It has too much function to take it as a dismissive reply… unless it’s obvious.
For work I use it all the time to confirm I got an email. I can see how it may ruffle feathers, but my other colleagues don’t even confirm they got the message. Using the thumbs up also helps me organize what I need to do because half it is just in emails I gave a thumbs up to.
If I just replied 👍 to this post, I can see how that would be bullshit but that’s not how Im using it.
Its kinda like saying “sir” or “ma’am.” Some people are too good for it imo and some people may have good reasons to feel uneasy about it, but to me it is respectful to use it as long as you aren’t clearly a shit head.
For a long time when I worked in restaurants and the boss would start blasting us with “faster!!!” we just all go “working hard, working hard” with no added enthusiasm or energy.