We went too hard on Karens, amirite?

Nah, I think most people would agree only the first type counts as a Karen.

by Anonymous 2 days ago

That's exactly my point - they're not. But it's very easy for the people behaving badly to label the person calling them out as a "Karen", which just shows how warped the term can be.

by Acceptable-Fruit-948 2 days ago

The "Karen" meme is a psyop to ease us through decline by making it a moral transgression for the bulk of middle class consumers (ie White Women) to demand high standards of service, as all corporate and public customer-facing operations look and act increasingly like the DMV.

by West-Independence744 2 days ago

Nailed it!

by Anonymous 2 days ago

I think you make a good point. I used to be a useful Karen and gave it up when Karen's became a thing to make fun of

by MasterFox 2 days ago

I'm back in my Karen era. Note that I'm black af*, but sometimes a little Karen is needed. I went to BWW this weekend and the service was absolutely horrendous. I had to break out the Karen if we wanted any chance of getting our food. *I do not endorse racist Karens, which is where the meme originated.

by Daijaparker 2 days ago

It's also got slightly misogynistic undertones - at its worst, any woman that speaks out against antisocial behavior gets labeled a Karen, especially when they're middle-aged

by ytoy 2 days ago

Lol "slightly." Any woman who speaks up is a Karen now.

by SufficientMajor 2 days ago

I say this as a youngish male the idea that it's only "slightly misogynistic" is wide of the mark. To a certain type of young male ANY attempt to tell them what to do by an older woman will result in being called a 'Karen' or 'this bitch keeps trying to tell me what to do'

by Anonymous 2 days ago

It's like the label is being used to shut women down. Mind you, it's entire possible to speak up without having a meltdown down.

by Anonymous 2 days ago

Exactly. These are women who probably did not receive the tools or the affection that they should have growing up, and so they view the world as hostile and untrustworthy. They are navigating with a tremendous amount of pain.

by Anonymous 2 days ago

Went out with a friend and her cousin...the cousin was served raw chicken...I just assumed she'd call the waiter over. She said she didn't want to be a 'Karen' and just sat there...fully intending to throw $40 away and go hungry. I called the waiter over. Her meal was replaced.

by Wayne91 2 days ago

It's misogynistic. I never call someone a Karen unless it's their actual name.

by Total_Ad3673 2 days ago

Karen is to women what stoner is too someone who smokes weed.

by Anonymous 2 days ago

Analogies, how do they work?

by ParamedicNew8214 2 days ago

I am extremely grateful that women like you are willing to continue to act this way. Thank you.

by Anonymous 2 days ago

It wasn't "annoying people" and it wasn't extended to "literally everyone". It was annoying women and it is now all women.

by Schadenmolly 2 days ago

As someone who had the BIGGEST crush on Karen from Harvest Moon as a kid, people hating the name Karen kills me a little...

by damorebonnie 2 days ago

The issue is people overusing the Karen label. Every negative designation will eventually become an overused insult that is applied to cases that are adjacent to the original intended target category, but that speaks more to people not understanding the proper use-case for words than it does to anything else.

by Anonymous 2 days ago

Yes. Exactly. I was called a Karen for leaving a store after being spoken to condescendingly. I didn't make an argument. I didn't shout or wag my finger. I simply put my items down, said thank you in a decisive way and left.

by MeanManufacturer8022 2 days ago

Notice how we don't have a name for men who act like entitled brats.

by Anonymous 2 days ago

I think it's "Darren"

by Hoytroberts 2 days ago

ken

by Better_Ad_4969 2 days ago

Chads

by Anonymous 2 days ago

I give you points for trying, but I guarantee everyone has their own name for an entitled man. But I've never heard of calling a man a "Chad" as derogatory.

by Anonymous 2 days ago

I don't know where you're from, but in the US, that's the name that leads the pack as far as describing a male Karen. This isn't me trying to make Chad happen, it's pretty common here

by Anonymous 2 days ago

Chad now means a cool dude in the US.

by Anonymous 2 days ago

I'm a Necessary Karen. But the stewardesses should've intervened.

by Anonymous 2 days ago

It isn't being a Karen to ask to talk to the manager when you see you got overcharged for an item. It is being a Karen to ask for the manager because the cashier doesn't want to honor your expired coupon.

by Delicious-Spring 1 day ago

People get obsessed with terms, that's when you realize it's your sentiment for others that determines whether or not you're a bad person. I think the thing that annoys me the most about the term is it's not even that condescending and everyone wants to use it to describe any potential situation. Eventually, when I hear people use certain terms to describe people or things they don't like, it tells me more about them than it does what they don't like. When people are quick to put down others…

by Far_Accident 1 day ago

It's about irrational aggressive behaviour. You can be firm and takes seriously without a meltdown or tantrum

by TwoKey 1 day ago

AFAIK, this is an unpopular opinion. Misguidedly so, I think, because yes, Karens and various other everyday common sense conservatives and etiquette policers do have an important role in society.

by Individual-Order 1 day ago

I'd agree with you if I didn't live in Greenwich, Connecticut.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

Sure they would

by ActuatorSufficient 1 day ago

This is unpopular.

by eviehaag 1 day ago

Thesis - Antithesis - Synthesis I hope

by ActuatorSufficient 1 day ago

I'll do it don't worry

by huelclovis 1 day ago

I'm just mad that we took a lovely name and totally ruined it for everyone who is actually named Karen. (Yes it's personal as I have 3 Karens in my life who are nothing like the stereotype)

by lulaheller 1 day ago

"maintain order" lmao. Definitely a Karen.

by Pacochagerda 1 day ago

Karen's are the opposite of order They thrive in disorder. This is why the Manager needs to get involved because managers are the arbiter of order.

by Harberfavian 1 day ago

I think you don't know what a Karen is

by Aggravating_Mango166 1 day ago

I don't think Karens care that you call them Karens, be as hard as you want on them.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

Well no because you can be normal and speak up. People have been doing that

by AggressivePound 1 day ago

Ok Karen

by Anonymous 1 day ago

Nah I'm good. Just about every time all that did was escalate a situation from annoying to "OMFG are they stabbing each other?"

by Eastern-Lime-9205 1 day ago

no, its not and these same karens who love order ...except when it comes to themselves and have mental gymnastics to justify exceptions for themselves its one set of rules for them and another set for anyone else its a branch of white privilege

by Beneficial_Date 1 day ago

Everybody should mind their own business unless they are prepared for a confrontation. Choose your battles. People are unpredictable.

by Weekly-Turnover 1 day ago