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I think you lose your argument when you define cersi as a Karen. Karens are self intituled, Cersi isn't self entitled she very entitled by her society. You wouldn't call Queen Elizabeth self entitled because she's the queen. Karen's have that power because of the whiteness but because they're women there's a level of disempowerment that they have to face. Regular white women. That's the mystique around Karen's. They try to use the little bit of power they have and make it seem bigger than it really is. But cersei just like Queen Elizabeth has power, that even power that goes beyond most her male counterparts. Plus you're making assumptions about white women in our world and juxtaposing it on cersei who doesn't exist in our contemporary world. How Karen's got their name well at least they're contemporary name was through their engagements with people of color. Yes cersei calls the dothraki barbarians. But you can't juxtaposition her power with that of a white women in our world. Whiteness doesn't exist in the world the game of thrones, well at least officially. The history of slavery has established the notion of the Karen. This disempowered white woman during a time of slavery who was just a step above the slaves that she was in control of but outside that had no power. There's no reference to slavery in the way that we experience in our world therefore it's hard to give cersei that Karen gnome de plume.
Dolores Umbridge in Harry Potter in the book acts more like a dictator I say the Dolores Umbridge of the book also when there was proof that Voldemort returned. she was in the seventh book happily following the rules set by Voldemort and sentencing muggle-borns. I like it that in the book Dumbledore's office actually seals itself up so Dolores Umbridge couldn't use it when she became the temporary Headmaster
Karens use their whiteness, or their power against socioeconomic disadvantage people/people of color, who are based on our capitalist system, religated to positions of lower income as a permanent under class. Cersi kills white people who are of her class(lady olena).
Finally you're assuming that Karen's exist beyond their interaction with people of color. Karen's only exist because people of color gave them that name therefore this discourse on who Karen's are should only be focused on their interactions with people of color. Yeah it sucks when Wendy talks down on some poor unassuming white guy who she's higher in socioeconomic status, but Karen's only exist because people color have called in that. Karen's talked down on people color regardless of this so economic status so I could be a rich black person and still have a Karen talk down on me but a Karen's not going to talk down on a rich white man because of the racial dynamic. I think you need to focus your videos a little bit more.
Actually Jamie is younger twin. It was stated clearly, and that is why everyone finds Cercei hating Tyrion hilarious as most know Jamie is probably more likely to kill her. Though at the end they both got killed by bricks so the prophecy is useless I suppose.
@@martijnprinzen7124 are you sure about that. How about when she tried to get her brother killed from blind rage of her oppressive sons death. Or how she placed the high septum in charge just so that she can get vengeance against her other sons wife and when it backfired on her, how she victimized herself. Many more examples
“...the sad irony is she works hard to prop up a system that doesn’t serve her well.” How do you two consistently have such even handed, nonjudgmental insights on social issues?! Goddamn, you knocked it out the park with this video...AGAIN!
I kind of disagreed with that. The system provides them with privilege. That’s the reason that they’re enforcing it. While the patriarchy harms them, they benefit from being victims
@@hartjefferson5461 I agree and disagree. Privilege is such a balancing act that it can tip the minute you come into contact with someone who has more or less privilege than you. Karen is usually white and has that privilege but while being a woman harms her a bit when it comes to dealing with men, she weaponizes her class status and race as a double whammy to get what she wants. It's why racism is a common trait with her. She will actively seek out those she sees as beneath her so as to keep her privilege up. It's why she's often seen threatening black people with the police knowing that could be a death sentence or harrassing people in customer service whose livelihood depends on being nice to her. There's a saying in my country, "Monkey know what tree to climb." Karens embody that. They will never go toe to toe with men unless her privilege trump's theirs (usually with race or class but sometimes sexual orientation or being able bodied as well).
Yes, there was also the Karen (Fannie Taylor) who got the Rosewood Massacre started. Similar in To Kill a Mockingbird, she lied on a black man (assault!).
WOAH WOAH WOAH!!! Let me get this perfectly straight: You comment something that is completely unrelated to the fact that I have two HAZARDOUSLY HOT girlfriends? Considering that I am the unprettiest TH-camr worldwide, it is really incredible. Yet you did not mention it at all. I am VERY disappointed, dear ejdn
This is the dumbest video I've ever seen... A "Karen" is the personification of a social justice warrior... a snow flake. Highly triggered at any moment... It has never been about racism, or vaccines... Nice try on the re-branding strategy though...Lol
@@A-No-One huh? I dunno why you calling me a simp for showing sympathy for women named Karen at birth. Gender aside you need to be good to people over all. Kindness doesn't mean you've been whipped. And some men call other men simp because if simps get the honey the ones at war with women have to swallow their pride.
I feel like the Karen trope is the matured Mean Girl, or Queen Bee. In the very least, she is the aging woman who wishes she was a Queen Bee when she was younger.
@@squash6497 Cher would be too self-aware by now to be a Karen. She started off as clueless but was actively working towards enlightenment, selflessness, consideration for others, and humanitarian efforts. She'd be the one in the grocery store line telling the actual Karen she lacks class. Plus, even if she wanted to be a Karen, Dionne would never let her get away with it. ;)
That’s what I said as much as I love love catelyn well I must love the actress so there for j love catelyn she’s more the Karen or has more of the traits then Cercie to become one but both are equally as powerful catelyn probably more so as she had little finger and robb two opposing sides but she trusted both and in the end both got her killed .
I think this actually proves more that Cersei is a kind of Karen - her power stems only from the men in her life (of course, before the season 6 finale). First through her father, then her husband (becoming a Queen), and then her male children. Just like the video says, she props up this system despite the fact that she ultimately has 0 power in her own right - look at how quickly her downfall comes due to her sleeping around, when her husband was literally famous for fathering a million bastards and got off scot-free.
@@m.k4447 But she ends up obtaining the power that was withheld from her for so long from season 6 and so on. That's why I think she transcends the Karen trope because in the end she ends up one of the most powerful people on the show. Her biggest downfall, her death, comes from the cut throat way she rose to power coming for her in the end but she never lost faith in the belief that she was powerful and in the end she proved herself right.
It will pass. Every generation has a different name for these types of people. I remember Becky being a catch all phrase now apparently its used if you are a younger "karen" few years from now they will be called something else.
To be honest I think you'd have to stretch the definition of 'Karen' basically to breaking point to include Karen Smith from 'Mean Girls' in the trope. She's not middle aged (as even the narrator admits), she's not angry (she might be the happiest character in the film!), not particularly entitled (compared to, say, Regina), not the most unpopular (Gretchen has that role) and even her 'lack of racial awareness' is clearly more a joke at her general stupidity displayed throughout the film rather than indicative of any particular racism. Really other than happening to share a name with this trope would she have been included here at all?
@@silverspider01 There are times when a situation does call for intervention, even times when you really should ask to see the manager. Neither one of those is negative in and of themselves. You're not a "Karen" when your complaint is valid and you have a perfectly good reason for what you're doing. You're a "Karen" when you're having a pointless fit over a trivial issue or attempting to weaponize privilege to hurt other people just because you think you can.
Watching Little Fires Everywhere Resse Witherspoon’s performance as Elena is so accurate it’s actually kinda scary lol. Her constantly bringing up how she’s not racist, how her jock son is the only one she treats somewhat well, and how she has a mental breakdown at the end of the show because her pristine life has fallen apart was so good.
Yes, Elena is the epitome of a "Karen." She tries to present a perfect facade throughout most of the show, but ultimately can't accept that her children aren't perfect until it all falls apart towards the end! 😥💔
This is the dumbest video I've ever seen... A "Karen" is the personification of a social justice warrior... a snow flake. Highly triggered at any moment... It has never been about racism, or vaccines... Nice try on the re-branding strategy though...Lol
@@LCLC727 What you're speaking about is the white savior liberal white woman that wants cookies and asspats for sharing the only MLK quote white people share while simultaneously talking over WoC during feminist intersectionality discussions and is thinking about adopting a poor little black baby because there's just something about them but will change their name if it's too urban sounding. After all she's saving the baby from the ghetto that is being bought out by investment realtors that will open a chiropractic and massage studio, Starbucks and a Chipotle in the plaza where the Family Dollar, Advance America and Autozone used to be, so the Karen's in the video can call 911 on the black cashier because her coupon is expired and the refusal to accept is threatening her and even though she refuses to leave she doesn't feel safe....
