This isn’t really the gen Z stare, I’d describe that as a very neutral expression.
Honestly I don’t actually think the Gen Z stare has much to do with the internet or COVID either, as much as it’s just something that caught on among people in school. I think another large element is that Gen Z culturally a lot less judgemental of people who don’t mask autistic traits.
The general nodding and 'mmhmm’ing we do to affirm we’re paying attention is something that’s effectively a social contract, although useful. The flip side of the Gen Z stare that people don’t talk about is that Gen Z also don’t mind recieving the Gen Z stare, and can converse through it.
PolarKraken@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 day ago
Thanks for the link that is really fascinating, though I also want to acknowledge that I feel almost crazy if this is a prevalent thing and I haven’t noticed?
I’d be kinda pleased if it were largely a rejection of performative positivity, one of the theories presented. I do worry about the ways the COVID pandemic interrupted social development for an enormous number of kids, just huge (though to be clear I was in favor of pretty strict, sweeping measures to limit spread).
I bristled a bit at first, on the mention of “quiet quitting” - AKA behaving perfectly rationally, given the available opportunities and treatment today, by my measure. But the (still Wikipedia) article it links to is a solid overview of a collective action tactic, so hell yeah.
xorollo@leminal.space 1 day ago
Link is a Rick roll isn’t it?
PolarKraken@lemmy.dbzer0.com 18 hours ago
Haha, I wish I had that kind of commitment to a bit.