A generational debate has started over Gen Z’s tendency to respond to various social situations with a long and intentional stare.

The Gen Z stare is blank, viral and everywhere. Here’s what it means, how it started, and why it’s not as new as TikTok wants you to believe.

The ‘Gen Z stare’ is a real thing and it has sparked a seriously heated debate online with Millennials claiming its 'rude'.

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

The Gen Z stare has roots. It’s giving Kate Moss in the ’90s, it echoes the Tumblr-era indie sleaze aesthetic, where smudged eyeliner and studied disinterest reigned supreme. And it calls to mind Kristen Stewart on every red carpet between 2008 and 2014, refusing to smile on cue, quietly dismantling Hollywood’s expectations of femininity.

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,

Gen Z is increasingly choosing to take on multiple jobs. Some creators are going a step further and posting about their side hustles on TikTok.

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.

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of Gen Z's move toward authenticity and boundary-setting—where emotional labor isn't automatically performed to meet outdated norms.