What is a „ Karen ?“

[john g. 30,919]

The other week on here on some thread or other, I kept reading about „ Karen „ and asked what that is. Someone - Jeffo or Alex or someone else? - pointed me along the path of wisdom!

 

I have now become even wiser- https://www.bbc.com/news/world-53588201

 

It‘s all in there!

 

So, along the lines of „ it‘s Friday evening „ and you are bored out of your brains, have you witnessed any Karen behaviour in your area lately? Are you a „ Karen“?

Am I a fascist, sexist pig for writing this thread?😂

I can take abuse this evening- I am in a good mood!😜

PS: what‘s the male equivalent of a „ Karen „ these days?

 

[knotheadusc 215]

“Karen”, “Becky”, “Susan”, and “Chad” are part of a stupid trend of using old fashioned names to perpetuate stereotypes.  It’s a habit that needs to die.  People need to go back to coming up with creative insults that don’t hijack an innocent person’s name.

 

And, for the record, my name is Jenny... but I am cranky and middle aged.

[El Jeffo 36,879]

Not all assholes are Karens, Beckys, Susans, or Chads, but an awful lot of them are.

 

Don't make me ask for your manager.

[dessa_dangerous 11,233]

2 hours ago, knotheadusc said:

“Karen”, “Becky”, “Susan”, and “Chad” are part of a stupid trend of using old fashioned names to perpetuate stereotypes.  It’s a habit that needs to die.

 

IMO the only one of those that is really offensive and needs to die is "Becky."  

 

Becky is a "basic" white girl, and she doesn't have to do anything apart from not be particularly cool or exotic in order to get made fun of.

 

The others have to do with behaviors (though I must admit I'm not really sure what a Susan is), so while Karen can be of any ethnic background--theoretically anyway--Becky's primary sin is being white, which I think is unfair.  Nobody says Becky is such a bitch, or Becky stole your man or called the cops while you were taking out the trash, they just think she's hilariously uncool.  That's mean.

[slammer 480]

29 minutes ago, dessa_dangerous said:

 

IMO the only one of those that is really offensive and needs to die is "Becky."  

 

Becky is a "basic" white girl, and she doesn't have to do anything apart from not be particularly cool or exotic in order to get made fun of.

 

The others have to do with behaviors (though I must admit I'm not really sure what a Susan is), so while Karen can be of any ethnic background--theoretically anyway--Becky's primary sin is being white, which I think is unfair.  Nobody says Becky is such a bitch, or Becky stole your man or called the cops while you were taking out the trash, they just think she's hilariously uncool.  That's mean.

Is Becky a Essex girl?

[john g. 30,919]

Apparently,  dessa , according to the article, Karen was the word used by African Americans to describe middle class white pain in the arse women. But I am not an expert! 
Just wondering what to call a German who collects gnomes in his garden and watches over them unless someone makes fun of them. Becky? Susan? Chan?

[dessa_dangerous 11,233]

I think Karen is probably usually imagined to be white, or may have been, originally.  But by this late date I think the most important thing about her is that she really, really wants to speak to the manager.  I have no idea where it came from but I think at this point her whiteness is far less central to her character than her pain-in-the-arseness.  

[dessa_dangerous 11,233]

11 minutes ago, slammer said:

Is Becky a Essex girl?

 

Having watched a couple seasons of TOWIE (don't judge me), I think, no, not really.  Becky's not necessarily tarty, tacky, or made of plastic.  She's just not cool.  

[john g. 30,919]

I won’t judge you, dessa! I can’t! I don’t know what TOWIE is!

[dessa_dangerous 11,233]

you're not missing much, believe me.

[emkay 8,661]

3 hours ago, john g. said:

PS: what‘s the male equivalent of a „ Karen „ these days?

 

I asked my daughter that question a few days ago...Kevin apparently, or, Simon. I know a few unpleasant Simons who fit the bill perfectly! No offence to nice Simons of course!

[GoldenJoe 6]

https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/karen

 

[dessa_dangerous 11,233]

1 hour ago, john g. said:

Just wondering what to call a German who collects gnomes in his garden and watches over them unless someone makes fun of them.

 

Fritz-Gunther

[LeonG 13,059]

1 hour ago, dessa_dangerous said:

I think Karen is probably usually imagined to be white, or may have been, originally.  But by this late date I think the most important thing about her is that she really, really wants to speak to the manager.  I have no idea where it came from but I think at this point her whiteness is far less central to her character than her pain-in-the-arseness.  

 

I don't know how it started but reddit is full of stories about Karen's who tend to be basically pain in the ass entitled women, usually asking to speak to the manager, wanting freebies, trying to get someone fired etc.

[katheliz 14,955]

'Karens' assume entitlement, although they have it not.
This is one reason why they're so pathetic. Don't waste your pity on them, though: they feel entitled to that, too, when their aggression is unsuccessful and they turn on their tears.
Yes, that does sound like a description of the man currently residing in the White House.

[maxie 312]

14 hours ago, john g. said:

 

PS: what‘s the male equivalent of a „ Karen „ these days?

 

I believe it's Kyle. Or maybe Kevin though I personally think Kevin's have suffered enough.  

 

 

11 hours ago, john g. said:

Just wondering what to call a German who collects gnomes in his garden and watches over them unless someone makes fun of them. Becky? Susan? Chan?

 

Heinz? Or maybe Horst? Not to be confused with Vollhorst! 

[alderhill 777]

 

The cliché Karen attributes are annoying, and those people regardless of their name deserve ridicule. But I think its use is slightly racist. Karen is meant to be a specifically white in the uses I've seen, like your average middle-aged entitled snotty (American) white woman. Lord knows they exist in droves...

 

But if someone said "Oh jeez, we had SUCH a LaTonda/Juanita/Rivkah/Kobayashi at work today, let me show you the video..." it would be (is) stupid and racist. 

 

I think (the right kind of) racial humour is actually a good tool for breaking the mystique of racism or racial/ethnic differences. I grew up in a multi-ethnic place with a multi-ethnic circle of friends, and was often the minority as a white guy. Racial banter was part of the scenery. Maybe not literally all the time, but it definitely wasn't taboo. None of it was serious or nasty, we understood that, we were also poking fun at the clichés, and self-mockery was very common. But obviously intent/atmosphere plays a role. That's why I think the Karen meme is unfair for mainstream meming. Mock the people, but leave "Karen" out of it. 

 

Maybe it's I also just that I know two very nice down-to-Earth Karens, so the name just really doesn't jibe with me as an insult.

 

10 hours ago, LeonG said:

I don't know how it started but reddit is full of stories about Karen's who tend to be basically pain in the ass entitled women, usually asking to speak to the manager, wanting freebies, trying to get someone fired etc.

 

I remember in the old days you'd just call such people a bitch, but that's less acceptable nowadays. 

 

[dessa_dangerous 11,233]

@alderhill I take your point, but it definitely delves into dangerous territory, namely, the question of whether you can be "racist" against white people in places where they are in the majority/are in possession of the majority of the power.

 

Which is a whole other can of worms I am not touching with someone else's keyboard.

[john g. 30,919]

If someone who is not white abuses a white person because of their colour and who just happens to be white and non-racist - of course it’s racist. 

[knotheadusc 215]

Yeah, I don’t like hijacking people’s names and turning them into insults.  I would rather call a snotty, entitled person an asshole.