As an early 90’s millennial, I’ve never noticed a “gen z stare” as described in news articles like a “blank face that shows lack of social skill or ability to think”. The only times I’ve witnessed it happen and seen the older person accuse them of “gen z stare” is when the older person says something off hand or dumb but isn’t self aware enough to realize they’re being weird. Hell, I’ve given people a blank face countless times because I was taught it was better to say nothing at all sometimes. Especially when it came to talking to older people at work.

I remember when I was 16, some middle aged guy at work accused me of having no personality. In reality, I kept all conversations short as possible with him (like almost everyone in the store) because they were casually racist and misogynistic.

  • RegularJoeEnglish
    143·
    1 day ago

    Forbes has an article from a Ph.D. who claims it’s real.

    The ‘Gen Z Stare’: What It Means And Why Employers Can’t Afford To Ignore It

    By Bryan Robinson, Ph.D., Senior Contributor. author of Chained to the Desk in a Hybrid World: A Guide to Balance.

    Jul 16, 2025, 06:43pm EDT Jul 21, 2025, 04:07pm EDT

    https://www.forbes.com/sites/bryanrobinson/2025/07/16/the-gen-z-stare-what-it-means-and-whats-underneath-it-at-work/

    He was born in 1945 according to Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryan_E._Robinson

    That puts him in the Silent Generation, as Boomers don’t start until 1946.

    • halcyoncmdr@piefed.socialEnglish
      243·
      1 day ago

      Ah yes, an 80 year old definitely has the perspective to understand Gen Z. It’s possible, extremely unlikely, but there are always exceptions, just look at Skyrim Grandma.

      Quickest way to tell is to see how they explain a current massive meme like 6-7. If it’s some overly complicated explanation, they clearly have no fucking idea what they’re talking about, degree or not. A degree just means you’re more educated in one specific thing, the higher that degree, the more specific that knowledge. Often that means anything unrelated to that specialization end up lacking. Some of the most educated people I know are the absolute dumbest as soon as it leaves their very specific knowledgebase.

      • RegularJoeEnglish
        21·
        1 day ago

        Here’s a quote from that article

        Galvin says the facial expression is a subtle cue from a digital-native generation raised on screens, fast content and online communication. “For many Gen Zers, constant eye contact doesn’t always signal attentiveness the way it might for older colleagues,” he explains. “What a Boomer or Gen X manager may perceive as checked-out might actually be Gen Z’s version of active listening.”

        Sujay Saha, president of Cortico-X agrees. “Gen Z entered the workforce in an era defined by screens, social distancing and remote communication, and companies must now close the experience gap with empathy-focused onboarding and support, not judgment,” he told me.

        • halcyoncmdr@piefed.socialEnglish
          4·
          1 day ago

          Some would say even that is an overexplanation, because it’s so generalized and clinical.

          The origin is a TikTok video about NBA player LaMelo Ball, and a conversation about his height being 6’ 7" and a lyric from the song “Doot Doot” by Skilla with the same numbers playing over that. Everything surrounding any reference to the numbers in general has spiraled from that, originally trying to get into further TikTok edits.

          https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/67-meme