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Yes, perhaps so. I can see how 50's might be a transitional time. But I've seen videos of 'Karens' who seem somewhat younger...like one I saw, a woman was having a fit over some Black kids swimming in the neighborhood pool. Never mind, the kids belonged to the neighborhood. That woman seemed to me, to be in her late 30's +/- a couple of years. And the lady who called the cops on the Black guy who asked her to put her dog on a leash, she seemed far younger than 50's to me.
But heck, I'm no expert on the subject. I DO think some of these people who act this way, DO have some racial bias. The lady and the dog...fear of the big scary black man. The lady who had a fit over a black family taking baby pictures on a pretty sidewalk, the lady who had a fit because black kids were swimming in the neighborhood pool...but then there are those who just like to push their supposed authority around. "I'd like to speak to the manager" types.
Please don’t misunderstand me. I am in no way condoning racism. All I’m trying to point out is that women of a certain age have a lot of their plates, and it can be completely overwhelming. Sometimes the pressure just builds up, and we lose it. I had a “karen” moment a couple of years ago when I blew my lid over something fairly minor involving my kid. I took it out on people who did not deserve it, and looking back I feel a great deal of shame over my behavior.
When I see women acting crazy now, I find myself thinking back on that day. I don’t think I’m a terrible person, but if someone knew me only through watching me throw that embarrassing adult temper tantrum, I’d understand why they might think I was. I’m just glad nobody had a cell phone pointing my direction because I’m sure the recording would have ended up online. What was going on with me? I have no idea. I just know that I was on a runaway train emotionally. It was definitely not one of my proudest moments.
I’m almost grateful for the social isolation of the pandemic. It’s keeping me out of trouble. My family, though, is taking it on the chin.
Last edited by abbottkd71; 08-27-2020 at 12:08 PM..
I’m a white woman in my 40’s ( I consider myself middle aged). My apartment overlooks a small public park and the lake. Last night at dusk, someone shot a gun off, five successive shots loud and clear gunfire. This is less than 50 yards from my apartment.
I called the police. Does this make me a “Karen”?
Well, according to some people it does. I don't think so, though. But I don't like the idea that someone can "never" get police involved, or else they're being a Karen or racist.
Please don’t misunderstand me. I am in no way condoning racism. All I’m trying to point out is that women of a certain age have a lot of their plates, and it can be completely overwhelming. Sometimes the pressure just builds up, and we lose it. I had a “karen” moment a couple of years ago when I blew my lid over something fairly minor involving my kid. I took it out on people who did not deserve it, and looking back I feel a great deal of shame over my behavior.
When I see women acting crazy now, I find myself thinking back on that day. I don’t think I’m a terrible person, but if someone knew me only through watching me throw that embarrassing adult temper tantrum, I’d understand why they might think I was. I’m just glad nobody had a cell phone pointing my direction because I’m sure the recording would have ended up online. What was going on with me? I have no idea. I just know that I was on a runaway train emotionally. It was definitely not one of my proudest moments.
I’m almost grateful for the social isolation of the pandemic. It’s keeping me out of trouble. My family, though, is taking it on the chin.
Hey, I caught some kids making fun of my son, and I told one of the boys that he shouldn't make fun of others seeing as his face was a walking volcano. I get it, we can ALL (men and women) have our moments where we're glad no one pointed a camera at us.
Lol, the term "Karen" goes back a number of years, it was a "can I speak to your manager" meme even, complete with the haircut.
It did not start as you said, maybe that is when you heard it, but the term goes back a ways, and has nothing to do with race except in your head.
Yes, I saw posts that characterized irate white women as “Karens.” No need to be insulting. I did not invent the term. The posts I have seen have been about race, absolutely.
Please don’t misunderstand me. I am in no way condoning racism. All I’m trying to point out is that women of a certain age have a lot of their plates, and it can be completely overwhelming. Sometimes the pressure just builds up, and we lose it. I had a “karen” moment a couple of years ago when I blew my lid over something fairly minor involving my kid. I took it out on people who did not deserve it, and looking back I feel a great deal of shame over my behavior.
