Recently, “Karen” has come to be seen as an epithet for an intrusive white woman – the self-appointed hall monitor who takes no mercy when facing minor offenses or demands that management address them. Her lack of empathy often results in her summonsing authorities for minor matters with no consideration for anyone else involved, leading her to dismiss minor transgressions as insignificant and often imagined.
In recent years
Karen has become a symbol of white privilege and racism in recent years, appearing on cellphone videos railing against Black men in parks and Hispanic men in parking lots, demanding racial purity laws that largely do not exist.
Many have called for the banning of this word, but it’s difficult to enforce a ban on slang since its meaning changes over time.
At first sight, the term was used to denote either a cheapskater in need of discount or an annoying helicopterer. Unfortunately, it became a catchall term that perpetuated sexism and classism prevalent in American culture (see my blog post “Karen: An Overextended Slang”).
Recent years, however, the word has come to be associated with racist undertones. This has been made especially prevalent by the viral video featuring a woman showing off to a male driver and breaking into tears – now widely discussed online.
The term has gained notoriety thanks to an anonymous Reddit user named Fuck_You_Karen, who posted misogynist rants in 2017. These posts eventually made their way over to the subreddit r/FuckYouKaren where they quickly gained notoriety, becoming popular memes and t-shirt designs alike.
Even though it’s a popular slang word, “Karen” still carries racist connotations and can be offensive. Therefore, many women have been reluctant to use this term out of fear that their use might indicate racism or misogyny towards them.
Karens may be stereotypes, but that doesn’t make them unfeeling or without empathy. Some have even compared Karens to Lady Catherine de Bourgh from Jane Austen’s novels!
Karens can pose a threat to society because of their self-righteousness. They tend to make poor decisions that lead to failure, and their aggressive nature often causes significant harm, including to themselves and those around them.
It is imperative for people to speak up against these despicable individuals and attempt to rehabilitate them. Without intervention, their destructive ways will continue.
In the past
If you’ve watched Netflix’s Daredevil, Deborah Ann Woll as Karen Page may be familiar to you. This character has been around for a while in Marvel comics and her portrayal has been praised by many viewers.
She’s known for her nuanced performances, so it comes as no shock that this season’s hour-long episode dedicated to Karen’s past offers us a poignant look into her life before Matt Murdock.
Essentially, the show is giving us an inside look into how a young woman with no other options ends up as a murderous, psychopathic villain. It’s an effective way to bring viewers up to speed on the dark history of the series and gives us an understanding of just how deeply troubled Karen truly is.
However, this isn’t the only path she took — there is another more recent origin story that shows just how far Karen has fallen. Beyond her tragic start in the world, the show has also explored other issues that plague her.
It’s easy to speculate that her brother’s death might have played a role in shaping her psychopathic tendencies. Indeed, this episode even shows us a clipping from the newspaper article commemorating Kevin Paxton Page’s passing.
But the accident wasn’t just any random occurrence; it was Karen’s fault. And this has caused much resentment between them, leading to her father having difficulty trusting her to run their diner properly.
Karen harbors deep-seated resentment toward her brother for having died, as well as an immense chip on her shoulder that will never go away. To quote Karen: “I just can’t seem to let go.”
This has led to a very strained relationship with her father. He always blames her for what has happened, even when she knows this isn’t true. It’s an especially difficult issue for her father as the town sheriff; he can make her feel guilty even when she doesn’t believe there was any wrongdoing.
In the present
Karens are white women who feel entitled, often racist and determined to get what they want. We see them everywhere: anti-mask ranters at Starbucks and Target; “Central Park Karen” who calls the cops on Black men in the park; even President of the United States (whose name isn’t even hers!)!
Karens have been around for centuries. This week we’re delving into the roots of Karen as an archetype and what it means to be one in modern times.
Karens are a term coined by African-American communities to describe privileged white women who use racism to shield themselves and utilize their privilege against people of color. Generally, Karens are middle class white women who claim ignorance about their privilege while simultaneously using it to benefit from racist power structures.
Over the last several years, Karens have become both a type and symbol of casual racism and privilege in our culture. From police-callers to anti-mask ranters at Starbucks and Target, Karens have become emblematic of this growing cultural moment in which Americans are struggling with this uncomfortable truth.
Karens are typically distinguished by their lack of empathy. Many are so driven to achieve their own objectives that they don’t care if their children suffer as a result.
Teachers are frequently bewildered and hindered by the number of Karen parents in their schools who are so determined to ensure that their own children achieve success that they neglect other students’ needs. They insist on giving their own children special treatment or privileges that cannot be extended to all other students in the district.
Karen parents often resort to pearl-clutching, inflammatory arguments when faced with the possibility of their kids not receiving access to COVID-19 vaccine or being denied an education. Furthermore, they seem unconcerned about the health and safety of teachers and other school personnel who would need to keep schools open in order for their own children to receive adequate instruction.
In the future
People around the world often lack empathy. This means they struggle to comprehend others’ emotions or sense how others might feel. This could result in them acting rude or dismissive even after you express yours, and may even believe they can handle a situation better than you can.
These could be the result of personal experiences or circumstances, but more often cultural conditioning that has molded them over time. It’s important to remember that this condition can be passed on to a person’s children as well, who will carry it with them throughout life.
Karens often struggle to comprehend others and this could explain why they may find it difficult to empathise with you. They may not comprehend why you feel sad or frustrated, as well as having difficulty comprehending what is going on in your life.
Karens often work in service industry jobs, often dealing with vulnerable individuals such as nurses or receptionists. Their lack of empathy may make them difficult to work with and they may even exhibit rude or aggressive behaviors toward their staff members.
Karens in the US have been linked with people who refuse to wear masks when exposed to coronavirus. Video evidence has surfaced of this behavior, which has caused quite a stir in the media.
“Karen” is not a real person, but an umbrella term for white women who believe they have the power to do whatever they please – from grilling in the park to policering nonwhite behavior and demanding to speak with managers or higher authorities who can grant their wishes.
These women often possess a sense of entitlement which shapes much of their character. This anger towards people who differ from them can manifest in rudeness towards those whom they perceive as inferior, leading them to act out in such manner.
Older Karens tend to exhibit this behavior more often, as they typically lack workplace experience compared to younger Karens. This could explain why older Karens tend to perform worse on the job.
