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Is 'The Gen Z Stare' real? Tell us what you think

A Gen Z woman in Tokyo
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Have you experienced "The Gen Z Stare?"

Millennials coined the new term to describe what some say is Gen Z's social awkwardness in workplace interactions and other daily life.

According to some viral TikToks, Gen Z has a tendency to give wide-eyed stares to requests questions or small talk. TikTokers are recording skits of hypothetical Gen Z waiters staring awkwardly at their customers or recounting stories of Gen Z neighbors who freeze up when greeted.

The videos have sparked plenty of debate. Some Gen Zers have rejected the idea that they have a "stare," saying that it doesn't exist. Others have said that they're only responding to the nonsensical questions from older generations, or that they're pausing to think.

Have you experienced the stare? Let us know in the survey below:

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Business Insider reporter Henry Chandonnet is pictured.
Henry Chandonnet
Henry Chandonnet is a senior reporter on the Business News desk. He writes about tech culture, from Silicon Valley's startup class to the everyday AI user. He also closely covers Big Tech and the workplace. Henry previously wrote for Fast Company, where he covered trending tech news. He's written for The Daily Beast, People Magazine, and Vulture.Email Henry at hchandonnet@insider.com, reach him on Signal at henrychand.30, or follow him on X @HenryChandonnet.