To render your phone basically useless for the entire day is about as close to zen as I can imagine, but it also sounds weirdly frightening. But the way Gen Z sees it, it’s their phone, their time and their prerogative if they need to set boundaries.

Millennials and Gen X have taken to TikTok to call out the "Gen Z stare," when a Gen Z worker seems to be rudely unresponsive to a question or ask. However, Gen Z users have a different take and are defending the mannerism.

When asked to vote on a generic ballot for 2026, older Gen Z and younger millennial voters, ages 22-29, backed Democrats by a 6-point majority. But younger Gen Z voters, ages 18-21, backed Republicans by nearly 12 percentage points.

Millennials and Gen Z are having it out on TikTok over this facial expression. Here’s everything to know about what the 'Gen Z stare' is and why everyone is up in arms about it.

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.

Now, to be fair to zoomers, a few weeks ago there were a few posts — and a write-up from the New York Post, naturally — complaining about the Gen Z "gaze" from service workers. That's seemingly related to the "stare" debate now, but it's certainly evolved.

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of Gen Z's move toward authenticity and boundary-setting—where emotional labor isn't automatically performed to meet outdated norms.

A war is waging online between generations over the Gen Z Stare. While Millennials blame a lack of social skills, Gen Z are blaming insufferable customer requests - but who is right?

Generational divides are always a hot topic on TikTok, especially when it comes to Gen Z. The “Gen Z” stare is the latest trend to be discussed on the social media platform. Some argue that Gen Zers working in customer service have noticeably fewer social skills than previous generations.

Teens today aren't uninformed - they're just getting information from places that haven't necessarily been thoroughly vetted and fact-checked (if an effort was made for honesty at all). We used to turn to big name news outlets and TV broadcasts to learn what's happening in the world,