But the “stare” dogpile is also a reflection of the social skills we value and how we learned to value them; concerns that go beyond eye contact and active listening. In examining our hangups and the backlash, it becomes clear that the Gen Z stare is actually as much about Zoomers as it is the people who are frustrated by them.

The social-media phenomenon has been growing online – part etiquette trend, part relationship aspiration, part fairytale. Is it empowering, a bit of fun, or something more sinister?

Some say the Gen Z stare signals poor communication and social skills. Psychologists and generational experts told BI that's not necessarily the case.

Karli Mayer, a 25-year-old dental hygiene student in Denver, Colorado, said she will unleash her “Gen Z stare” when something weird, unexpected, or a little “cringe” happens, or when she cannot hear exactly what was said.

For Nescafe, that means targeting the ballooning cold coffee market. Today, one-third (32%) of coffee consumed out-of-home is iced, according to company compiled estimates. For many younger consumers, namely Gen Z, it's often their first introduction to the ubiquitous drink.

It's because of instances like this that Shea, who describes herself as solidly left-wing, draws a hard line when it comes to dating and politics: If someone's on the far-right, she's not interested. If someone's moderate or center-right − in the vein of John McCain or Mitt Romney, she says − she might give them a chance.

Those days feel worlds away and yet Y2K has made a resounding comeback among younger generations. Whether it's fashion, movies, TV or music, many people from Generation Z (those born between 1997 and 2012) are returning to that era and making it au courant once again.

Dozens of conversations with members of Gen Z have convinced me that the most prominent aspect of their generational character is that they’re small-c conservative. This is frequently misunderstood as politically conservative (more on that in a second).