What an eye opening explanations. On TV's, movies, media have created so many Karens I'm sure it's based on real people. Unfortunately, some people have seen this as an opportunity to use on less fortunate people and they see themselves as oh.. we are better and important than others. They don't treat like that more fortunate people. Wow people can be brainwashed easily. That's why we accept their behaviour is normal and let them act like that ways. This is real brainwashing that make themselves indirectly treat them differently. Very cunning
@@umchinagirard1800 I am old enough to remember watching media where they just focused on tormenting their white peers for not being a perfect mom or being unmarried. And this is what they do away from their white Mommy and Me classes?
The violence against them is being recorded too. Think before you act social media will not pay for your lawyer or come to your aid if you get arrested. They don't care anymore for you than the do about the target of the hate.
I'm surprised you guys didn't mention Emmett Till and the white woman who falsely accused him of hitting on her (which led to his subsequent torture and death, which then led to the Civil Rights movement of the 50s/60s). But other than that, this video did a good job explaining why a Karen does what she does.
The “Karen” trope has become something of a joke, but actually being on the receiving end of it is other worldly. I’ve come across so many Karens who feel that their whiteness makes them above every one, but their womanhood makes them a victim. And I’m just saying, as a young black woman, not all Karens are middle aged. There are plenty of young Karens 🙄
Complaining does not in itself make you a Karen. I’ve seen several people get confused about that. Complaining from a position of self-entitlement does.
I know. If you thought that Karens were the worst, then think of the brats they raise who are learning about this type of demanding behaviour directly from them! 😱
I WON'T STAND FOR THIS. I WANT TO SPEAK TO THE MANAGER. Karen Smith is our bubbly baby, she won't have the mental capacity to be mad at a store employee. She'll just go home, throw out the shopping bag and its contents, and call all her friends to whine whine whine all night.
"But thinking of racist as extreme one dimensional villains risks letting ourselves off the hook, instead of examining the extent of which any of us might participate in such behaviors or structures."
I really liked they pointed out male Karens are more common and usually worse but it's the patriarchy that allows the villainization of a prolly marginalized victim. It's like that saying that abused people abuse others. They are often also victims historically of the crime they perpetrate on others. I'm really impressed with this channel.
Jane Krakowski as Jacqueline White in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt as a Karen was amazing, who knew she'd become one of the best characters and have the most character development while maintaining her Karen persona but ultimately becoming a better person who worked hard for her success instead of getting a sugar daddy or being a mistress
I didn’t realize that she was a Karen! Although she was entitled she really wasnt good at it like her snootiness has too much of a comedic edge. The only time I notice was when she went to the dentist.
Can we all talk about that poor dog that that Karen with the mask on is dragging around by its collar like it’s a piece of furniture. That poor little guy :(
@@shayhill568 The guy was a creep. No-one normal calls someone else's dog over and says she won't like what he's about to do. Apparently he tried it on with a black guy the week before and almost got beaten up.
My first job was at a snowcone place and a Karen came in wanting a snowcone flavor we didn't have. She ranted at me and held up the line like I was lying to her and would suddenly offer her what she wanted. My manager just came and told her the same thing I did. We offered her a FREE snowcone because she was so upset but she just left with nothing. I think that says a lot
When I was working at sunglasses, a woman complained that her sunglasses smudged easily. She rubbed her fingerprints all over the lenses and demanded a new pair. I demonstrated the proper way to clean them, at which point she started licking the lenses. My manager had the good sense to give her a new pair to send her away. Karens have this... disconnect with reality.
If I do get a job at a store I want a job that's in the back that doesn't involve speaking to the customers cuz I might talk to a Karen I don't think my heart and my lack of empathy could take it
I was a cashier at this store and this white woman came in talking on her phone. She was on her phone the whole time while in the store. She brought a couple of things and I gave her the change and receipt and told her to have a nice day. So a couple of minutes later she came back and accused me of shorting her five cent. 😂 She asked for my manager and explained to her that I purposefully shorted her change. She threatened to call the district manager and get me fired. Long story short, another customer suggested that she might have dropped it. We found the nickel under her car. 🙄
That right there is the problem. Stop placating the Karens. Their bullying and racism is too often rewarded so there is no incentive to stop the demonic behavior. Stop Giving Them What They Want! We need to start calling the police on them every single time they do crap like this.
As someone who used to work in a gamestore: trust me when I say that entitled, extremely rude Karens come in all colors. I think their main thing is that they look down on people who are, in their eyes, just their servants and treat them like shit. Its not as much about race as is being projected here, I feel.
agreed. I've definitely met some POC Karens, working customer service. One woman even made me cry due to how ANGRY she got at me for saying "yes, yes, yes" when serving her.
I’m baffled as to why race had to be included in the “Karen” trope, other than to show how “woke” and “un racist” the narrators are. Entitled, rude, bullies, come in all shapes, sizes,ages, genders and races.
Yeah, while Cersei doesn't care about other women, she is at least willing to do something about her unhappiness by killing everyone else who is on top
Yeah neither is Umbridge lol. It's preeetty fucking misogynistic to be labeling just any female villain a Karen. These are both characters who are genuinely evil and cruel and have REAL power, not "I'm a victim" power, not "let me talk to your manager" power. Cersei is WAAAY worse to call a Karen. Karens don't blow up churches. Karens don't have people murdered. She doesn't NEED to speak to anyone's manager. She IS the manager. She can't help but punch down because - in one way or another - almost everyone is "down" to her and, if they aren't, she finds a way to make them get under her. They even say a Karen is defined by a sense of personal impotence which Cersei very very very very very much does not have. She can afford to take out her temper on *anyone*. She's also generally pretty collected, exactly because she knows she has power. And Umbridge is shaping the place that almost every person in their world gets their education to her twisted view of things. Like carving a sick message into a child's hand as a punishment again and again? Yeah, that's not "let me speak to your manager" energy. Kicking out (or causing them to flee in one way or another) her superiors and competitors? Not "let me speak to your manager" energy. Not "triple quadruple latte with espresso but hold the caffeine from the coffee and only add caffeine extracted from tea" energy.
@@rhi-y8d Cersei blew up the church because they imprisoned her, publicly shamed her and made her feel powerless. She also hated that she was married off to Baratheon and had to deal with him and his male counterparts. That's why she lashed out by getting rid of them all.
Curio did a video of how Geralt from the Witcher miniseries (but not the book or video game) fit this trope. Wilson Kirsch from the Carmilla vlog definitely fits. The world needs more wholesome masculinity (and hopefully not as a cover-up for predatory or harmful masculinity disguised by "but I didn't know better, how could I when I'm a dudebro.")
@@kimberleywilliams7802 A himbo is considered the male equivalent of a bimbo. They are seen as not very bright, but incredibly kind, outgoing, respectful, and is very athletic. Think a jock, but he drank his respect everyone juice. Theyre are often seen, at the gym, or some sports related area, and social events with people as they are often extroverted. Himbo are often in real life and media seen helping and defending people. (I.e. he is that one bloke at the party teeling the sleazy dudes to back of from the girls since they're not interested and is often trusted with a person's drink). They have no toxic masculinity and while usuall very masculine will go out thier way to be femine to support other if needed or if they want to.
Thank you for pointing out that men can be Karen's too. Working retail taught me that Karen has no gender, only frustrated (& frustrating), entitled outrage.
Agreed. I feel bad for all the good Karens out there. The good Karens should be spelled Carin'. Maybe go by Caring. Or Carrie. or Karestan. or your middle name. Apparently the name has gotten less and less popular for new babies because of the meme.
