Every group of friends needs its Karen; this divisive character often becomes the source of gossip, hostility, or simply plain old hatred between peers.
Karens can be easily recognized wherever you walk: in Kroger or at the Taj Mahal – Karens will always have their magnifying glasses ready to inspect everything and everyone. Here are five ways you can recognize a Karen: 1. She speaks loudly.
1. She’s loud
Everyone knows there’s always at least one Karen in every group who drives everyone else crazy for some reason or another. Be it her loud voice, unnecessarily aggressive tone or incessant chatter – she can quickly become irritating! Karens seem to get pleasure out of making other miserable and seem powerless to stop themselves; yet these annoying individuals can often be taken down a notch by giving them some taste of their own medicine; like when one decided to mess with a barista whose job was about to expire – which resulted in hilarious antics!
As Urban Dictionary notes, Karens tend to be white women with short bob-cut hairdos who possess an entitlement-driven sense. Karen is frequently found complaining about everything from weather forecasts and bank account balances to giving out candy during Halloween while then complaining that that holiday is being celebrated as the devil holiday; driving an SUV full of kids to soccer practice and then disputing referee calls over incorrect decisions can all define who Karens are.
Customer service employees encountering Karen should remain calm and attentive, listening carefully without becoming angry or emotional. Bionic team leader Dani Weller advises focusing on the facts of their argument while avoiding personal attacks as this will help ease tensions and keep customers from becoming emotionally involved in the discussion.
If you want to send Karen running, all it takes is one devilish phrase – “oK KaReN”. Even the fiercest monsters have been reduced to dust within moments by hearing this spell-binding spell!
2. She’s rude
Have you seen her on social media or been exposed to her delusional rantings? Meet Karen: one of the deadliest creatures on Earth whose deadly ways lie in their sense of entitlement and inability to follow basic rules. Typically middle-aged women with bob hairstyles, Karens often enjoy complaining while at the same time being rude toward everyone they come into contact with, especially service workers. Knowing how to identify Karens could save your life!
These women can often be seen on video overreacting and arguing with authority figures about things that really aren’t their problem, like harassing a young girl selling water or calling the police on someone for accidentally blocking their car. Their unreasonable behaviors make them especially dangerous in our current political climate where racist comments could do irreparable damage to others.
These women may simply be living out their fantasies of playing Scarlett O’Hara from Gone With The Wind. While their aim may be glamorous, rich and powerful, their actions may actually be self-destructive and dangerous for themselves and their family members, as emotions could easily turn into violence.
Avoiding Karen is best achieved by maintaining distance and not feeding into her irrational tendencies. Should an attack ensue, try to remember she’s not you and treat her with respect as this will ensure less likely attacks in future.
3. She’s entitled
Karen is an archetype of an “overly entitled” mom. These middle-aged white women love to complain and always demand to speak with a manager at retail stores and restaurants, often wearing blonde bobs or variations thereof, driving minivans around town and using their “white privilege” against those they perceive to be unfairly treated.
These women can be both annoying and dangerous. Their entitlement, closed-minded views and racist behaviors often contribute to discriminatory acts – making them unwelcome members of society in times of police brutality increases or division over issues like coronavirus. What we don’t need in such circumstances are entitled racists who get upset at every slight inconvenience.
According to a Bionic study, women named Karen are the most likely to complain. They tend to argue, yell and act rudely more than other women with the same names; additionally they report more cases of being discriminated against racially than other women with their names.
However, not all Karens are bad; some Karens may have legitimate grounds to be angry and should be allowed to express them freely. Unfortunately, most Karens don’t help anyone, and it is crucial that we can differentiate between true Karens and those being used as political tools or slurs; terms like Karen, Becky and Stacy have evolved into derogatory terms used against certain kinds of female behavior but should never be used against women who legitimately feel insulted by an injustice or inequity.
4. She’s racist
Karens are notoriously vicious social media trolls who prey on people of color on a regular basis, be it from their block, a restaurant they don’t care for, or stores that don’t stock pants of the right color – no one escapes their attention if a Karen decides they need someone or anything destroyed – including calling police and spreading delusional ranting online.
Initially, the term ‘Karen’ was coined to denote an offensive but humorous caricature of entitled white women who used their privilege without making concessions to get what they wanted without apology or making compromises. Since Black Lives Matter protests have begun however, its meaning has taken on much darker tones: It now symbolises systemic racism – especially amongst white women themselves.
According to a recent Buzzfeed feature, newer forms of Karen are being weaponized even more dangerously than before. According to their feature, Karen has now come to represent white people who use their privilege to harass or attack others; additionally, racist groups have co-opted the meme in order to demonize and silence those who disagree with their viewpoints.
Anti-vaxxer activism and White Feminist behavior often go hand-in-hand, as both are motivated by similar concerns: white people who feel threatened in some way that threatens their worldview and power.
Karen in its current incarnation can also often be seen as an unpredictable figure who seems out of control and incapable of reasoned discourse with her peers. She can only be stopped by a collective effort as she’s easily manipulated and often times responds irrationally in response to whatever situation arises – this can be seen at protests as well as online discussions where her off-topic comments quickly derail an otherwise meaningful exchange.
5. She’s irrational
Karens can become unreasonable when communicating with others, due to their sense of entitlement and needing their way. Karens often play the victim when they’re the aggressor; for instance, in one viral video featuring Karens demanding to see the manager over refusing to wear a COVID-19 mask at a grocery store; they claim this mask would expose private information such as banking data and purchases that should remain private.
Dealing with Karens can be challenging due to her seemingly irrational behavior. To successfully deal with Karens, it is crucial that you remain calm and explain the situation to her, even when it seems absurd or inappropriate. Keep in mind that Karen’s irrationality could be perceived as passive-aggressive behavior so it’s essential that you recognize her tactics without succumbing to them yourself.
Karen memes may be popular online, but it is essential to remember that these women can be extremely dangerous and should be taken seriously as serious threats to society. These individuals can be cruel and inhumane in their ways; often acting without conscience. Rugged, heartless (but not literally), malevolent people who will continue their nagging until they get what they want.
As both a business owner and consumer, it is crucial to recognize when you are dealing with Karens. By learning to recognize them quickly, you can avoid negative interactions and prevent her from getting into any legal trouble. Dani Weller from Bionic recommends staying calm when communicating with these types of Karens if there are problems;
