Have you seen viral videos featuring Karens spitting, cursing or shooting people in public? Several websites such as subreddit r/F—YouKaren and Urban Dictionary have emerged to address this phenomenon.
Karen is a white woman known for acting out and becoming angry quickly in public settings. Known for her explosive displays of anger and aggressive requests to speak to managers, Karen often resorts to violent actions when she gets upset or angry.
1. Exercise
When feeling frustrated or angry, exercise can be an excellent way to release pent-up emotions and calm your heart rate. While exercise can provide great stress relief, beware that your workout doesn’t become too strenuous or cause injuries – something more relaxing such as yoga may help.
Researchers from the University of Georgia studied the impact of a 30-minute bike ride on participants’ angry moods, using EEG headsets and psychological questionnaires as measures of brain activity and psychological questionnaire responses as data points. Following their bike ride, volunteers were presented with pictures designed to provoke them further; then afterward their brain activity and questionnaire responses indicated their angry disposition had subsided; after viewing those pictures again, however, participants less often found them aggravating than before.
Though the angry Karen meme has taken on racial overtones in this pandemic context, it still provides a powerful means of calling out racial privilege and everyday situational racism. For instance, using it to frame white middle-class women who complain about customer service experiences as entitled is particularly helpful when trying to call out situations of situational racism; similarly, those spreading coronavirus disinformation online have been called out as angry Karens because their attempts at spreading disinformation ignore its disproportionate effects on minority communities.
At the same time, however, Karen serves as a useful symbol to highlight how whiteness overlaps with both “woke” and recidivist forms at a time of dual crises in public health and racial social justice. Both admonishing of racially privileged whiners as well as dismissal of angry black women as unreasonable can be seen as forms of racial control.
2. Listen to Music
Karen can sometimes become angry and want to lash out, but music can help her relax by relieving stress levels and soothing both mind and body. Therefore, listening to music should always be part of any angry Karen’s routine.
Anger Karens are known to make threats and act out violently towards others who they perceive have wronged them or do not share their viewpoints.
This meme has become an internet phenomenon, depicting Karens as entitled white women who abuse their privilege to act out against people of color and other minority groups. Beyond racial social justice concerns, Karen stereotypes often collide with gender ideologies which view women as emotionally volatile – creating an ironic dynamic where female expression of anger is seen as “Karen-ing”, while their male counterparts are seen as’men of action”.
Central Park Karen was recently seen making threats and quickly placing blame for her actions on others in a viral video that quickly went viral. This woman epitomizes exactly the type of Karen who makes threats without taking accountability for her own actions.
Karens also tend to believe their time is more precious than anyone else’s, often being in a rush and not showing patience with those taking longer or not getting things right. Furthermore, when things do not go their way they often complain or demand they speak with the manager directly.
No doubt many Karens are baby boomers having difficulty adapting to modern culture and social trends, leading them to remain stuck in the past and close-minded. Therefore, it is imperative that they try and open their minds up to new perspectives.
3. Spend Time with Friends
No matter if it be art, gardening, or cooking; spending time with people who share similar hobbies can provide a healthy emotional outlet and reduce stress levels. Hobbies also allow us to discover our interests, learn new skills and expand social circles. Furthermore, having something enjoyable that lifts mood can boost self-esteem as well.
In some ways, the Karen meme is an accurate reflection of American racism and entitlement; white women can sometimes feel both oppressed and victimized simultaneously. Yet others find it offensive and derogatory due to its emphasis on white female anger that seems very similar to racism.
Matt Schimkowitz from Know Your Meme believes that the Karen archetype may have its origins in a Dane Cook routine that was broadcast in 2005. Since then, however, it has taken on a life of its own as a catchall term for white women who feel entitled and act irrationally in public settings. With coronavirus being prevalent today, Karens are particularly prevalent as many use this as an opportunity to police their neighbors or take out against people they perceive to disagree with them.
“Karens” often appear angry at men, black people and anyone they perceive to be different from themselves; yet some experts speculate there could be another motivation at play here: feelings of insecurity and lack of control can drive these reactions; to cope with these insecurities “Karens” often turn anger into rage against those around them and blame others for their difficulties.
4. Read a Book
Karens are people who thrive on drama and confrontation. They know exactly how to get under your skin and stir things up, which is why it’s critical that when encountering one you remain calm. This is especially important if you own a business; Karens may threaten with negative reviews if their demands are not met immediately.
To address Karens, businesses are striving to be more transparent with their policies and customer service practices. For instance, some are informing their customers which items cannot be customized as vegan or gluten-free meals in advance, in order to prevent unpleasant encounters between staff who don’t know how to deal with these requests and customers who expect service without knowing which menu items can’t meet those specifications.
Additionally, companies are taking steps to address the root causes of Karen behavior. A UK-based business comparison site recently unveiled a “Karen Index,” ranking countries and states where there are the highest concentrations of Karens; according to it, you’re most likely to encounter one in Britain followed by Canada and then America.
No matter what tactics you employ to reduce encounters with Karen, it is imperative that you act swiftly to end any dialogue and ensure it ends quickly. Doing this will prevent her from wearing down with her constant demands and damaging your reputation. If necessary, simply request to speak to a manager directly, send Karen off, or speak with someone about managing anger issues instead. Furthermore, therapy or counseling could help.
5. Take a Walk
Social media users will likely come across the meme known as Karen at some point. This term for an annoying, difficult or offensive white woman has become popular as an attack against middle-class women who behave in entitled or narrow fashion; some Karens serve as stand-ins for larger groups while others become their own memes, with videos showing them acting rudely or making racist remarks quickly going viral online.
Karen has become increasingly prominent since her rise, in part, by subverting a stereotype often reserved for men who feel they’re losing status and privilege in an ever-evolving economy. Karen represents insecure white individuals who feel they’ve lost access to what Nelson D. Schwartz (2020) refers to as the’velocity of decline’ among middle class segments.
No matter the source of their anger, Karens often believe they have been treated unfairly and feel that acting out will bring karmic justice – leading them to react emotionally even at seemingly harmless triggers. As a result, they can sometimes overreact when even minor events take place.
If you find yourself in this kind of tense situation, one way to ease tension and restore perspective is taking a walk outside in the fresh air. Additionally, reading up on human rights issues or social changes being achieved worldwide may inspire you to think about how best you can contribute rather than dwelling on others’ actions or angering against them.