God bless every woman named Karen. Every woman whose loving parents gave her that name, and taught her to be a good person. Every woman named Karen who is decent, caring, kind and charitable. God bless them as they cringe, every time they hear their name used this way. Every time they lower their voice when someone asks their name. When they give fake names in restaurants and wherever their name will be called out loud. Remind them they are not the meme. Lift them up when customer service reps who can’t see their smiling faces over the phone, automatically speak to them with disgust, and every time someone reads their name off a list and snickers. God help them to forgive the heartless people who use their name to describe the rudest women in the country, who are almost never actually named “Karen;” the word for “lovely” in the Japanese language, and a variant of “Katherine,” the patron saint of racial justice, philanthropists and nurses. Amen
Wonder what Karen carpenter would think today if she hadnt died from anorexia.Guess it was all the mean "karens"that made her feel fat even though she wasnt
I second this! What'd I'd really like to see is them covering the depiction of Native Americans as being all spiritual and at one with nature, or something to that effect.
@@mandypandy111ify yes! And using non natives to depict us and having a white man/woman come in and be best most sacred native 😅 dances with wolves, last of the mohicans, thunder heart, etc.....and what story telling by indigenous people really looks like movies like dreamkeepers, dance me outside, smoke signals and even docs like canaries in the coal mine and even the horror genre uses native cultures (Indian burial grounds, ceremonies etc) but we have a place on horror with movies like blood quantum and each tribes unique cultures there is so much to be said yet we are consistently overlooked in every aspect
That's because unless the male has power he will get his ass beat for running his mouth to the wrong person. The karen uses her feminitty to project weakness . Shes a pretend victim
Cersei isn't a Karen. Compare Cersei's actions to those of her father Tywin. She was born into a world where being ruthless was how you survived. Also, Cersei was born the daughter of a warden and then became queen. Per their society's structure, she WAS better than most people.
Finally someone said it lol. I feel like those who call her a Karen need to watch the show again or they just easily call every single female antagonist a Karen without thinking it through....
Cersei is too complex to truly label her a Karen, but I do agree the prophecy impacts a sense of powerlessness in her and she does like to exercise her power as much as possible on those weaker than her, but never can at either her father or Robert B. By that definition, she could be a Karen.
Nothing is more satisfying than saying NO to a Karen when you work in customer service and your supervisor also tells her NO. Is there anything else I can do for you, Karen? LOL
i think people who get satisfaction from using their little job position are lowminded and weak. always talk shit from behind the counter, but always respectable and ass kissey in person away from that counter. "hi white lady. can my people get free stuff from yours?" hahahaaa
I think the most damaging part of Karens is that they actively hurt any feminist or female empowering movement. And because they are the loudest, they get the most coverage.
I just want to say that I’m glad they included Professor Umbridge. She was my OG Karen experience. I remember reading book 5 and just being so ANGRY! Way too young to be that pissed off at a character lol.
Glad you guys are going strong in quarantine! Edit: could you guys make a video on Latino or Native American or more Asian stereotypes, or how they're depicted in the media?
Someone called me a Karen today because I asked on a Walmart Reddit post why curbside puts one item in a bag. I'm convinced he doesn't know what Karen means.
@@ericdaniel323 More the idea that sooner or later, the Internet has a way of taking complex issues and diluting them down to the point of meaningless, whether in the name of memes, social media posts or just human nature in general.
@@stevenguitink5947 I was joking, but that actually sounds about the same. Godwin's Law says that every thread will eventually lead to Hitler, which often means someone is being inappropriately compared to the Nazis. The internet can be annoying.
I never really associated "Karen-ness" with being a woman. I work at a fast food place and get men who act entitled and selfish as well as women who do, and I think of all of them as "Karens."
The thing is not the entitlement itself, the thing is they are sandwiched between two parties, but choose to keep to their own despite knowing how it feels. Instead of looking inside and admid their actual powerlessness. It is what makes it so sad.
Idk, I think there is a difference in tone. When I worked in customer service (and I am a white woman) men could be unreasonable assholes, but it's like they were at least somewhat aware that if they crossed certain lines they could come across as threatening. Male customers almost never tried to touch me, for instance. But some white women didn't seem to think boundaries applied to them. Once a women came up behind me while I was stocking a shelf and ran her fingers through my hair, before telling me she liked my haircut. Scared me half to death, to just suddenly have mystery hands in my hair.... but she just laughed it off. Men never tried shit like that, probably because they would expect to get kicked out of the store for harassment.
@@chris7263 Hm. Americans always seem so very aware about their personal space. Touching is like crime. In other countries this is not like this, it depend of course where, but even here in the Netherlands we only would find woman on woman touch strange, but not like boundary braking hysterical.
Yes, please, I'd love for them to mention Mrs America again in a future video, as they did with the feminist trope. It's compelling how the Housewife stereotype has evolved over time, and there's even House Husbands nowadays! 🏡😻
I'm glad she mentioned "Miss Ann". That's what my mom used to call them and anyone that tried to boss her around so much that she used to call a couple of my female cousins that when they had too many demands.
Every Karen I have known in life is a nice, caring person. But I guess memes convince the masses, and there are some people who push for what they believe they deserve and are horrible to those who they think are menial, particularly those who work in shops, cafes, restaurants, and other retail outlets.
Something i learned as a retail worker is that every women older than 30 is "Karen" but even the worst most sexist, racist or homophobic older men is just "stressed customer" that you need to "understand".
Preaaaach 👏👏👏 I had the same experience. Yet those gentlemen don't deserve a nickname and an avalanche of memes, wonder why? This is why I take 0 interest in jokes concerning these power dynamics, no matter who they target. Much rather do my criticism via political & social commentary.
Honestly, there are people who are named Karen who are genuinely good people. I have a friend who has a mother who looks like and is named Karen, bu she’s a GODDESS. She’s one of the science teachers and she is a lovely woman. Damn, I miss her.
"...particularly by white men can function as an excuse to insult older women while ignoring entitled white men who may more often get away with similar behaviour." EXACTLY
I don't buy this at all. There's no racism involved in this term. It's because of her behavior not because she's WW. This isn't a racist term. That's a intellectually dishonest statement. It's also been used much more broadly to describe women as a whole who have these attributes
In spanish we call them "ladys" , "señora castrosa" and in my family we call them "Doña Chuy" , there was a woman who tried to hit a poor employe with a sandal in a pizza place because she wouldn't wear her mask
The Takes modern AV approach to the classic essay format is so enjoyable. it’s never bombastic in claim then empty in content. I really appreciate the honest attempt to explore and expound upon whatever theme or topic is at hand. Y’all do a wonderful job, and I personally thank you for bringing straightforward insightful pop culture trope breakdowns as opposed to hollow flashy BS.
That's interesting Because I remember the Muslim tropes before 9/11. Mostly the "silly cab driver" the "rich but confused foreigner" and they even fit into the "model minority" stereotype sometimes, but now the connotation has completely changed. Someone who is sexist, and violent, and anti-American. It would be really interesting to see how history and media have changed these negative stereotypes.
@@tahsina.c That's true too. Shows and movies about human trafficking generally feature either Arabic, African, or Russian traffickers, even though the biggest customers of human trafficking are from the United States
@@jacksont9455 I agree. as a muslim born and raised in America after 9/11, I'm tired of seeing the same tropes for Muslims illustrated in shows and movies (hence why I love abed from community, who's Muslim AND Palestinian and is obsessed with pop culture)
@@mistyphilippe1575 Its not a movements. More a meme to label those that are unbelievably entitled, and by now it has been expanded to about anyone. I do agree some use it for any situation or person they don't like regardless of the reason one person is having a breakdown.
@@mistyphilippe1575 one of the reasons they’re called “Karen’s” is because Karen was one of the most popular names when baby boomers were born. And the baby boomer generation happens to have a lot of entitled people. So a lot of the white, Middle Aged white women when the meme was made were named Karen.
