The “Gen Z Stare” is the latest workplace habit young people are being scrutinized for On TikTok, there’s an ongoing debate around what’s now being dubbed the “Gen Z Stare”—a blank, wide-eyed look with long pauses that’s showing up in customer service and workplace conversations. The argument has two sides: according to Gen Z, it’s not awkwardness that’s causing this response—or lack thereof—it’s either them reacting to older customers doing something irritating (think: Boomers and Millennials insisting on unnecessary small talk) or their rejection of fake pleasantries altogether. On the flip side, older gens see it as flat-out rude. They’re arguing that the blank, silent responses come from Gen Z’s “poor soft skills,” social awkwardness, or an inability to engage in basic conversation. Some users are reenacting examples of the “Gen Z stare” on TikTok, fueling both perspectives. One video with 3.8M views and 238K likes supports Gen Z’s stance: a creator reenacts a frustrating scenario where they repeatedly ask a customer if they want their drink “iced or...
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