It’s impossible not to feel sorry for those living next door to Karen who are rude, entitled or racist. However, that type of Karen is not the only kind out there.
No matter their skin color, they all share one trait: an urge to take out their frustration with others through irrational, racist anger. And they have a history of using that rage as leverage to maintain their white femininity.
1. A Redditor’s Fight with a Neighbor
One Redditor who lived next door to an especially rude neighbor decided that enough was enough. So she posted about their dispute on the community site in hopes that others could help her understand the situation and find a way to get him off her property.
Most of us would agree that having a neighbor who shows respect and consideration is preferable to one who is loud, obnoxious or just plain rude. Unfortunately, some neighbors seem born with an annoying trait – often it’s only a matter of time before you meet Karen!
Karen can be an irritant and demanding individual–sometimes bordering on stalking. They take advantage of others, expect certain privileges or special treatment, and become highly frustrated when their expectations aren’t fulfilled. As the name implies, this type of person tends to act entitledly and expect special treatment; when those expectations aren’t fulfilled they become angry and frustrated.
Social media has created a growing subculture of individuals who refer to someone as “Karen.” They can be men, women or both – from any background.
In 2017, a Redditor ranted about his ex-wife’s irritating behavior, sparking the phrase to gain widespread popularity as both a subreddit and meme. Initially, it was used to refer to women who were acting entitled and overly dramatic; however, as its usage spread, the term has since come to be used broadly to refer to anyone acting petty and aggressively irritated.
If you’ve ever found yourself in this predicament, dealing with Karen can be a real challenge. They may act out towards your family members, cause stress and make life seem chaotic – leaving you feeling like everything is on edge. But if you take these tips to heart, dealing with Karen won’t be nearly as bad.
If you possess the patience and strength to stand up to them, revenge can often be had. Fortunately, this task is not as challenging as one might think!
Many have shared stories about their own adventures with Karens. They’ve shared both humorous and touching moments.
Some of these stories have gone viral and garnered an abundance of likes, but others have not fared so well.
2. A Neighbor’s Story of Revenge
Karen has become a derogatory term that is frequently used to denote an arrogant white woman who takes advantage of her privilege to the extreme. She is often depicted as a tyrant who will do anything to maintain her status and power.
The concept behind this characterization is that Karen views herself as an exceptional individual who deserves special treatment; and when she doesn’t receive it, she takes out her frustration on someone else. It’s a common trope in films and television shows alike, but when you examine its roots you realize just how problematic this type of character can be.
Karens tend to be white women who possess an inflated sense of self that causes them to act out. This often stems from a lack of empathy for other people’s struggles.
Karens who find their voice and have control of their lives often cease acting this way – but that doesn’t guarantee a complete change. Whether through legal authority or their own initiative, Karens can still be dangerous and intolerant at times.
Take the case of a mother and son from Tennessee who attempted to intimidate Johnny Martinez into leaving while checking vehicle permits. After being confronted by both parties and asking for his identification card, police were eventually called in to intervene.
Similar to the upcoming Ozark series, Wendy Byrde experiences a crisis of control when she feels she’s losing her life. She yells at her neighbors before ultimately getting what she wants.
In 2020, a video of a white woman calling the police on an African American boy walking down the street went viral. She was later known as SoHo Karen and accused him of stealing her phone before shouting at him for being Black – she even tackled him to the ground!
Karens come in all shapes and sizes, but she typically adheres to racism. She will do whatever it takes to maintain her status and power; often using others – especially white men – to do as she wishes. The only way we can stop Karen from abusing her position is by standing up against it and demanding justice for those whom she oppresses.
3. A Neighbor’s Story of Love
Malik and Imani move into the suburbs, where they are warmly welcomed by Karen Drexler. However, this facade quickly crumbles as they come to realize she is bitter, jealous, resentful and biased – determined to destroy their relationship at any cost.
Karen and Dan have been happily married for 43 years on their acreage near Junction City, Illinois. Together, they have three children and ten grandchildren. When not at home in Junction City, Karen enjoys cooking, reading books, listening to music, watching Hallmark channels and gardening in small pots; when not away on vacations the couple loves spending time outdoors exploring nature with friends or family members.
They love God and show their devotion daily. They are kind to their parents, in-laws and extended family members alike. Avid fans of sports and the arts, they always encourage their children’s endeavors.
The couple loves to travel, especially to Hawaii, Boston and California. Additionally, they take pleasure in watching Hallmark and cooking shows as well as cheering on their Oregon Ducks during games.
Over the course of their lives, Karen and David have had many family members visit them and share in their joys and sorrows. A recent celebration included a video message from each grandchild showing their affection towards Karen.
These videos made headlines and even made television. But there are other stories about Karens which demonstrate not all of them are as bad as they’re made out to be.
A young Black couple moves into their neighborhood next door to Karen Drexler, a white woman. It is important that you avoid this person at all costs.
When the couple first arrived, Karen extended a warm welcome and provided them with her expert advice about moving to the area. She helped them with their mortgage, reconnected them to their bank, and introduced them to her friends and neighbors in the community.
At the same time, she serves as president of her homeowners association and proudly displays Neo-Confederate insignia. Furthermore, she uses her position to harass local Black people, even pointing her security camera in their direction.
Though this incident wasn’t as graphic as some of the others, it nonetheless serves as a warning that Karens can be dangerous. Regardless of their views on racism or not, they possess the power to decide where Black bodies belong and how they should be treated. This is an issue that doesn’t just occur – it needs to be addressed head-on.
4. A Neighbor’s Story of Hate
Have you ever encountered a viral video of an older white woman being unreasonable with her complaints? She has likely been labeled as the “Karen.” This character is known for being entitled yet self-serving; often going to great lengths to protect both her privileged status and children from any potential challenges that life throws at them.
This type of behavior is nothing new, yet it has become particularly widespread in recent years. It echoes a long history of white women venting repressed anger against their Black counterparts onto the world at large.
One incident occurred when a white woman in Phoenix called a Native American man “to go back to Mexico” when he attempted to enter her convenience store. Although his husband said it was just an innocent misunderstanding, some still found this phrase offensive and racist.
Another recent instance involved a woman in Detroit who would not let a Black mother leave the supermarket because her son stepped on a shelf to reach for a Gatorade bottle. Shaneeka Montgomery-Strickland, the mother, told Fox2Detro that she felt victimized by racism and wanted to share her story with the public.
Many Karens tend to act out when feeling overwhelmed. This is because they tend to focus on the negative, which may lead them to believe that they have no control over their lives.
Karen often exhibits a lack of empathy towards other people, which can be particularly dangerous as it encourages her to assume the role of victim and assign blame for her problems to others.
She may then attempt to respond by taking out her frustrations on those she believes deserve it, particularly in areas where racial discrimination is widespread, such as the South.
Karen’s suppressed anger is a formidable force that is hard to ignore, often depicted as an oppressive dictator who manipulates others into following her wishes. Fortunately, with patience and understanding, anyone can overcome Karen’s influence.
Hopefully, you can learn to overcome your fears and stop being so quick to judge others. Everyone makes mistakes and wrongs from time to time; all it takes is being patient enough to seek out those with different perspectives than yourself and learning from their experiences.
