The blank stare: Why Gen Z is going viral for saying nothing
TOI World Desk | TIMESOFINDIA.COM | Jul 17, 2025, 23:08 IST
( Image credit : TIL Creatives )
Highlight of the story: The "Gen Z stare," a vacant expression in response to everyday interactions, has become a viral TikTok phenomenon, sparking debate about communication and mental health. Some view it as a defense mechanism against overstimulation or social anxiety, while others see it as a symptom of pandemic isolation and digital engagement. This generational quirk reflects changing norms and the pressures faced by young people today.
If you’ve ever received a glassy-eyed, wordless response to a friendly “Hi, how are you?” from a younger neighbor, or found yourself blinking awkwardly at a teenage cashier who doesn’t respond to your small talk, you may have witnessed it: the so-called “Gen Z stare.”
Now a full-blown TikTok phenomenon, the term describes the vacant, emotionless look younger people—typically those born between 1997 and 2012—allegedly give in response to everyday human interaction. From viral skits to heated comment sections, the internet is fixated on it.
And what started as a punchline has become something deeper: a cultural flashpoint that raises questions about communication, mental health, and what it means to grow up in the age of anxiety.
What is the Gen Z stare?
Online, the Gen Z stare is shorthand for a generation’s perceived discomfort with small talk and face-to-face interaction. TikTokers have turned it into a meme-worthy moment—often acting out scenes at coffee shops, retail stores, or workplace meetings, where a Gen Z character responds to basic questions with silence and a blink.
“It’s literally just exhausted teenagers working part-time trying to keep up with school and bills,” one viewer commented under a 2.3 million–view skit from TikTok creator Mark Gaetano, aka @SnarkyMarky. Another explained, “The Gen Z stare is usually just us being in complete disbelief of what we’re witnessing.”
But not everyone is laughing.
“We’re talking about the stare when anyone tries to have just a normal human interaction with you, like in the flesh, and you guys freeze,” one TikToker complained. “I can’t even count how many times I’ve said hi to teens walking by, and they look at me like I’m a ghost.”
What’s behind the silence?
To some, the Gen Z stare is a defense mechanism—a blank response to absurd questions, poor treatment, or overstimulation. To others, it’s something deeper: a symptom of social anxiety, pandemic isolation, and a lifetime of screen-based communication.
Generation Z came of age during a perfect storm of disruptions. Online learning, social distancing, and constant digital engagement reshaped how young people navigate the world. According to 2024 Pew Research Center data, nearly half of U.S. teens say they’re online “almost constantly.”
It’s no wonder, then, that face-to-face interaction feels awkward—especially in professional or public settings.
Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt has dubbed Gen Z “the anxious generation.” And in a report on loneliness, former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy found young adults were almost twice as likely to report feeling lonely compared to those over 65.
Even if you think the stare is odd, it’s hard not to feel a bit of empathy.
Generational disconnect—or just growing pains?
The Gen Z stare is the latest in a long line of generational quirks that become cultural shorthand. Millennials were teased for their “pause” in speech. Boomers are known for their emoji confusion. Every generation has its habits—and its critics.
Still, the stare feels uniquely tied to a moment in time. Whether it’s a result of post-pandemic anxiety, changing workplace norms, or simply a generation learning to assert boundaries differently, it says something about how young people are engaging—or choosing not to engage—with the world around them.
Behind the stare may not be apathy, but exhaustion. Not indifference, but overwhelm. And sometimes, just disbelief that someone asked them how their day was going.
After all, in an age of constant performance and pressure, maybe a blank face says more than words ever could.