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Banarsë compared it to the "Millennial Pause," a brief moment of silence before speaking in a video, adding that today's social quirks go viral more quickly. Banarsë added that the stare is part of Gen Z's move toward authenticity and boundary-setting—where emotional labor isn't automatically performed to meet outdated norms.

Millennials may find the so-called ‘Gen Z stare’ irritating, but others say it’s justified. Debate over the so-called Gen Z stare is the latest conversation on TikTok to capture people’s attention. But like so many viral social media moments, generations from millennials to boomers have a very different take on things.

What is the "Gen Z Stare?" Older TikTok users say that Gen Z workers often give blank, unresponsive stares. Gen Zers are pushing back.

This particular TikTok trend is quickly becoming a flashpoint in debates about workplace culture, generational divides, and the future of soft skills. While it may seem like a fleeting meme, the Gen Z stare is emblematic of deeper economic and social shifts as the youngest working generation reshapes the labor market.

There’s a new term circulating social media, and it’s dragging young people for their perceived lack of social skills. Dubbed “the Gen Z stare,” this blank-faced look is allegedly how many young people are engaging with the world around them — by, well, simply not.