Many have shared stories of rude, entitled and racist Karens at airports, dog parks and even schools.
The common thread throughout these stories is Karens’ belief that they are superior to everyone else and possess more rights than anyone else. Unfortunately, this can lead to problems when they lack facts or reason to back up their claims.
Rude
Karen has become the Internet’s go-to term for rude, entitled and demanding white middle aged women. Usually with a bob haircut who requests to speak to the manager and who appears drunk or high on drugs.
Though this trend is nothing new, it appears to have taken an unfortunate turn. Karen’s Diner in Atlanta has been labeled as a “deliberately unpleasant dining experience”, where staff members are instructed to be rude and insult customers throughout their meal. According to reports, this chain of theme restaurants draws customers with its slogan: “Great burgers and rude service.”
Influencer Cherry Hart recently visited Karen’s Diner in Brisbane and recorded a waitress saying she looked ‘bulimic’. Posting the video to social media sparked outrage with people claiming the employee went too far with her comments.
Daily Mail Australia reported this was the fourth time a woman had been treated abusively at the restaurant, prompting social media users to voice their opinions against it and even created a YouTube channel dedicated to documenting this troubling trend.
In one video, a woman identified herself as “Karen” while screaming at a customer and demanding they refund their purchase. She also ordered them to stop “flinging her hair” and labeled herself an “incredibly rude person.” Eventually, the woman threatened to call her an “expletive.”
The term “Karen” is actually a Danish form of Katherine, with a Greek origin. Unfortunately, it’s often mistaken for the neediness-oriented word Karen – as Vox editor Karen Turner pointed out. As such, it has become popular in certain contexts due to its similarity to phrases such as “the group’s Karen,” meaning an outlier like the antisocial Karen from Nintendo memes or the ditzy Karen from Mean Girls.
It has also been used to describe someone with a negative attitude, such as the “Karen” in True Detective on Netflix. This usage of the name is understandable given that it carries with it associations of neediness and entitlement in the world.
Entitled
If you’ve ever encountered an entitled Karen, then you know what a hassle it can be. They tend to be rude, unreasonable and just plain irritating. Thankfully, there are plenty of stories about Karen encounters that will give you a laugh and make you smile.
One of the telltale signs that you’re dealing with an entitled Karen is when they try to take down others, even if it makes everyone around them uncomfortable. It’s something they do to achieve their objectives so it’s understandable that these individuals will use any means necessary to ensure success.
This post depicts Karen insulting people who vaccinate their children against potentially fatal illnesses, calling them “crotch goblins” and “womb fruits.” While it may appear to be an innocent statement, the insult has the potential to offend.
Another indication of a Karen is their unwillingness to follow rules or policies they’ve been given. You may notice this behavior at restaurants, on social media platforms and elsewhere in public settings.
Sometimes, it’s only a matter of time before you run into an entitled Karen. These individuals tend to come up with some truly awful ideas and make life for others in their community quite challenging.
Though some of these stories may seem silly, they serve as a timely reminder that there are some truly bad people in the world. It is ultimately up to you how you choose to handle these individuals.
Thankfully, there are plenty of resources to help you manage these individuals. The internet is full of articles and advice on how to handle an entitled Karen so that you will be prepared when they appear next in your life.
Some people have even created fictional Karen characters that take a completely different route than the original character. YouTuber Rachel (CrinkleLuvinASMR) has an immensely popular series of satirical suburban moms videos featuring a character named “Karen”.
She often complains about things that aren’t hers, whether they come from other people or the government. Additionally, she has an unhealthy obsession with cats and often puts them in awkward situations.
Racist
Stories About Karen Encounters are a common topic on social media: a white woman calling the cops on a Black child selling water; another woman pounced on Black people while exercising in public parks; another female Karen refusing to leave a gas station, shop, restaurant or office until she gets what she wants.
The internet is full of racially charged videos, but those who see them are the fortunate few who capture and post them. While some, like Amy Cooper, have made their encounters a topic for national public discussion, others have remained hidden for years.
These incidents often stem from physical or mental stress, with the individual involved often trying to justify their behavior as a response to anxiety or fear. But this is not always the case.
These women, who often feel inadequate and helpless, are driven by an intense fear of non-white people. They use that fear as a basis to socially police and punish those of color.
These women aren’t just acting out of anger and insecurity – they’re using their racism as a way to maintain white privilege, according to Richard Ropp, director of research at Harvard Crimson. These actions don’t exactly make for happy celebrations.
But, according to him, the key to breaking this cycle is altering how we discuss these incidents. He suggests that instead of labeling them “racist,” we should look at them as instances where social norms aren’t working for all people.
Ropp emphasizes the need for serious reflection on this matter, yet cautions that real change on a large scale will be difficult to achieve.
That is why it is critical to take an honest and hard look at our own behavior when we feel tempted to act in Karen-like ways. Then, with hard work and time, we can work towards altering those ingrained social norms; but this process can be a long and arduous one.
Unnecessary Drama
Karens can be incredibly challenging to deal with due to their unpredictable nature. When they feel powerless over their lives, Karens often lash out in ways that don’t make sense because they feel resentful towards the world for not fulfilling their needs.
Karens can act irrationally, leading to unnecessary drama both at work and home. They may look down on service employees, request to speak to a manager when unsure, make unreasonable demands, and act in an unprofessional manner.
Karen’s trademark behavior is her need to speak with a manager when she feels her needs aren’t being addressed. This stems from Karen’s overinflated sense of self-importance, which leads her to believe that she knows better than everyone else.
Karen’s anti-mask attitude is another prominent example. She will yell and throw tantrums in public places when she feels her rights are being infringed upon.
Social media and video games often encourage this type of behavior; for some individuals it’s an outlet to express themselves creatively.
If you ever come across a rude Karen, the best course of action is to ignore them and move on with your life. Eventually, they’ll fade away and you can focus on more pressing matters.
When dealing with Karens, it’s wise to keep your voice calm and unemotional. Doing this will help avoid any potential triggers for them and leaving you feeling patronised.
Karen can become quite angry and start shouting, which is never a wise move. Doing so only serves to further aggravate them by showing that you are reacting to their behaviour and may further erode your relationship with them.
To avoid this outcome, it’s essential to remember that Karen has experienced a lot in life and is now deeply distressed. To prevent further harm from coming their way, it would be beneficial for them to address this issue quickly before it escalates out of control.
