If you have ever spent any time on social media, chances are you’ve come across someone like Karen. Karens are people who have become disgruntled with life around them and exploit this to cause others stress and difficulty.
Not only can such behavior be difficult for those they affect, but it can be downright dangerous. If you find yourself in a situation in which Karen is acting out, here are a few steps you can take to avoid becoming her victim.
1. Don’t Respond
Karens are unpredictable individuals that should be approached with caution; knowing how to react when one approaches can save both parties involved from further unnecessary emotional turmoil. A Karen is a dangerous creature that thrives off anger and resentment.
Responding effectively to Karens is simple: just back away or distract them with your phone so they cannot act independently.
If necessary, seek backup. However, it’s wiser to avoid this person altogether as their behavior won’t change anytime soon.
Karens tend to become very angry and will do everything possible to provoke you; they may shout, gesticulate and throw their toys from their pram in your direction.
Behavior such as this is both annoying and potentially deadly – for instance, Central Park Karen recently called the police on someone who simply asked her to leash her dog – something which could easily have ended in both of their deaths.
Unfortunately, these individuals lack any compassion or understanding of another’s experience – this makes engaging with them unwise in the first place.
Not to say you should ignore their questions or complaints altogether; rather it simply indicates it might not be wise. Dealing with Karens can be both rude and unprofessional – two traits which can have detrimental repercussions for any business. Therefore it is always advisable to stay away from Karens altogether when dealing with them at work.
2. Don’t Argue
Arguing isn’t usually the best way to resolve differences, since it will only serve to extend them and make you appear foolish in the process. Debate can sometimes be useful; however, sometimes too much debate becomes overwhelming.
Avoiding an all-out fight requires simply standing back and allowing each side to express themselves freely and civilly. While this might not always be possible if you’re the aggressor, civility and patience may enable it.
Before beginning to converse with someone new, it’s always advisable to find common ground first. This will make the conversation much less tense while simultaneously helping build bridges between you and your opponent.
As always, it is wise to have an end goal in mind and stay clear on how you plan to reach it. Achieve this by setting clear intentions regarding what you would like to accomplish and the steps needed for reaching them.
Assertive decisions will protect you from making unwise choices and help ensure success in the future. A key element of this process is setting clear goals and sticking to them; though difficult initially, doing this will prove highly rewarding in the long run if accomplished successfully.
3. Don’t Mirror Their Behaviour
Karens are a special breed of people, known for their extreme dislike for authority figures, taxes and non-Americans – any group which doesn’t fit with their vision of how things should be.
Reluctant people can be very dangerous and unpredictable; it’s important to recognize when dealing with someone exhibiting an angry disposition. They have lost their way in society, which they perceive has failed them in some way.
Effectively navigating Karens requires not imitating their behavior. Ignore or distance yourself, but never descend to their level.
Communicate calmly, clearly and rationally but don’t argue or patronise them in any way – this will only antagonise them further and may lead to physical or verbal aggression from them.
As with any personality type, mirroring can be beneficial when used appropriately and can backfire if done excessively or with questionable intentions. Mirroring can be used organically as an invaluable social skill and may provide great benefits; but excess use can prove harmful.
Use of this technique on purpose can be very effective when your goal is to encourage positive social behaviors, like picking up dropped pens or encouraging children to express their feelings. Furthermore, this tactic can also be effective for persuasion or manipulation purposes provided you possess sufficient motive and intention.
Start practicing this skill by watching how other people mirror your interactions during low-pressure situations such as happy hours or idle chatter before meetings. Notice whether other people lean forward or back, take a sip from their drink, smile broadly or shift their body position as you do.
4. Don’t Back Down
Karen is a term used in internet culture to refer to middle-aged white women who take their privilege for granted and abuse it by demanding to speak to management, wearing specific hairstyles or being racist. Memes depicting Karen often depict her demanding to speak to manager while demanding they “speak with me”, wearing specific hair styles or acting racist.
Dane Cook popularised the term in 2005 during his comedy special and made light of how several groups of friends all had one friend named Karen who always caused trouble. Over time, its usage has spread virally through memes and viral videos.
No matter whether it is an occasional or chronic Karen, it is crucial not to back down from them when encountering poor customer service experiences. This holds especially true if the individual attempting to access services has had bad encounters themselves.
If customers are making complaints about your product or service, it’s best not to retreat but instead address their issues head on. Showing genuine care for their experience will go far toward helping you restore relationships with these customers and build them back up again.
Avoid confrontation with Karen by keeping records of all complaints that come your way; this will allow you to track their behaviour and ensure you do not repeat yourself in future interactions.
Many have questioned the use of Karen as a slang term and have proposed that it should be replaced with more appropriate terminology, such as Kyle. If you do choose to use Karen, be mindful that its usage remains highly misogynistic and often includes class prejudice within its vocabulary.
