Our case analysis is themed on multicultural life. Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. In our case, I play the role of Linda, host of TV show Bridging the Gap. And I play the role of Alex, an American content creator. I play the role of Professor Chen, an expert in sociology and intercultural communication.

Let the show begin. Welcome to Bridge in a Gap, the show where we make sense of the world, one phenomenon at a time, to connect China with the world. I'm your host, Linda. Today, we're exploring a hot topic in the U.S., the Gen Z stare. Even publications like Forbes have covered it.

To help us better understand this viral phenomenon, we've invited two special guests. Professor Chen, an expert in sociology and intercultural communication. Welcome, Professor. It's a pleasure to be here, Linda. And Alex, a content creator whose videos on this topic have sparked heated discussion online. Welcome. Thanks for having me. So, Alex, you're a Gen Z-er, right? Could you tell us what exactly is this Gen Z stare?

Well, it's basically this vacant, unresponsive gaze. We use it when we don't want to respond right away, especially to unreasonable requests or to questions that just come off as stupid. So how does it work? Can you show us? Sure. Professor Chen, would you mind playing along? No problem. So you'll be a difficult customer in a cafe, and I'll be a Gen Z cashier. Here's your line.

Hi, how can I help you? Hi, I'd like an iced latte. Grande, double shot, decaf, non-fat, no sugar, with organic oat milk, whipped cream, and caramel drizzle on top. Right there! That's the stare! It makes me feel so uncomfortable. It's so intense. So it's pretty common in service settings, huh? Yeah, and it also happens in the workplace, too. You know how sometimes your boss's request can be a bit much?

But to some older managers, the stare may seem a little bit passive-aggressive. What do you think, Professor? You're right, Linda. According to a study by the U.S. firm Intelligent, 75% of American companies are not happy with their recent Gen Z hires. One of the reasons is that they find the Gen Zers hard to communicate with. So this stare creates communication barriers between generations.

But Alex, what is it trying to convey? Well, it depends. It can be, hell no, or seriously, or I can't believe this. So you see how it saves us from the mental load of figuring out how to politely say no, or pretending to be interested when we're actually not. It's like your generation's unique communication styles, right? But professor, how did it come into being?

Well, it stems from profound generational and cultural shifts. Alex's generation, the so-called Gen Z, are digital natives. Born and raised in the Internet age, they have been socialized in a digital environment characterized by what we call asynchronous communication, where immediate responses are not expected. Oh, I get it. So it's like when we're communicating online, especially text and email, we can take our time to process and respond at our own convenience.

Right And the Gen Zers have extended this digital communication pattern into their offline interaction The Gen Z stare is the case in point Yeah but the problem is that the older generation may mistake this as a sign of rudeness or even rebellion This is where misunderstanding arises between generations. So, Professor, do you consider it a form of rebellion?

In a way, yes. I would say it's a form of soft rebellion. Unlike traditional confrontational protests, it's a silent form of non-cooperation. What's particularly fascinating is that American Gen Z, who grew up in a typical low-contest culture that values directness, have paradoxically chosen this high-contest, non-verbal method, the steer, to express their stance. They are challenging the traditional communication norms.

This in itself is a subtle yet powerful act of rebellion. Speaking of rebellion, it seems to be a universal trait among young people. In China, our Gen Z, the post-millennials, also resist in their own way. Have you guys ever heard about their rectifying or reshaping the workplace? Yeah, I've read about it in my comment section. People say it's like the Chinese version of the stare.

So for example, when asked to work overtime, an American Gen Z-er might just stare at their bosses. But a Chinese Gen Zer would be like, according to Article 44 of the labor law, weekend overtime requires 200% pay or compensatory time off. Wow, they quote a labor law even better than HR. Professor, what's your take on it? Interestingly, China is traditionally a high contest culture, where indirectness, harmony, and reading between the lines are valued. Yet, the post-millennials are adopting an extremely low contest approach, quoting legal provisions to make their request explicit. It's a hard rebellion through hyper-clarity. So these two rebellions are different in forms, but trying to convey the same message, right? Definitely. The message is the old ways do not work anymore, and we're here

to rewrite the rules. We're not lazy, we're strategic. We're not rude, we're awakening. The old value of keep your head down and you'll be rewarded doesn't appeal to us anymore. Oh, there seems to be a shift in value, right? Yeah. So, Professor, how do you interpret this value shift from a sociological perspective? It's actually a textbook illustration of Engelhardt's post-materialism theory.

Older generation, especially those in China, grew up during periods of material scarcity. So they prioritize survival, material security, stability. These are typical materialist values. By contrast, the younger generation, raised in relative affluence, have shifted towards post-materialistic goals, self-expression, mental well-being, and authentic belonging. Definitely. This is why the younger generation refuse to sacrifice their own time and energy to suit others' needs.

Right. And apart from that, the older generation have reaped the benefit of rapid economic growth, so they feel confident that the collective success would guarantee personal advancement. In contrast, the younger generation are faced with the post-pandemic economic uncertainties, so they feel insecure about their future. They demand respect and immediate payback for their efforts. Wow, that makes so much sense.

And that actually creates a fascinating case of cultural reverse. Cultural reverse? Also known as cultural feedback, refers to the cultural transmission process from the younger generation to the older generation which especially prevails among those dramatically transitional society just like contemporary China The younger generation are challenging and reshaping the traditional work ethics introducing new values that the older generation may not agree with.

So, here comes the question, where do we go from here? How are we going to bridge this gap? It requires a leap from who is right towards what works, and that calls for cultural intelligence, CQ. Oh, CQ. I've heard about this term. Just like IQ and EQ, CQ is also crucial for people to survive and thrive in today's increasingly interconnected world. Right, and that refers to the ability to effectively understand, adapt, and work with people from different cultural backgrounds.

In our case, different generations are inherently people from different cultural backgrounds. So, for example, for American managers, it means stop taking the stair personally, but seeing it as feedback that can help them adjust their management styles. That's right. Gen Z can also try to be more inclusive by occasionally translating their intent for the older generations. For example, following the stair with an explanation like, I need a moment to think about it.

Totally. It's a two-way street. Exactly. When mutual understanding is achieved, a generational and cultural gap will be bridged, and that paves the way for cultural synergy. We stop seeing it as an either-or battle and start both a both-and ecosystem. Inspiring. Whether it's the silence there or rectifying the workplace, the rise of Gen Z is a signal that the future is here, a future that demands collaboration from both cultures and generations.

By leveraging cultural intelligence, we transform the generational friction and cultural differences from a source of conflict into the very engine of innovation. Let's empower our young people to shoulder their historical mission, to blend their digital native perspective with the wisdom of their predecessors, thus contribute to the great cause of national rejuvenation. That wraps up our show today. Thanks again for being here.

Bridgina Gap, I'm Linda. See you next time. See you.