Episode 576
Morning 6-Pack - Get That Gen Z Stare
We're counting down six surefire ways to trigger the Gen Z stare — that delightful blank, no-smile, no-grunt look younger folks give instead of saying "sure." Psychologists say don't read too much into it — sometimes they're confused, anxious, or just processing — but yeah, it still feels like getting ghosted mid-request. I riff through six classic lines that'll earn you that stare, like lecturing about delivery vs. pickup, telling someone to get their own place, or claiming The Goonies beats Stranger Things. I keep it fast, sarcastic, and mostly just messing with generational awkwardness. I won't spoil the top spot here though — you're gonna want to hear the finale to catch the best eye-roll.
Transcript
It taste.
Speaker A:I may get in trouble for this.
Speaker A:Morning six pack.
Speaker A:Here we go.
Speaker A:Have you experienced the Gen Z stare yet?
Speaker A:The Gen Z stare, that's where you ask a younger, let's say, an employee a question, and you would expect some type of a verbal response.
Speaker A:And instead of sure or no problem or absolutely you get nothing, you just get a blank stare.
Speaker A:No smile, no nod, no reassuring noises, no grunts.
Speaker A:Apparently, this has become a workplace debate and some younger people are saying, we're not doing fake happiness anymore.
Speaker A:Gotta admit, I kind of respect that.
Speaker A:Actually.
Speaker A:Older generations perfected the art of saying, well, that sounds great, while we were internally thinking, I hate every person in this meeting.
Speaker A:But psychologists are saying that we cannot be reading too much into this Gen Z stare.
Speaker A:They say a blank stare could mean that they're confused, which is what I think most older folks assume.
Speaker A:Oh, they're just confused.
Speaker A:They don't know anything.
Speaker A:It could be that they're anxious or uncomfortable or that they're processing what you just said.
Speaker A:Although, if I ask, can you cover the phones for five minutes and you stare at me like I just asked you to, I don't know, identify a serial killer, I'm going to assume the answer is no, that you cannot cover the phone for five minutes.
Speaker A:I mean, at some point, communication does require communication.
Speaker A:And if you have no clue what I'm talking about with this whole Gen Z stare thing, let me give you six ways to experience it for yourself.
Speaker B:Best way to start your day.
Speaker B:These six jokes he's about to say, listen up for old headstack, crack open the morning six pack.
Speaker A:All right, these are the top six things that you can say to a Gen Z er to trigger the Gen Z stare.
Speaker A:Just.
Speaker A:Just find you a Gen Z er, say this to them, and they're just going to give you that blank stare like you're speaking another language.
Speaker A:All right, number six.
Speaker A:Food should be picked up, not delivered.
Speaker A:Number five, it's time to get a place of your own.
Speaker A:Number four, nobody cares what your pronouns are.
Speaker A:Number three.
Speaker A:You know, instead of scrolling, why not read a book?
Speaker A:Number two, the Goonies is better than Stranger Things.
Speaker A:And the number one thing you can say to strigger, to strigger to trigger the Gen Z stare.
Speaker A:Go outside.
Speaker A:What's that?
