Gen Z stare: Why young workers are giving blank looks and going viral
A new generational quirk is taking social media by storm as videos recreating the infamous "Gen Z stare" go viral. It is characterized by a blank, expressionless look in response to questions and has sparked both humor and heated debate across generations.
The best way to explain the Gen Z stare is that it's a deadpan expression that often follows a simple greeting or question to those born between 1997 and 2009 leaves many older generations puzzled and sometimes frustrated.
"This has been sort of bizarre," Brad Mielke, host of the ABC News' "Start Here" podcast, said on ABC News. "A lot of Gen Z folks are saying, 'Sorry, this is just the way we talk,' while others say this is more specific to customer service."
The debate highlighted tensions in the retail and service industries. Some Gen Z workers defend the expression, citing increasingly unusual customer requests, Mielke noted.
"I've been asked to make somebody's iced tea less cold," Mielke said of his conversations with young workers. "I've been asked to give them a cheeseburger without the cheese, but keep the pepper jack of it all."
Even Gen Z members are noticing this trait in their peers.
"You even have Gen Z-ers sort of noticing this in each other," Mielke said as he highlighted how the phenomenon has become a point of self-reflection within the generation.
This isn't the first time technology and generational differences have created distinctive behavioral patterns. The cohort born between 1981 and 1996 have their "millennial pause" -- that awkward moment before starting a video to ensure it's recording. Baby boomers -- born between 1946 and 1964 -- became known for signing their text messages as if writing letters.
"We've all got them," Mielke said of generational quirks. "Yet this is sort of the first time that Gen Z is sort of under fire from the rest of the generations being like 'this is a thing you do' and a lot of Gen Z-ers arguing over whether that is in fact true."
Whether it's a genuine communication style or a passing trend, the Gen Z stare has certainly captured the attention of social media users and sparked a larger conversation about generational differences in communication.