That’s alarming for sure and I hope everything was ok. If it turned out that nothing was wrong and you insisted on investigating and escalating, then yes-you were being a Karen. I hope you saved a life that night
@@valthomas9786 apparently, it was just a brother and sister (adults) just messing around, but I've certainly never head screams like that from an adult in public before. I didn't escalate, though I was worried about turning my back because the man was acting very aggressive. I hope everyone was okay, but the woman was looking okay, no one looked hurt.
Should've included the clip from the movie _Waiting_ - there's a scene where a woman berates one of the waitresses over her orders which she's never satisfied with (save for a salad) and she even questions the intelligence of the people working there. People thought that the scene was over-exaggerated (maybe the ending of that scene is, hopefully), but when you've been a waiter/waitress for a long enough time - you either have a story about that or you've witnessed it.
Before watching the video, I have a feeling this relates to the martyrdom that women have felt throughout history, and sometimes currently feel. I think this is especially felt in conservative families with very traditional gender roles. We give up so much to be mothers (which traditionally is expected of us) and have been "put in our place" for most of history. Men have the real power. I think being a Karen is simply a bad method of trying to reclaim power. Even though they feel hurt, the "Karen" actions they use to try to regain a sense of power just makes people dislike them. It's a victim further victimizing themselves. Misunderstood, but their actions make them assholes. (Of course I don't think this describes all Karens, I think it more describes the average Karen who freaks out in public, not necessarily the rich extra narcissistic Karen)
@@marekvojtko1846 i don’t really like it with the Dutch pronuncation ( Does sound better in other languages tho🙂) And its a kinda old fashioned name in Dutch
My name is Karen. I've worked in retail for 15 years being yelled at by Lindas, Barbaras and Judy's. So how is it fair that my name embodies these nightmare women?
It’s not fair at all. Its a stereotypical name associated with a certain demographic of white women. Kinda like “Jamal” for black men. I’m sure you’re a wonderful person. Imagine being named Osama or Adolph…
I liked the Karen meme and it being used to describe entitled middle-aged white women, until sexist dudes started using it just so they could hate on women. There also doesn't seem to be a male equivalent of karen, nor do people get as outraged when a man in a video shows ''Karen behaviour''. Not saying that we should get rid of the ''Karen Trope''. It's just something to think about.
There isn't a male equivalent because male equivalents just generally get called "asshole/doucebag/ pos" instead. I guess we should do that with women for the sake of fairness since "Karen" is so sexist.
Yea there are just as many male ‘karens’ out there to be realistic. I think we can call them Karen’s too :). But it makes me worry when I get older I may not ever be able to stick up for myself without being labeled a Karen type. I hardly stick up for myself now because I’m so socially awkward. But in 10 years I hope I’ll be even more self assured.
The "Karen" stereotype can also tie in with the "Smother" trope, who is an overbearing mother or guardian who controls every aspect of her kids' lives, even when they're grown adults. Beverly Goldberg is THE best example! 😉💕
Anyone interested in more about how Karen became so popular on the internet, Tiffany Ferguson made an Internet Analysis video about the Karen meme, I highly recommend!
4:37 The name Karen, from what I recall, comes from a posting thread created by a man who was married to his wife, Karen, and then got divorced. His account was dedicated to posting stories of her outrageous fits of rage and horrible actions so that people could read them. Reddit loved it so much that they decided to dedicate a whole subreddit for him to compile his stories and perhaps for other Redditors in the audience to post similar stories of women who were like the original poster's ex-wife (or 'Karen'). Eventually, that term spread to other platforms like wildfire and now we know it as a common term. I'm pretty sure the subreddit is called "r/F*ckyouKaren" (without the asterisk)
Except now, anytime a woman that shares an opinion that someone doesn’t like is immediately deemed a “Karen”. Just like so many words, it’s become meaningless.
@@chuckm1961 Nope, it's already happening. That's why so many women in the comments are talking about "keeping the term pure" and "it's getting overused", they're the same people who in the past looked at a 5 second clip and deemed other women Karens in the first place.
My problem with this trope is that on meme sites nowadays any woman who has an opinion or speaks out about something gets labeled a Karen, just like every man who says something nice about a woman gets labeled a simp. It has become an incredibly sexist trope and I feel like you should be able to call out bitchy behaviour without it turning into mysoginy. Guys can act in a bitchy way like this and as far as I know there is no trope name for that.
I agree. I say this as a black woman, I think that it is getting to the point that when a woman really does have a legitimate complaint, then she is labeled as a Karen, and it's an easy way to dismiss real concerns. And you are right. These memes do hide misogynistic intent.
@@Luboman411 Chad is basically the "you may not like it, but this is what peak performance looks like" meme on a dude. The full name IS Chad Thundercock.
In Mexico we call them Ladies and Lords, those people who feel entitled to everything. Some examples are Lady Tres Pesos (she wanted to get into a supermarket with her child, mind you covid and I think she didn't have a mask) and Lord Pizza (wanted a little caesars and didn't have mask)
Karen story: I was working at my cafe when a lady in a pantsuit came in, lowering her sunglasses slightly and ordering a cortado in an already passive aggressive tone. Everything went down hill very quickly when I told her that, due to COVID, my cafe couldn't accept cash as a manner of payment (while we accepted everything but cash), without giving me a moment to breathe, she yelled out "well what about the women who are forced to become hookers for the NHL?"
Is cute if you're a upper class middle aged white men that can pay the credit card so your wife's awful personality doesn't bother you but the cashier instead; when they get older their looks make them a Karen so you divorce them and find another bratty young woman with her "endering" demands. And guess what type of folk is producing all the stuff in Hollywood?
By that definition everyone today is a horrible person. Everyone is constantly screaming their ‘rights’ (entitlements) are under threat. ‘Rights’ to broadband internet connections, private schooling, organic produce and of course ‘respect’ (obedience).
The gender component involves the Karen's modus operandi of feigning victim-hood, whereas the male counterpart would have to feign strength or authority instead of playing the victim.
Cersei and Dolores are not Karens. They're way too cool and evil for that. And also lady from Knives out. It seems that now you can call anyone "Karen".
Just because the narrative found a way to portray them as "cool" or "evil" doesn't make their actions less "Karen"-like. Umbridge is a little white woman in a position of power who weaponises her stature and sickly pink, syrup-voiced aesthetic to paint herself as a sweet public servant who's just there to do her job while she terrorises children and enacts policies that discriminate against muggle-born wizards and sentient, intelligent magical creatures (such as giants, centaurs, goblins, et cetera). Speaking as a British person in an enforcement role in civil service, I know the type very well. Dolores Umbridge is a Karen.
I totally agree with you on this point. Cersei isn't a Karen. She has those tendencies, but she's a whole different creature! (I do love me some evil Cersei.)
@@kkandsims4612 What about Lysa Arryn? Or is she just bitter about LF? I think actually all the women in GoT are too complex to just be considered by the simplistic Karen trope.
3:47 - I always call the hairstyle the “Utah Mom” because at least half of the moms I see at the Walmart I work at have this haircut I have only dealt with one Karen at work, a women who complained I didn’t slice her party subs into individual slices when she didn’t ask for us to do that on her order. I would have sliced them for her but we were very busy that day and understaffed. She then complains that when she use to work at Walmart they always sliced the party subs that way. I worked in the deli for 6 years and was never taught to do that unless a customer asked for it. She then took her order and yells at the customer service, cursing them out. That event nakes me think this is probably why she USE to work at Walmart.
My mother is a Karen: a full malignant narcissist who thinks she’s better than everyone else. Although she’s different in that she only believes 2 of her 4 kids are special.
I am sorry to hear that, but a Karen is not a narcissist. She is somebody who could be able to look inside to amid her powerlessness and could choose to speak of from that place to gain some authentic independence, but chooses not to. That is the tradigy of it.
