Think of entering a coffee shop and then asking the Gen-Z barista behind the counter whether they serve coffee, only to be met with a gaze so dead it almost bores through your own soul. Say hello to the “Gen Z stare,” as it’s been dubbed by millions of Americans: a deceptively simple facial expression now engendering a storm of controversy. As mentioned in Economics Insider, Gen Z has officially surpassed 27% of the workforce with their misunderstood form of generational communication, and this is causing awkward friction between them and colleagues from older generations. So, what is the reason for all that noise about this stoic and unemotional seeming fashion?
Footage showing blank expressions has gone viral on social media, with TikTok videos garnering millions of views. A polarizing cultural moment is unfolding in an absolutely fascinating way.
Different generations speak different languages
Baby Boomers greeted each other with handshakes and eye contact; Gen Z does it via text and emojis. When they intersect at work, those communication styles do not simply merge into one. This is because the blank stare occurs when a Gen Z worker is caught off guard by their older colleagues’ expectations, not knowing how to respond in the way their age-old tradition dictates.
It’s not a matter of rudeness; it’s like two people speaking different languages trying to have a conversation with each other. The open-mouth look turns into a delay as they inwardly interpret two distinct generational languages of communication.
Mental health struggles are real and visible
The numbers here are staggering, according to a survey reported by Psychiatrist.com, about 42% of Gen Z adults have been diagnosed with a mental health condition. That’s nearly double the rate of millennials at the same age. The “stare” often serves as a protective shield when someone feels overwhelmed, anxious, or simply overstimulated.
Now add on top of that the ever-impending doom of social anxiety, a questionable part-time job, possible college debt, and an unknown financial future.
Nobody taught them office small talk 101
However, the problem with etiquette is that it’s a skill that can only be learned well through experience and influence. Except that Gen Z was entering the workforce during a global pandemic, in an environment where employees were working from home. Many of these people missed out on the informal water-cooler chat, or seem to understand how office politics are implemented in real life.
If you catch that deer in the headlights, 22-year-old stare, they probably don’t even know that this is what’s supposed to happen now. They aren’t just making it hard; they’re modeling a segment of the population that doesn’t have the same social script that past generations learned through years of in-person office culture.
Smartphones rewired their social wiring
A fine young person like Z spent their childhood glued to screens, devouring data and revealing themselves through carefully crafted posts. The typical Gen Z individual looks at their phone 144 times a day, or about once every 10 minutes, while they are not asleep and out of bed, reports ConsumerAffairs.
All of this on-demand video in their face might even be causing a change in how their brains are wired to deal with people you could look at in the eye. Real-time conversations have no filters, edit options, or even the chance to hit pause and think of a perfectly crafted reply.
Fake smiles feel wrong to them
Authenticity is king among Gen Z preferences, for almost everything. They’ve come of age witnessing influencers getting “canceled” for being fake and brands getting roasted for inauthentic marketing. They can smell authenticity better than your mother’s perfume.
We are no longer in the age where we were beaten into believing what we believe due to our surroundings as kids. For our oldest generations, the constant expectation to be “OK” or wear a happy mask in every interaction can be incredibly uncomfortable. And maybe that’s truly their most unpretentious reaction, they’re not especially glad or energized like the previously expressed persons, so at that point, why claim?
They’re running on empty
Ever seen the popular “Gen Z stare” videos, which often feature young people working in service jobs? There’s a reason for that. According to the Prince’s Trust NatWest Youth Index 2024, many Gen Z workers are indeed juggling multiple jobs, college classes, and financial pressures that would exhaust anyone.
That glare could be sheer exhaustion wearing as a costume. Imagine having to pretend not to be worn out after six hours of asking, “Would you like fries with that?” all the while tallying up in your mind if you can take groceries this week.
They network, but not through small talk
When your most frequent social interactions occur through text messages and TikTok comments, a typical barroom exchange feels out of place. They share memes, collaborate on playlists, and have inside jokes that stretch from one side of the internet to another. It might seem futile to them for someone to ask about the weather or how their day is going, compared to the usual style of communication.
The blank stare is the way they say “I prefer not this physical type of engagement”. They aren’t being rude; they just clearly must be out of their social element. The blank stare is the way they say, “I prefer not this physical type of engagement.” It is like asking someone who speaks solely in emojis to communicate only in written letters.
Their values guide every interaction
A consumer study by First Insight found that 73% of this generation makes buying choices based on the company’s values and is willing to pay more for sustainable products.
They believe this value-based approach is reflected in their interactions in social scenarios. If they do not see something as meaningful, performative, or in line with their principles, you will get the infamous look. Take a Gen Z kid at the fast-fashion establishment, and he might struggle to fake enthusiasm for products that run contrary to his values.
Social anxiety nowadays hits different
Our social anxiety is very different from what it would be like if we were a girl growing up with the pressure and the identity crisis of being bombarded by clickbait headlines and “explanation” headlines. Every conversation seems like it could be recorded, screenshotted, or made into content.
They have grown up with their peers being canceled for social faux pas, and as a result, are acutely conscious of what they say and do. The deadpan look could symbolize their sturdy hand; if you do not react, it is impossible to falter. At times, it is their anxiety protecting them from being the next internet meme of someone looking a little worse for wear.
The confidence gap is showing
Clinical psychologist Meg Jay mentions, “Blank stares from young workers are about not knowing what they are doing and insecurities on the job more than passive-aggressive Gen Z.” That gets at a key point: many young workers are experiencing imposter syndrome at an alarming rate. These are people stepping into spaces where they’ve been conditioned not to belong, even when fully qualified to occupy the space.
The stare is hiding fear. The freezing response is safer for them: better than handling a question professionally when they don’t know how to answer.
Some queries are just silly
Sometimes the Gen Z stare is completely justified. When a customer walks into a pizza shop and asks, “Do you sell pizza?” or goes to Starbucks and asks, “Is this a coffee place?” well, the blank stare makes perfect sense.
The workers are reacting to what should be absurd or pointless faux interactions. Their expression translates to “Did you seriously just ask me that?” It’s not disrespect, it’s genuine confusion about why someone would ask such an obvious question. The stare becomes their way of processing the disconnect between the question and reality.
Every generation gets its turn in the hot seat
Every generation is criticized by the generations before it. Millennials were called lazy and entitled, Gen X was just a bunch of slackers, and even Baby Boomers got it from their parents’ generation. The outrage over the Gen Z stare reflects broader discomfort with rapid cultural change.
Key takeaway
Gen Z trend in the headlines “The stare”, but it has little to do with rudeness, disrespect, or rather, more about generational anxiety. A new generation is drafting a world they have only known how to react to one of new tools and novel pressures, underneath their vacuous gazes, despair and delusion lurk in the restless void of mental illness, financial insecurity, media sensationalism, and societal pressure.
Should we be more compassionate to the man behind the stare instead of irritated with his glare? That is not usually an attitude; it is an adaptation. As a member of my generation, I’m figuring out how to exist in a world that constantly feels misaligned with my values as a Gen Z human. Perhaps their gaze is simply an attempt to fit in, to be comfortable, suggesting they ‘belong’ when so much of the environments around them weren’t designed with them in mind.
Disclaimer – This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information. It is not intended to be professional advice.
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