Ask A Genius 1489: Is Gen Z Less Verbal? The Rise of the “Dead Stare”
Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): Ask A Genius
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2025/08/13
Rick Rosner describes noticing the stereotype of the “Gen Z dead stare,” where young adults avoid verbal replies to ordinary interactions. He recounts asking gym users scrolling on machines, “How many sets do you have?”, sometimes receiving only a silent two-finger signal. While acknowledging many encounters remain normal, he wonders whether reduced face-to-face responsiveness reflects preference, habit, or technology’s effects. The vignette invites a larger question: is minimal speech an emerging trend or situational impatience?
Rick Rosner: I have another point to make, which is the verbal inarticulateness of Gen Z. The way it has come to public attention is through what people call the “Gen Z dead stare.” That is when a non–Gen Z person approaches a Gen Z person—in a store, on public transportation, wherever—and says something that is not crazy, maybe asking a question or making a small comment, and the Gen Z person just stares back, dead-eyed, without responding.
It is a stereotype, of course, and most interactions are still normal, but I have started to notice it more. At the gym, for example, when someone is sitting on a machine and scrolling on their phone instead of working out, I will eventually ask, “How many more sets do you have?”
I have noticed that with some Gen Z people, being spoken to seems like an affront, and responding seems like a huge effort. The interaction that stands out most: I approached someone on a machine and asked how many sets they had left. She looked at me, clearly annoyed that I had entered her bubble, and after a pause, she just held up two fingers—meaning two sets—without saying a word.
It makes me wonder: is she simply that unused to verbal interaction because she prefers not to do it and rarely has to? Is this an emerging social trend?
Last updated May 3, 2025. These terms govern all In-Sight Publishing content—past, present, and future—and supersede any prior notices. In-Sight Publishing by Scott Douglas Jacobsen is licensed under a Creative Commons BY‑NC‑ND 4.0; © In-Sight Publishing by Scott Douglas Jacobsen 2012–Present. All trademarks, performances, databases & branding are owned by their rights holders; no use without permission. Unauthorized copying, modification, framing or public communication is prohibited. External links are not endorsed. Cookies & tracking require consent, and data processing complies with PIPEDA & GDPR; no data from children < 13 (COPPA). Content meets WCAG 2.1 AA under the Accessible Canada Act & is preserved in open archival formats with backups. Excerpts & links require full credit & hyperlink; limited quoting under fair-dealing & fair-use. All content is informational; no liability for errors or omissions: Feedback welcome, and verified errors corrected promptly. For permissions or DMCA notices, email: scott.jacobsen2025@gmail.com. Site use is governed by BC laws; content is “as‑is,” liability limited, users indemnify us; moral, performers’ & database sui generis rights reserved.
In-Sight Publishing 