@@estherbosbach377 I think narcissists can be the worst Karen's. It's the entitlement that's a core factor, and narcissists arent excluded from feelings of powerlessness.
The name Karen carries such a stigma that if I had a daughter and named her Karen, I'd instantly be a horrible parent. The name has become less and less popular because of this meme and I don't think it will ever rise in popularity again
Also as a waitress i deal with a lot of Karen's and literally had to deal with one Saturday just gone. They frustrate me so much. On the surface i have to obviously be polite and nice and tentative and bite my tongue but underneath mentally I am thinking "You're a Karen and i am done with you"
@@missj794 nah cus i know how devastating death of loved ones can be and i never like to wish stuff like that on people. I never wish death, injury or illness onto people or their loved ones cus thats horrible. Instead i just imagine a pigeon pooping on either their head or car cus that's just funny. Or the bird just flying at them.
You just have to learn to cut them down with a smile. There is a way to let somebody know their attitude isn't appreciated without getting into trouble with management (depending on how controlling management is, I guess. If you are working with a script there isn't much wiggle room). I have shut down some seriously unacceptable nonsense with a smile.
@@FollowingUsernamesR I found it easier to just accept that putting up with unreasonable people was part of my job. Trying to cut Karen down only makes her (or him) more of a Karen. And by reacting that way, you are giving them personal power over you, instead of just situational power as part of your job. Karens act that way because they feel powerless deep down and want to exercise control over something. Let that something be their dinner order, not your psyche.
@@ericdaniel323 I guess it is just one of those things where I got tired of these women assuming that because I look like them, I agree witht their racism, or that because I am providing a service, they are in a position of power. My job expects me to educate clients about some pretty basic things, sometimes I give them a more expansive education...like a reverse Karen. But idc if they speak to my manager, the most they can say is, "I don't want to see her again." I know not everyone has a job like that, I certainly didn't in the past.
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I think some of the women in the real life clips were having anxiety attacks.
I think you lose your argument when you define cersi as a Karen. Karens are self intituled, Cersi isn't self entitled she very entitled by her society. You wouldn't call Queen Elizabeth self entitled because she's the queen. Karen's have that power because of the whiteness but because they're women there's a level of disempowerment that they have to face. Regular white women. That's the mystique around Karen's. They try to use the little bit of power they have and make it seem bigger than it really is. But cersei just like Queen Elizabeth has power, that even power that goes beyond most her male counterparts. Plus you're making assumptions about white women in our world and juxtaposing it on cersei who doesn't exist in our contemporary world. How Karen's got their name well at least they're contemporary name was through their engagements with people of color. Yes cersei calls the dothraki barbarians. But you can't juxtaposition her power with that of a white women in our world. Whiteness doesn't exist in the world the game of thrones, well at least officially. The history of slavery has established the notion of the Karen. This disempowered white woman during a time of slavery who was just a step above the slaves that she was in control of but outside that had no power. There's no reference to slavery in the way that we experience in our world therefore it's hard to give cersei that Karen gnome de plume.
Dolores Umbridge in Harry Potter in the book acts more like a dictator I say the Dolores Umbridge of the book also when there was proof that Voldemort returned. she was in the seventh book happily following the rules set by Voldemort and sentencing muggle-borns. I like it that in the book Dumbledore's office actually seals itself up so Dolores Umbridge couldn't use it when she became the temporary Headmaster
Karens use their whiteness, or their power against socioeconomic disadvantage people/people of color, who are based on our capitalist system, religated to positions of lower income as a permanent under class. Cersi kills white people who are of her class(lady olena).
Finally you're assuming that Karen's exist beyond their interaction with people of color. Karen's only exist because people of color gave them that name therefore this discourse on who Karen's are should only be focused on their interactions with people of color. Yeah it sucks when Wendy talks down on some poor unassuming white guy who she's higher in socioeconomic status, but Karen's only exist because people color have called in that. Karen's talked down on people color regardless of this so economic status so I could be a rich black person and still have a Karen talk down on me but a Karen's not going to talk down on a rich white man because of the racial dynamic. I think you need to focus your videos a little bit more.
'Self-victimised villian' perfect description.
Yep!
I don't feel like that's Cercei though. Cercei seems very aware of her privileged position.
Actually Jamie is younger twin. It was stated clearly, and that is why everyone finds Cercei hating Tyrion hilarious as most know Jamie is probably more likely to kill her. Though at the end they both got killed by bricks so the prophecy is useless I suppose.
HearMeRoar I think Jaime will still kill her in the books if G.R.R.M. finishes them.
@@martijnprinzen7124 are you sure about that. How about when she tried to get her brother killed from blind rage of her oppressive sons death. Or how she placed the high septum in charge just so that she can get vengeance against her other sons wife and when it backfired on her, how she victimized herself. Many more examples
“...the sad irony is she works hard to prop up a system that doesn’t serve her well.” How do you two consistently have such even handed, nonjudgmental insights on social issues?! Goddamn, you knocked it out the park with this video...AGAIN!
I love them! But based on the voice overs I think there's a third person on their team... Not sure
@@amzchatz3923 i feel like that exactly how a well thought out insight is generated.
Couldn’t have said it any better. They get it.
I kind of disagreed with that. The system provides them with privilege. That’s the reason that they’re enforcing it. While the patriarchy harms them, they benefit from being victims
@@hartjefferson5461 I agree and disagree. Privilege is such a balancing act that it can tip the minute you come into contact with someone who has more or less privilege than you. Karen is usually white and has that privilege but while being a woman harms her a bit when it comes to dealing with men, she weaponizes her class status and race as a double whammy to get what she wants. It's why racism is a common trait with her. She will actively seek out those she sees as beneath her so as to keep her privilege up. It's why she's often seen threatening black people with the police knowing that could be a death sentence or harrassing people in customer service whose livelihood depends on being nice to her. There's a saying in my country, "Monkey know what tree to climb." Karens embody that. They will never go toe to toe with men unless her privilege trump's theirs (usually with race or class but sometimes sexual orientation or being able bodied as well).
Somewhere, a Karen is calling corporate about this channel
Probably flagging the video for everything.
Actually they are complaining its sexist in these comments
Or blaming a man for their shortcomings
The ultimate Karen is that woman who lied about emnet till and caused his horrible death
That’s the worst part
Cannon Hinnant, Laura Ashley Anderson, Veronica Lee Baker, Samantha Josephson
her name ...is.... Carolyn Bryant, the ultimate karen.
Worst part is... she's still alive
George Stinney too
Yes, there was also the Karen (Fannie Taylor) who got the Rosewood Massacre started. Similar in To Kill a Mockingbird, she lied on a black man (assault!).
Jane Austen also wrote a lot of Karen’s into her books, like Catherine de Bourgh and Mrs. Norris. It’s a timeless trope. Lol
Ahhh Lady Catherine: the ultimate Karen.
Ah yes! Absolutely.
Yo, Caroline Bingley is more of a Karen than Lady de Bourgh
Yes, one of her protagonists was also a bit of a Karen. Miss Emma Woodhouse.
@@waterfallsdontsaymeow2917 absolutely !! Emma is such a Karen!!!
i'm so happy this channel is so active
WOAH WOAH WOAH!!! Let me get this perfectly straight: You comment something that is completely unrelated to the fact that I have two HAZARDOUSLY HOT girlfriends? Considering that I am the unprettiest TH-camr worldwide, it is really incredible. Yet you did not mention it at all. I am VERY disappointed, dear ejdn
Likewise, it's the best analysis channel, in my opinion, and I always come away from their videos feeling more enlightened! 👏🏾✨
@@AxxLAfriku XD
This is the dumbest video I've ever seen...
A "Karen" is the personification of a social justice warrior... a snow flake. Highly triggered at any moment...
It has never been about racism, or vaccines...
Nice try on the re-branding strategy though...Lol
@@LCLC727 you're confused
For all the women who were actually named "Karen" at birth. My condolences.
