Overview

• Viral TikTok posts about the Gen Z stare have drawn more than 12 million views, fueling widespread online discussion.
• Major outlets including The Independent, Business Insider and the Boston Globe have published in-depth analyses exploring its origins and generational meanings.
• Some Gen Z workers describe the stare as a deliberate pause to signal disbelief at unreasonable questions or allow customers to correct mistakes.
• Psychologists attribute the rise of the blank expression to diminished social development during COVID-19 isolation and heavier digital communication habits.
• Critics contend that similar expressions like the “resting retail face” and boomer “lead paint stare” predate the term, questioning its novelty.