Recently, some individuals have been labeled as Karens for their arrogant and entitled behavior. These individuals frequently make outrageous requests and then display public outrage when their requests aren’t fulfilled.
Karens are typically middle-aged white women who act out out of a sense of entitlement or disempowerment. They often engage in hate speech and violence, often getting caught on camera.
1. A cashier in a grocery store
Karens are a group of middle-class white women who, while entitled and expecting special privileges or services, often turn on authority figures by using false victimhood as leverage. They use various tactics against service workers and even call the police if they feel their rights are being denied.
The term “Karen” originated in African-American communities as a way of denoting white women who enjoy privilege while simultaneously pretending not to realize it. Unfortunately, this stereotype has become widely denigrated and popularized throughout society.
Last week in the US, a woman wearing an asymmetrical haircut and white dress stood in a car park space that had been reserved for her and blocked anyone else from parking there. Her video went viral, prompting people to refer to her as Karen.
One of the biggest frustrations for supermarket cashiers is when customers make unreasonable requests. Customers will frequently request items that are impossible to locate – it’s an unfortunately common practice in grocery stores, but not always done politely and can lead to embarrassment for the employee.
Women tend to make these requests out of affluence more than men, often out of frustration at not having met an immediate need or situation. Unfortunately, these requests often lack substance and often lack any real need or situation behind them.
For instance, a customer might say something like this: “I’m having difficulty finding the most affordable condoms I can buy. Can you assist me?”
Though this can be a valid concern, it’s essential to address it properly and with respect. Not only will doing so help avoid any misunderstandings, but it could even save you money!
As a cashier, your job is to ensure your customers have an excellent experience when shopping at your store. Establishing good habits such as saying “Hello” when they come through the register or offering assistance if they spot something unusual can go a long way towards helping them feel at ease and trust you.
2. A woman in a restaurant
Karens are entitled white women, often mothers, who use their power and privilege to benefit from racist power structures while pretending they’re unaware of it. Karens often employ false victimhood as a weapon against authority figures by exaggerating or lying about their experiences and demanding to speak to managers or call the police if they believe higher-status workers have treated them inappropriately.
Karens are the victims of a Kafkaesque system that shows no compassion for humanity, only strict adherence to unimaginably overbearing rules that serve no purpose other than ensuring they get what they desire – whether it’s a flight mask or expensive piece of jewellery. In their quest for what they perceive as fairness and justice, Karens may inadvertently reduce humans to an intolerable level of insignificance and awe.
Restaurant businesses are increasingly facing an upswing in rude Karens. One recent instance involved a woman making an outrageous request in a California car park, only for her public outrage when her request wasn’t fulfilled.
Though the concept of a “Karen” may seem novel, they’re quite commonplace due to social media’s ability to spread awareness. The term has become something of a catch-all for internet videos of adults having tantrums in public.
Karens are white women who use their status and privilege to make a name for themselves or cause harm by calling the cops on protestors or anyone they perceive as lower-status. This type of entitlement can be traced back to slavery and Jim Crow era America.
Our cultural environment, where power and money are the only things that matter, encourages individuals to act entitled and use their position of strength to push others down or take advantage of their weaknesses. As a result, it becomes difficult for anyone to rise above this tyranny.
3. A woman in a bar
Recently, a woman made an unsettling request in a bar. She apparently asked the manager to speak with her about an issue with the service she was receiving.
Redditors report that Karen, believed to be the woman in question, experienced a public meltdown when her request wasn’t fulfilled. It remains unclear what had caused this upset but it’s evident she was clearly frustrated that she wasn’t receiving the space she desired.
Throughout the video, she can be heard making loud and obnoxious demands as well as shouting racist slurs. This scene was captured on video and has since gone viral.
In our modern Kafkaesque world of illogical bureaucracy, this type of behavior is almost inevitable. Franz Kafka’s novel The Trial vividly illustrates this social alienation experienced by individuals who find themselves helpless before incomprehensible institutions. They become frustrated with both inaccessibility from higher ups and indifference from lower ones.
Our society is experiencing an increasing level of discomfort due to this, so it’s no wonder why so many are turning to social media and video to vent their feelings.
Many white women seem to feel entitled to things that are not only unreasonable, but downright impossible. The term “Karen” has become a catch-all for these individuals: they believe they deserve certain luxuries and then act out when they don’t receive them.
Karen Cotter and Karen Ward are using social media to express their emotions and find common ground in an increasingly divided nation. Though their political opinions differ, the two remain close through Braver Angels – an organization that brings people together through compassion.
4. A woman in a store
Many of us have made requests that seemed impossible, but it’s important to be cautious when making such requests and having a clear plan in place. A common error is asking for something outside your scope of work; for instance, asking for one file file may seem straightforward enough until you factor in how many others need sorting, where they must go, and who will actually handle the hard work of moving them around.
Recently, a woman at a Winter Haven, Florida store made an unprecedented request that has since gone viral. Surveillance video captured her taking out a Barbie doll from her shopping cart and having an epic meltdown when her request wasn’t fulfilled.
Thankfully, this incident was captured on camera and the woman was eventually escorted away by police. The most important lesson to take away from this experience is making sure your most obvious requests aren’t the only ones on your list; and to apologize when miscalculating costs when asking for something. To do this successfully, set a budget and create an action plan within that budget that meets all requirements.