When I see women acting crazy now, I find myself thinking back on that day. I don’t think I’m a terrible person, but if someone knew me only through watching me throw that embarrassing adult temper tantrum, I’d understand why they might think I was. I’m just glad nobody had a cell phone pointing my direction because I’m sure the recording would have ended up online. What was going on with me? I have no idea. I just know that I was on a runaway train emotionally. It was definitely not one of my proudest moments.
I’m almost grateful for the social isolation of the pandemic. It’s keeping me out of trouble. My family, though, is taking it on the chin.
As I mentioned in one of my previous posts, I’ve had my moments. But with phones that can record someone having a meltdown over a perceived minor offense, you would think these people who lose their minds would be able to control themselves. In my earliest posts, I also mentioned women who have lost their minds over masking up. My initial query was not solely about race. It was about grown women who lose their minds over small infringements on their entitlement. At least that is how I view their outbursts.
I hope this discussion continues, and that it generates more light than heat. I’ve gotten out if it what I need to.
If someone set up a lawn chair in your front yard and sat there all day, drinking beer and reading their cell phone, and you asked them to leave, and they didn't; then you called the cops on them. Would that make you a Karen?
I'm just curious.
Because I've had to ask people to get off my front yard before. I didn't know who they were and didn't want them on my private property. One time there was a woman smoking a cigarette on my front lawn, and flicking the ashes into my garden. I asked her to leave. I guess that makes me a Karen. But its' my house and my yard.
You are very nice. I would have just fired up the garden hose.
Someone just randomly set up camp in your front yard? People are weird. On a business trip maybe ten years ago, a woman sat down next to my husband while he was eating lunch on a restaurant patio. She grabbed food off his plate and then picked up his drink and took a sip while rambling incoherently at him. He still laughs about it today. Maybe a year ago, I was sitting on the patio of a coffee shop enjoying a drink and a danish when a man walked by with a dog. The dog lunged at the table and inhaled my danish while the dog owner looked on. He did not say a thing. Just kept walking. It was totally bizarre, but I don’t consider that “karen” behavior. I just think some people are not all there.
I am sorry, but I couldn't stop laughing. That is truly bizarre. Sorry about the danish, but at least you were left with a story to tell.
Alright, I didn’t read all 18 pages – but (for me) it’s not the extreme examples given here that are the norm…although they are newsworthy. A more typical example is this:
“Karen” comes into a busy upscale restaurant. She plows right past the hostess….and says to her friends, “This table looks good…” and sits down.
The hostess says, I’m sorry, ma’am, but did you have a reservation?
Karen: “No, but my husband’s attorney is friends with the owner’s wife, so I’m sure he won’t mind. Can you get me a gin and tonic?”
THAT is entitlement – and it is unrelated to “having a bad day” or age or race.
Countless more examples along those lines, unrelated to the emotions of COVID. As others have mentioned – it’s the age-old psychology of the “entitled” – no one ever tells them no, so why would they change?
Alright, I didn’t read all 18 pages – but (for me) it’s not the extreme examples given here that are the norm…although they are newsworthy. A more typical example is this:
“Karen” comes into a busy upscale restaurant. She plows right past the hostess….and says to her friends, “This table looks good…” and sits down.
The hostess says, I’m sorry, ma’am, but did you have a reservation?
Karen: “No, but my husband’s attorney is friends with the owner’s wife, so I’m sure he won’t mind. Can you get me a gin and tonic?”
THAT is entitlement – and it is unrelated to “having a bad day” or age or race.
Countless more examples along those lines, unrelated to the emotions of COVID. As others have mentioned – it’s the age-old psychology of the “entitled” – no one ever tells them no, so why would they change?
It’s weird that anyone would associate the kind of behavior outlined above with the name Karen, as it’s very much a working class name. Karen is usually a waitress or a kindergarten teacher or a shop girl not a socialite.
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