 Fart rape; it's a strange term that sometimes gets thrown around by feminists and ultra sensitive progressive types. But what does it mean? The term "Fart rape" originates from "rape culture" theory, stemming back to a documentary entitled "Rape Culture" released in 1975.​

I think I can die now, as I've definitely heard it all.

 

[WWGD]

​

I think I can die now, as I've definitely heard it all.

And you live in _Portland_!

 

[OCR]

It makes me glad I'm retired, and don't have to interact. . . *with anybody.[/size]

Copy that. . . .

. . . ? .

Lol. . .

*My mod.

.

 

[OmCheeto]

And you live in _Portland_!

Now that you mention it...

Once, I mentioned on Facebook that I was going to wear a sombrero for my birthday, as Cinco de Mayo is the day before, and I thought it was chronologically appropriate.

I was of course accused by a Portlandiac Millennial of cultural appropriation, and told to read certain books, and take classes, and...

No. I put him on permanent mute.

 

[symbolipoint]

I'm not sure exactly how the topic was meant since having not read the links ; but "ok" has become a typical word and could be spelled "okay" if the user wants. "Fine" might work well as a more standard substitute for "ok". "Yes" or "right" might also work. Not much point putting much effort into "ok" unless one is interested in the etymology, origins, and development of this word. Did it at one time long ago stand for "All Correct" and then through creative spelling become written as "Oll Korrect" and then abbreviated into "OK" ?

 

[WWGD]

Now that you mention it...

Once, I mentioned on Facebook that I was going to wear a sombrero for my birthday, as Cinco de Mayo is the day before, and I thought it was chronologically appropriate.

I was of course accused by a Portlandiac Millennial of cultural appropriation, and told to read certain books, and take classes, and...

No. I put him on permanent mute.

I heard something similar, Indians accusing Westerns of appropriation because they were wearing Saris and eating Indian food without understanding, acknowledging the background in which these took place. I asked them if they wore t-shirts and jeans and used the internet, as these were both developed in , products of, the West, and if so, if they understood the cultural background of each of these. They have quieted down on their accusations since.

 

[OmCheeto]

I heard something similar, Indians accusing Westerns of appropriation because they were wearing Saris and eating Indian food without understanding, acknowledging the background in which these took place. I asked them if they wore t-shirts and jeans and used the internet, as these were both developed in the West, and if so, if they understood the cultural background of these. They have quieted down on their accusations since.

Ehr mehr gerd.
You have not a clue...
You need to read books and take classes...

 

[WWGD]

Ehr mehr gerd.
You have not a clue...
You need to read books and take classes...

I'll just stay home and self-rape,er...fart to the wind.

 

[jim mcnamara]

Clearly a first world "problem" to which we old folks are overreacting. We have lots of younger posters and I have yet to bump into this.

 

[WWGD]

Clearly a first world "problem" to which we old folks are overreacting. We have lots of younger posters and I have yet to bump into this.

Ok(??)

 

[Nugatory]

Including results for fart rape.

Follow those links back to the source... it’s bogus.

 

[WWGD]

Ok, egg on my face, I bought into this without first checking. A friend told me, not sure if he knew and was playing a joke on me ( which I am not aware of him doing before) or if he truly believed it. Will be more careful from now on.

 

[Rive]

However, I have been informed by my Millennial and Gen Z co-workers that the new thing I’m supposed to type is “kk.” To write “O.K.” or “K,” they tell me, is to be passive-aggressive or imply that I would like the recipient to drop dead.

I wonder how Gunnery Sergeant Hartman would react to that.

 

[Janus]

Now that you mention it...

Once, I mentioned on Facebook that I was going to wear a sombrero for my birthday, as Cinco de Mayo is the day before, and I thought it was chronologically appropriate.

I was of course accused by a Portlandiac Millennial of cultural appropriation, and told to read certain books, and take classes, and...

No. I put him on permanent mute.

Hmm, it make me wonder if that Millennial belongs to a Gym that has a sauna which is a cultural appropriation of my ethnic heritage.

 

[WWGD]

Hmm, it make me wonder if that Millennial belongs to a Gym that has a sauna which is a cultural appropriation of my ethnic heritage.

And Jeans and t-shirts, the Internet , etc. are being appropriated by those not in the West without this being a problem for those who complain about appropriation by the West. It is this ( and a lot of other) silliness that made the accusations of fartrape believable.

 

[StatGuy2000]

Here is an article from InsideHook that explains some etiquette for texting and the Internet. Take it for what it's worth.

https://www.insidehook.com/article/advice/the-difference-between-texting-k-ok-kk-explained

 

[Dr.D]

Once upon a time, goodness knows where, I read that OK arose in the American Civil War as a short way to express zero killed in a military action. Is that OK with everyone?

 

[nuuskur]

I get reminded of the 0K joke (zero Kelvin)

 

[Ibix]

There seem to be quite a few proposed etymologies. I get the impression that none is particularly more convincing than another:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_proposed_etymologies_of_OK

 

[symbolipoint]

There seem to be quite a few proposed etymologies. I get the impression that none is particularly more convincing than another:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_proposed_etymologies_of_OK

A fun read!

 

[osilmag]

I thought OK stood for Oklahoma.

 

[jbriggs444]

I thought OK stood for Oklahoma.

Rogers and Hammerstein might agree.

"You're doin' fine, Oklahoma!
Oklahoma O.K."

 

[OCR]

There seem to be quite a few proposed etymologies.

Ah, but they didn't include the proper pen at Tombstone. . . .

Spoiler

O.K. Corral

.

 

[WWGD]

You know a country's prosperous when its people can afford so much time and energy debating the righteousness of a relatively-marginal word. Not likely to see a similar debate in Syria or most of Africa.