What is the viral Gen Z stare? All we know as facial expressions trend takes over TikTok

A new trend, called the ‘Gen Z stare,’ seems to have taken over the internet, especially TikTok. According to Mashable, the meaning of the phrase is quite literal as it sounds. It’s a kind of blank facial expression in which a person, especially from Generation Z, keeps a straight vision in between conversations.

People usually have the Gen Z stare while chatting with someone. The report mentions that the category of Gen Z belongs to that generation of people who were born between 1997 and 2012. On July 10, an X account “@daisylu_2” used an image of Tom Smith, a character from SpongeBob SquarePants. The netizen wrote:

“The “gen z stare” discourse is so funny to me because as a gen z person myself who has worked customer service, I’ll greet gen z customers or ask questions to help and ya’ll stare at me like I’ve just shat on the ground or something and it’s this exact face too.”

To elucidate further, the Gen Z stare mostly symbolises disbelief in someone or being unexcitedly surprised when someone does something silly. In other situations, it could also mean when someone does not understand something simple or a direct instruction.

On July 14, YouTube channel Meme Culture posted a video explaining that millennials and Gen X people have complained about this stare. These people have claimed that Gen Z people at departmental stores and eateries have an “I don’t care” attitude, which becomes explicit through this stare. The narrator in the video mentioned:

“Often skipping simple greetings or small talks, they just look at you silently and wait for you to speak first. Some say it’s rude but others argue it’s a sign of something else entirely.”

How have people reacted to the Gen Z stare?

The video also claimed that another possible reason for this behavior could be the constant social media comparisons, as Gen Z was the generation that grew up in the presence of cameras. Moreover, they are allegedly judged for how their social media presence, looks, and their dressing sense.

Meanwhile, there are TikTok users who claimed that the Gen Z stare wasn’t meant to show rudeness, as it’s simply a coping mechanism. The video claims that the generation is realistic and doesn’t like to indulge in fake smiles and small talk. Complaining about the Gen Z stare, an X user “@pbprot” shared a post on June 3, writing:

“I’m so sick of the new style of customer service where people just stare at you when you walk up to the counter/service desk that the car service guy saying “good morning, I’ll be with you in a minute” immediately made me start thinking ‘wow, THIS is how you run a business.’”

In a follow-up post, the person explained that they didn’t expect anything special, but felt confused when someone didn’t respond or show any emotion. It made them unsure if the other person was the right one to talk to or if they were busy with something else.

Also Read: “Why would they name it M2?”: Netizens react as TikTok reportedly develops new U.S.-only app

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