Simp
@@A-No-One huh? I dunno why you calling me a simp for showing sympathy for women named Karen at birth. Gender aside you need to be good to people over all. Kindness doesn't mean you've been whipped. And some men call other men simp because if simps get the honey the ones at war with women have to swallow their pride.
Necro Gnosis ..simp??
@@victorolvera6482 lol just a joke i write everyone. Everyone says this nowadays.
@@A-No-One and no one laughs
I feel like the Karen trope is the matured Mean Girl, or Queen Bee. In the very least, she is the aging woman who wishes she was a Queen Bee when she was younger.
she peaked in high school and doesn’t want to accept the fact that the world doesn’t bow before her like it did when she was in hs
I watched Clueless yesterday, and thought "Wow, Cher probably became such a Karen by now".
@@squash6497 Cher would be too self-aware by now to be a Karen. She started off as clueless but was actively working towards enlightenment, selflessness, consideration for others, and humanitarian efforts. She'd be the one in the grocery store line telling the actual Karen she lacks class. Plus, even if she wanted to be a Karen, Dionne would never let her get away with it. ;)
@@88angels Those are some very good points. I retract my statement.
Not really.. She WAS the queen B in high school n stick stuck in it hence the entitlement
I feel like Cersei transcends beyond the Karen's, she actually has the power Karen's think they have
That’s what I said as much as I love love catelyn well I must love the actress so there for j love catelyn she’s more the Karen or has more of the traits then Cercie to become one but both are equally as powerful catelyn probably more so as she had little finger and robb two opposing sides but she trusted both and in the end both got her killed .
@@kkandsims4612 Catelyn is the real Karen of Westeros haha
I think this actually proves more that Cersei is a kind of Karen - her power stems only from the men in her life (of course, before the season 6 finale). First through her father, then her husband (becoming a Queen), and then her male children. Just like the video says, she props up this system despite the fact that she ultimately has 0 power in her own right - look at how quickly her downfall comes due to her sleeping around, when her husband was literally famous for fathering a million bastards and got off scot-free.
@@m.k4447 But she ends up obtaining the power that was withheld from her for so long from season 6 and so on. That's why I think she transcends the Karen trope because in the end she ends up one of the most powerful people on the show. Her biggest downfall, her death, comes from the cut throat way she rose to power coming for her in the end but she never lost faith in the belief that she was powerful and in the end she proved herself right.
I agree! Cersei is a narcissist not a Karen.
I feel bad for every woman whose actual name is Karen.
I fucking hate my Name.
It will pass. Every generation has a different name for these types of people. I remember Becky being a catch all phrase now apparently its used if you are a younger "karen" few years from now they will be called something else.
@@sigco1019
There was a meme listing the Karens at various ages. The eldest I think was Gertrude. She had a gun.
SAME
Aishwarya Shri
I’ve worked with a lady named Karen before, she’s very kind and humble 🙂
“Pathetically Inability to MIND HER OWN BUSINESS”... this is their problem
I have to say though:
Umbridge aint a Karen in the Books.
The ‚Stickler for Rules’ was added in the Films.
They changed a lot.
To be honest I think you'd have to stretch the definition of 'Karen' basically to breaking point to include Karen Smith from 'Mean Girls' in the trope. She's not middle aged (as even the narrator admits), she's not angry (she might be the happiest character in the film!), not particularly entitled (compared to, say, Regina), not the most unpopular (Gretchen has that role) and even her 'lack of racial awareness' is clearly more a joke at her general stupidity displayed throughout the film rather than indicative of any particular racism. Really other than happening to share a name with this trope would she have been included here at all?
I agree with this I felt the exact same way about it
@4Freedom4All so how many times have you been called a Karen?
@4Freedom4All stop trying to make "karenism" a thing. It never will be.
She's more Becky
@4Freedom4All So how many times have you been called that?
Fun fact- A group of Karens is called a Complaint.
I genuinely lol’d at this.
Omgggg goddamn
There are criminal Karens as well. Because I saw a tv show article about one of them! Luckily, She got arrested for racism against a black person.
No, it should be called a class action
I thought the technical term was a "privilege"
Throwing around the word Karen frivolously waters down the danger of the actual destructive trope. You guys hit on the nail on the head as usual!
People have been using it indiscriminately to slap a woman down any time she asserts herself or has an opinion you don't like.
@@moonlily1 Yes!
True. I can't tell you how often I hear people throw around "Anybody can be a Karen". Like, no. You're missing the point.
@@silverspider01 There are times when a situation does call for intervention, even times when you really should ask to see the manager. Neither one of those is negative in and of themselves. You're not a "Karen" when your complaint is valid and you have a perfectly good reason for what you're doing. You're a "Karen" when you're having a pointless fit over a trivial issue or attempting to weaponize privilege to hurt other people just because you think you can.
@@silverspider01 I think we all can have Karen tendencies, but that's different.
Watching Little Fires Everywhere Resse Witherspoon’s performance as Elena is so accurate it’s actually kinda scary lol. Her constantly bringing up how she’s not racist, how her jock son is the only one she treats somewhat well, and how she has a mental breakdown at the end of the show because her pristine life has fallen apart was so good.
Yes, Elena is the epitome of a "Karen." She tries to present a perfect facade throughout most of the show, but ultimately can't accept that her children aren't perfect until it all falls apart towards the end! 😥💔
And her Mom was a Karen who had no regard for her grandkids yet guilty her daughter about working.
Reese Weatherspoon is just amazing period.
This is the dumbest video I've ever seen...
A "Karen" is the personification of a social justice warrior... a snow flake. Highly triggered at any moment...
It has never been about racism, or vaccines...
Nice try on the re-branding strategy though...Lol
@@LCLC727 What you're speaking about is the white savior liberal white woman that wants cookies and asspats for sharing the only MLK quote white people share while simultaneously talking over WoC during feminist intersectionality discussions and is thinking about adopting a poor little black baby because there's just something about them but will change their name if it's too urban sounding. After all she's saving the baby from the ghetto that is being bought out by investment realtors that will open a chiropractic and massage studio, Starbucks and a Chipotle in the plaza where the Family Dollar, Advance America and Autozone used to be, so the Karen's in the video can call 911 on the black cashier because her coupon is expired and the refusal to accept is threatening her and even though she refuses to leave she doesn't feel safe....
It’s gonna be REALLY interesting to put “Karen” into a baby name database in 5 years or so and just watch the steep, cliff-like drop off after 2019
I want to see this too
Gonna drop harder than Adolf did in the 40's
Was just thinking the saaaammmmeeeee thing
Karens aren't new, they're just being recorded.
Yes narcissistic scapegoating mom’s been around 2000”years
That seems true
What an eye opening explanations. On TV's, movies, media have created so many Karens I'm sure it's based on real people. Unfortunately, some people have seen this as an opportunity to use on less fortunate people and they see themselves as oh.. we are better and important than others. They don't treat like that more fortunate people.
Wow people can be brainwashed easily.
That's why we accept their behaviour is normal and let them act like that ways. This is real brainwashing that make themselves indirectly treat them differently. Very cunning
@@umchinagirard1800 I am old enough to remember watching media where they just focused on tormenting their white peers for not being a perfect mom or being unmarried. And this is what they do away from their white Mommy and Me classes?
The violence against them is being recorded too. Think before you act social media will not pay for your lawyer or come to your aid if you get arrested. They don't care anymore for you than the do about the target of the hate.
The dislikers would like to speak to the manager.
lol
Lol
Baha 🤣
I LAUGHED PIT LOUD SOKCKCODOD
+ 100 internet point to you. Well done :)
I'm surprised you guys didn't mention Emmett Till and the white woman who falsely accused him of hitting on her (which led to his subsequent torture and death, which then led to the Civil Rights movement of the 50s/60s). But other than that, this video did a good job explaining why a Karen does what she does.
I think the writers for this script were white, and so that is a blind spot.
Manophere. com Yikes.
Same they didn’t address how a Karen’s actions can lead to a black person’s death.
