Gen Z doesn't want to say 'hello' when answering the phone. I'm concerned. https://t.co/lbcYjjbZp1
Millennials may find the so-called 'Gen Z stare' irritating, but others say it's justified. https://t.co/fJumae0nBg
That blank look you're getting? It's called the 'Gen Z stare' https://t.co/hY2BrO8Vva
Americans are spending far less time at social gatherings than they did two decades ago, according to newly released figures from the American Time Use Survey. Between 2003 and 2024 the average time devoted to attending or hosting parties fell by 50% across all age groups, while the drop was a steep 70% among people aged 15 to 24. The survey shows that social events have become rare on the national calendar: in 2023 only 4.1% of respondents said they attended or hosted a party or ceremony on a typical weekend or holiday. The retreat from in-person celebrations mirrors wider declines in face-to-face interaction charted by the same dataset. Researchers link the trend to several overlapping forces, including increased screen time, dual-earner households that leave less bandwidth for planning gatherings, and changing attitudes toward alcohol. Separate federal data indicate that in 2024 fewer than half of high-school seniors had ever tried a drink, the lowest share since records began in 1975. While some analysts welcome the health benefits of reduced drinking, they warn that shrinking opportunities for casual social contact risk deepening the country’s already high levels of loneliness and anxiety.
