drGrafenberg
2432
17
3
I’m starting to see this and I don’t know what it is.
Jul 22, 2025 5:15 PM
drGrafenberg
2432
17
3
I’m starting to see this and I don’t know what it is.
REOJackwagon
https://media1.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPWE1NzM3M2U1cjF2bW4ya24xcHM2azNxaGVtMHAwODBtdDYwcGl6YTBjNm9xcDlmeiZlcD12MV9naWZzX3NlYXJjaCZjdD1n/IJTCcELAbVgHK/200w.webp back in the 80, there was the care bear stare
salunatics
Pick your theory: https://www.parents.com/the-gen-z-stare-explained-11774246
drGrafenberg
Yeah, I never thought they were trying to act stupid.
TheMoonBnuuy
It's just the latest way for employers and old people to hate on younger generations by pretending it's something they didn't do themselves. Like that "really?" stare just about ANYBODY would do in their youth whenever an adult said something monumentally stupid, or the awkward silence then someone is socially overwhelmed, or any number of other silent expressions. All crunched into one, judgemental term.
IchtacaSebonhera
Everyone's exhausted now and boomers still demand everyone feels flattered for being talked down to by them.
SubiBryant
Ny friend doesn't get it. Can someone help him out?
drGrafenberg
As I understand, it’s when a young person blanks out instead of answering a question.
SubiBryant
Thanks. I guess I have yet to experience it.
IchtacaSebonhera
They expect you to get to the point and not fish for a flourish a greeting a skip a hop and a fart like most boomers demand for the grand grace of bestowing their mere presence upon a youngling.
drGrafenberg
Is this communication a problem?
ddubya42
It's the RBF that is so frequent nowadays. Some people think it's attractive.
drGrafenberg
In what way? What is an RBF?
anender
https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=rbf
drGrafenberg
Had forgotten about that one. But that has nothing to do with not being able to socially interact.
RedTwoX
Wife is a high school teacher and has encountered it. Seems to be a "socialization issue". The over-simplified, high level over view is: to much YouTube. Basically, they don't have the "normal" response to social greetings. You say "Hi" and expect them to say "Hi" back. However, they are expecting you to keep talking as if you were a YouTube presenter that they are listening to rather than interacting with.
FraudulentPepsi
I keep encountering examples of this, and I was actually just talking to a friend of mine about it this morning. I never thought about it this way. Oh, man, I hope that's not what's going on...
zerneus
This doesn't make sense to me tv preceeded youtube as the absent parents babysitter and we didnt see an epidemic of death stares from that. This sounds like another made up generation bs thing.
RedTwoX
We were not buried up to our eye balls in social media on top of having two, very formative years of school via zoom meetings. YouTube was an example rather an a definitive cause. It's several different bits stacked up. However, I'm neither a psychologist nor a sociologist.
drGrafenberg
TV back then wasn’t about pretending to interact with you. It was shows, not someone talking to you for hours on. So, I guess it’s a bit of both. Commercials (including anything with an influencer) should never be targeted towards kids.
drGrafenberg
“Too much YouTube” is maybe a tad simplified, but after some digging, it seems like it could have to do with a lack of different social interactions. Not sure and will not take poison.
RedTwoX
Hence my specifying "The over-simplified, high level over view is:" ;-)
drGrafenberg
Love it!