Is the Gen Z stare a sign of declining social skills or a new form of expression?
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Why Is Everyone Talking About the 'Gen Z Stare'?
What Is the Gen Z Stare?
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Is It Just Another Generational Joke?
Are Gen Z Struggling With Basic Social Skills?
Could Too Much Screen Time Be Fueling Social Burnout?
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Is Gen Z Being Rude Or Just Setting Boundaries?
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There's a new phrase making the rounds on social media, and it's taking aim at how Gen Z interacts with the world. It's called 'the Gen Z stare', and depending on who you ask, it's either a symptom of declining social skills or a silent protest against awkward encounters and outdated expectations, as per a report.The term refers to a blank-faced, unblinking look that some say has become characteristic of young people in everyday interactions, whether it's ordering at a coffee shop, talking to a teacher, or responding to a simple request, according to a Yahoo Life report. The reaction, or lack thereof, has become the subject of jokes, skits, and debate across TikTok and beyond, as per the report.ALSO READ: Donald Trump's approval ratings falls to a record low in second term amid challenges TikTok creator Janaye helped define the term in a now-viral video, saying that 'The Gen Z stare is specifically when somebody does not respond or just doesn't have any reaction in a situation where a response is either required or just reasonable,' as quoted in the Yahoo Life report. She recalled an incident during a recent flight in which she instructed a person belonging to Gen Z age group to put a bag under her seat, only to be met with a stare instead of a response, as reported by Yahoo Life.Another creator, Trevon Woodbury, acted out a skit showing a Gen Z customer frozen in silence at a café counter and his caption summed up the humor behind the trend: 'Always shocked that someone is speaking to your irl and not on a phone screen. Still love gen z tho,' as quoted in the report.There is an example from pop culture as well: a memorable moment from the series 'The White Lotus' shows a warm greeting being met with chilly, expressionless blinking from college-aged characters Olivia and Paula—Gen Z stare in action, as per the Yahoo Life report.ALSO READ: America's debt time bomb: Markets could crash before 2026 midterm elections, says ex-IMF official! Older generations poking fun at younger ones is nothing new. Before the Gen Z stare, there was the 'millennial pause', the short, awkward moment before millennials speak in videos, maybe because it was a time when video recording didn't always start immediately upon hitting the button, reported Yahoo Life. These types of micro-generational tics often get exaggerated online, but some say the Gen Z stare points to something deeper, as per the report.A 2023 survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers found that 90% of new grads avoided in-person events due to social anxiety , according to Yahoo Life. About 25% felt uncomfortable speaking up in meetings, as per the report. Meanwhile, a U.K. survey revealed that more than a third of 18–24-year-olds were too nervous to speak directly to waitstaff and asked someone else to do it, as reported by Yahoo Life.Experts point to the environment Gen Z has grown up in. This is the generation that is the most online in history, and they came of age during a pandemic that isolated them during key social development years, according to the report. From remote school to remote work, they've had fewer opportunities to build the face-to-face communication skills that older generations take for granted, as per the report.TikToker Sassa pointed out that, the stare is a 'physical manifestation of what it looks like when you don't grow up with enough human interaction," as quoted by Yahoo Life. She added, 'I can't imagine what it was like to be a young person in a pandemic where you saw your friends one day and then you never saw them again for a couple of years. But now that we're in real life, I think they forget that we can see all of you,' as quoted in the report.Jean Twenge, the author of 'Generations: The Real Differences Between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers and Silents — And What They Mean for America's Future,' told the New York Times during an interview that, 'social skills take thousands and thousands of hours to develop and adolescence is a critical period for developing social skills' — and that Gen Z has simply spent 'much less time with their peers in person during that critical stage,' as quoted by Yahoo Life.Self-help author Tam Kaur believes the constant online interaction plays a big role, too. She highlighted that, 'We're the first generation to grow up with our faces constantly on display in selfies, stories, video calls, with everything being scrutinized online,' as quoted in the report. Kaur explained, 'That creates a heightened sense of self-consciousness and a fear of being judged, even in the smallest interactions. For many of us, especially women, it's not that we're rude or disengaged. It's that we're navigating social anxiety and burnout from living in hyper-visible digital spaces,' as quoted by the Yahoo Life report.However, some Gen Zers have fired back at the idea that the Gen Z stare is something to mock with skits and stories of their own, using the same blank stare, but this time in response to customer rudeness or bizarre questions, as per the report.Gen Zers interpret the stare differently because they don't see it as a lack of social skills at all, rather, they see it as an obvious response to other people's ineptitude, as reported by Yahoo Life.For instance, one skit posted on TikTok showed a Gen Z service worker in an ice cream parlor being perfectly pleasant to a customer until that customer asks for a chocolate and hazelnut ice cream and then is disgusted at Nutella, as reported by Yahoo Life. In another TikTok post, a Gen Z recalled her experience as a barista in which a customer shouted 'coffee!' at her, leading her to stare in disbelief at their rudeness, as reported by Yahoo Life. While a third TikTok post showed a video of a Gen Z working in what is obviously a cookie shop, only for a customer to come in and ask, 'Do you sell cookies here?', to which she reacted with the Gen Z stare, according to the report.Surveys suggest many are. High levels of social anxiety and discomfort in public spaces have been reported among Gen Z in both the US and UK.It blew up on TikTok after creators started sharing funny or awkward moments where they encountered the stare.
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