@Manophere. com wtf
@Jael S you're so intent on absolving karens from their crimes. You must be one yourself
At 10:01. LOL at "the chain of screaming." That's such a sanitized euphemism for a phenomenon I've always called "s**t rolls down the hill."
The “Karen” trope has become something of a joke, but actually being on the receiving end of it is other worldly. I’ve come across so many Karens who feel that their whiteness makes them above every one, but their womanhood makes them a victim. And I’m just saying, as a young black woman, not all Karens are middle aged. There are plenty of young Karens 🙄
PLENTY!
They're Becky
@@dr.braxygilkeycruises1460 sorry that happened to you, some ppl are beyond....
@@schristine159 Want to know the worst part? Her name is Actually KAREN! (No joke)
There are entitled men too. Ieorked on a cruise ship, and I was never shouted on my face by female passengers, but by men.
Complaining does not in itself make you a Karen. I’ve seen several people get confused about that. Complaining from a position of self-entitlement does.
And complaining about pathetically trivial things I think
@Geoffrey Harris By your comment, a disabled woman complaining about able-boied people parking in the handicap parking space is a Karen.
Great way to put it I'm with ya
Yeah, some big portion of the time, "Karen" is going to be right, but she looks like a Karen, sounds like a Karen, we can dismiss her as a Karen.
@@briannewman9285 you know, this isn't really trivial for disabled people
I don't think mean girls Karen is an actual Karen I think she's more of the "dumb blonde" trope That just happened to be named Karen.
Or more likely, she has the theme park version of a mental health disorder.
She's a "becky"
Ikr, Mean Girls Karen wasn't even rude. She may be dumb but she was the nicest of all the Plastics
@@josenotmarichan Yeah, innocently insensitive fits her more negative traits than anything else.
She's identified as a Becky in the Becky trope video
*How Karen from "Mean girls" is a "karen"? She is adorable and naive and usually very nice*
Well, maybe because of the racial ignorance, or just general ignorance part
Maybe that’s how Karen’s were in their youth. Their naivety/ignorance was seen as cute but as they age it no longer is.
@@coolio4843 Bingo! And I think when they were younger it was more passive aggressive but when they're older it's just straight up aggressive. Lol
Ikr
@@yassebro6948 yeah but Karen's think they know everything, Karen Smith knows that she doesn't
The worst part is the kids of Karen's. The horror.
@Ryan StewartNot Ashley, 'Ashleigh'.
It can go 2 ways. Either they recognize what they're dealing with and grow up relatively okay. Or they turn into spoiled brats.
I know. If you thought that Karens were the worst, then think of the brats they raise who are learning about this type of demanding behaviour directly from them! 😱
@@muhammadabdulrehman1540 speaking from experience?
@@ssh1487 second hand experience. Thankfully
Yall better not be disrespecting my weather girl Karen Smith like this
She took me to taco bell when no one else would 😔
I know, she has ESPN or something, and she can fit her entire fist in her mouth! ✊😂
I WON'T STAND FOR THIS. I WANT TO SPEAK TO THE MANAGER.
Karen Smith is our bubbly baby, she won't have the mental capacity to be mad at a store employee. She'll just go home, throw out the shopping bag and its contents, and call all her friends to whine whine whine all night.
✨On Wednesday We Wear Pink Baby ✨
Ikrr Karen is definitely not a Karen why they gotta do her like thag
"But thinking of racist as extreme one dimensional villains risks letting ourselves off the hook, instead of examining the extent of which any of us might participate in such behaviors or structures."
Best part of the video. Damn.
I love these girls and people like you who notice thier unbiased efforts!
I really liked they pointed out male Karens are more common and usually worse but it's the patriarchy that allows the villainization of a prolly marginalized victim.
It's like that saying that abused people abuse others. They are often also victims historically of the crime they perpetrate on others.
I'm really impressed with this channel.
@@mynameisreallycool1 this my favorite quote in the video too. seems to apply to anyone we see as "villains."
Jane Krakowski as Jacqueline White in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt as a Karen was amazing, who knew she'd become one of the best characters and have the most character development while maintaining her Karen persona but ultimately becoming a better person who worked hard for her success instead of getting a sugar daddy or being a mistress
I didn’t realize that she was a Karen! Although she was entitled she really wasnt good at it like her snootiness has too much of a comedic edge. The only time I notice was when she went to the dentist.
BROOOO they’re deadass doing a trope on Karens IM DEAD 💀💀💀
Ikr💀💀
They have to keep up with the times lol
Man you be looking like a Hershey bar
@@meowchinchilla4009 thank you? lmao
Can we all talk about that poor dog that that Karen with the mask on is dragging around by its collar like it’s a piece of furniture. That poor little guy :(
This woman had only recently gotten the dog from a local rescue group, who subsequently took the dog back from her.
Whenever I watch that, I feel myself gasping for breath the entire time. Such a vile individual.
Who cares about the black guy she was trying to have falsely arrested.
@@shayhill568 The guy was a creep. No-one normal calls someone else's dog over and says she won't like what he's about to do. Apparently he tried it on with a black guy the week before and almost got beaten up.
@@riandraegon556 GOOD
My first job was at a snowcone place and a Karen came in wanting a snowcone flavor we didn't have. She ranted at me and held up the line like I was lying to her and would suddenly offer her what she wanted. My manager just came and told her the same thing I did. We offered her a FREE snowcone because she was so upset but she just left with nothing. I think that says a lot
When I was working at sunglasses, a woman complained that her sunglasses smudged easily. She rubbed her fingerprints all over the lenses and demanded a new pair. I demonstrated the proper way to clean them, at which point she started licking the lenses. My manager had the good sense to give her a new pair to send her away. Karens have this... disconnect with reality.
If I do get a job at a store I want a job that's in the back that doesn't involve speaking to the customers cuz I might talk to a Karen I don't think my heart and my lack of empathy could take it
I was a cashier at this store and this white woman came in talking on her phone. She was on her phone the whole time while in the store. She brought a couple of things and I gave her the change and receipt and told her to have a nice day. So a couple of minutes later she came back and accused me of shorting her five cent. 😂 She asked for my manager and explained to her that I purposefully shorted her change. She threatened to call the district manager and get me fired. Long story short, another customer suggested that she might have dropped it. We found the nickel under her car. 🙄
That right there is the problem. Stop placating the Karens. Their bullying and racism is too often rewarded so there is no incentive to stop the demonic behavior. Stop Giving Them What They Want! We need to start calling the police on them every single time they do crap like this.
@TatzRules Yay right!
As someone who used to work in a gamestore: trust me when I say that entitled, extremely rude Karens come in all colors.
I think their main thing is that they look down on people who are, in their eyes, just their servants and treat them like shit. Its not as much about race as is being projected here, I feel.
Agreed. It doesn't need the color component to have meaning
agreed. I've definitely met some POC Karens, working customer service. One woman even made me cry due to how ANGRY she got at me for saying "yes, yes, yes" when serving her.
I’m baffled as to why race had to be included in the “Karen” trope, other than to show how “woke” and “un racist” the narrators are. Entitled, rude, bullies, come in all shapes, sizes,ages, genders and races.
Nope there entitled white women.....you must have some traits yourself.
White people have MORE power. They deserve their own specific insult.
Okay... this “Miss Ann” thing has me shooketh to the core. Im imagining Karen’s on the worst branches of my family tree going back CENTURIES
?
@Skynet1 Nah, just a lack of white narcissism.
Cersei isnt a Karen. She is just pure evil. She is too huge to be a Karen. She may punch down but she stabs up.
Yeah, while Cersei doesn't care about other women, she is at least willing to do something about her unhappiness by killing everyone else who is on top
Yeah neither is Umbridge lol. It's preeetty fucking misogynistic to be labeling just any female villain a Karen.
These are both characters who are genuinely evil and cruel and have REAL power, not "I'm a victim" power, not "let me talk to your manager" power. Cersei is WAAAY worse to call a Karen. Karens don't blow up churches. Karens don't have people murdered. She doesn't NEED to speak to anyone's manager. She IS the manager. She can't help but punch down because - in one way or another - almost everyone is "down" to her and, if they aren't, she finds a way to make them get under her. They even say a Karen is defined by a sense of personal impotence which Cersei very very very very very much does not have. She can afford to take out her temper on *anyone*. She's also generally pretty collected, exactly because she knows she has power.
And Umbridge is shaping the place that almost every person in their world gets their education to her twisted view of things. Like carving a sick message into a child's hand as a punishment again and again? Yeah, that's not "let me speak to your manager" energy. Kicking out (or causing them to flee in one way or another) her superiors and competitors? Not "let me speak to your manager" energy. Not "triple quadruple latte with espresso but hold the caffeine from the coffee and only add caffeine extracted from tea" energy.
@@rhi-y8d Cersei blew up the church because they imprisoned her, publicly shamed her and made her feel powerless. She also hated that she was married off to Baratheon and had to deal with him and his male counterparts. That's why she lashed out by getting rid of them all.
yeah I don't think she has prejudices like a karen does. she just does things for herself
@@rhi-y8d Neither Cersei nor Umbridge are even close to being Karens.
I can’t wait until The Take does “The Himbo Trope, Explained” lol
Curio did a video of how Geralt from the Witcher miniseries (but not the book or video game) fit this trope. Wilson Kirsch from the Carmilla vlog definitely fits. The world needs more wholesome masculinity (and hopefully not as a cover-up for predatory or harmful masculinity disguised by "but I didn't know better, how could I when I'm a dudebro.")
Himbo?
I’m going to watch the video now
@@kimberleywilliams7802 A himbo is considered the male equivalent of a bimbo. They are seen as not very bright, but incredibly kind, outgoing, respectful, and is very athletic. Think a jock, but he drank his respect everyone juice. Theyre are often seen, at the gym, or some sports related area, and social events with people as they are often extroverted. Himbo are often in real life and media seen helping and defending people. (I.e. he is that one bloke at the party teeling the sleazy dudes to back of from the girls since they're not interested and is often trusted with a person's drink). They have no toxic masculinity and while usuall very masculine will go out thier way to be femine to support other if needed or if they want to.
Neighbours the soap is full of himbos including the father and son himbos as the father had the son at an early age.
A group of Karens is called a pri'Village'
Karens come in swarms?!
OMG I LOVE IT
Thank you for pointing out that men can be Karen's too. Working retail taught me that Karen has no gender, only frustrated (& frustrating), entitled outrage.
Male "karens" are called "Chads"
An apology to all the kind hearted souls named Karen. *virtual hug*
It’s steve that needs to apologise🦊
Agreed. I feel bad for all the good Karens out there. The good Karens should be spelled Carin'. Maybe go by Caring. Or Carrie. or Karestan. or your middle name. Apparently the name has gotten less and less popular for new babies because of the meme.
God bless every woman named Karen. Every woman whose loving parents gave her that name, and taught her to be a good person. Every woman named Karen who is decent, caring, kind and charitable. God bless them as they cringe, every time they hear their name used this way. Every time they lower their voice when someone asks their name. When they give fake names in restaurants and wherever their name will be called out loud. Remind them they are not the meme. Lift them up when customer service reps who can’t see their smiling faces over the phone, automatically speak to them with disgust, and every time someone reads their name off a list and snickers. God help them to forgive the heartless people who use their name to describe the rudest women in the country, who are almost never actually named “Karen;” the word for “lovely” in the Japanese language, and a variant of “Katherine,” the patron saint of racial justice, philanthropists and nurses. Amen
Wonder what Karen carpenter would think today if she hadnt died from anorexia.Guess it was all the mean "karens"that made her feel fat even though she wasnt
PLEASE INCLUDE NATIVE AMERICANS IN YOUR TROPE SERIES!
YES
I second this! What'd I'd really like to see is them covering the depiction of Native Americans as being all spiritual and at one with nature, or something to that effect.
Yes!!
@@mandypandy111ify yes! And using non natives to depict us and having a white man/woman come in and be best most sacred native 😅 dances with wolves, last of the mohicans, thunder heart, etc.....and what story telling by indigenous people really looks like movies like dreamkeepers, dance me outside, smoke signals and even docs like canaries in the coal mine and even the horror genre uses native cultures (Indian burial grounds, ceremonies etc) but we have a place on horror with movies like blood quantum and each tribes unique cultures there is so much to be said yet we are consistently overlooked in every aspect
Agree
I wish far-right Christian men had as much scrutiny as the “Karen.” They have so much power though that we are still “not allowed” to critique them.
Kenneth Copeland is a male Karen
Miss Molly or a lizard Karen
That's because unless the male has power he will get his ass beat for running his mouth to the wrong person. The karen uses her feminitty to project weakness . Shes a pretend victim
Matthew Cancel so is the Far-right Christian male though. They always complain how oppressed they are. Look at this last week’s insurrection in DC
I criticize everyone
Karen is what happens when Becky grows older
This!!!! The evolution is real!!
Somebody fill me in on what a "Becky" is?
@@iamV10010 Becky Conner?
@@iamV10010 A white teenage girl with a profound sense of entitlement. Spoiled and usually the daughter of a Karen.
We don't speak about... ugh "BECKY".
Cersei isn't a Karen. Compare Cersei's actions to those of her father Tywin. She was born into a world where being ruthless was how you survived.
Also, Cersei was born the daughter of a warden and then became queen. Per their society's structure, she WAS better than most people.
Finally someone said it lol. I feel like those who call her a Karen need to watch the show again or they just easily call every single female antagonist a Karen without thinking it through....
@@insertnamehere4491 Glad I'm not the only one who sees that!
Cersei is too complex to truly label her a Karen, but I do agree the prophecy impacts a sense of powerlessness in her and she does like to exercise her power as much as possible on those weaker than her, but never can at either her father or Robert B. By that definition, she could be a Karen.
If anyone in GOT is a Karen its Lysa Tully. Got the perfect spoilt karen kid aswell
@@TheDuffcat spot on, Cersei is not the typical Karen, Lysa is.
Nothing is more satisfying than saying NO to a Karen when you work in customer service and your supervisor also tells her NO. Is there anything else I can do for you, Karen? LOL
YES. That’s so empowering and it feels like heaven on earth 😍 I love when they are told “no ma’m” 👌🏽
i think people who get satisfaction from using their little job position are lowminded and weak. always talk shit from behind the counter, but always respectable and ass kissey in person away from that counter. "hi white lady. can my people get free stuff from yours?" hahahaaa
What about in general tho?
The bit on taking out her rage at the patriarchy on people even further below her on the social hierarchy (ie. POC) was particularly insightful, imo.
I think the most damaging part of Karens is that they actively hurt any feminist or female empowering movement. And because they are the loudest, they get the most coverage.
Maybe because they are the easiest way to try discredit feminism, but its obviously a bad faith argument.
The racism when they actively get men of colour hurt, arrested, killed is pretty damaging as well.
To some men, they are plain evidence that the feminists have totally won.
it's the job of feminists to antagonize the Karens. If they refuse to do, then they can't get anvgry if they're being conflated with the Karens.
@@amazingkris Then those men have a very wrong idea about what feminism is.
I just want to say that I’m glad they included Professor Umbridge. She was my OG Karen experience. I remember reading book 5 and just being so ANGRY! Way too young to be that pissed off at a character lol.
She isn't a Karen, she is a sociopath, Karen's a just White narcissistic woman.
imelda staunton is a legend for being able to play that character flawlessly
@@hulamames8650 but then you look at Imelda Stauton's earlier role in _Freedom Writers_ movie, and the similarities are too real...
LOL... same...
Pink had always been my favorite color. She RUINED THE ENTIRE COLOR for me!
@@yakinyamaddi That is exactly true.
As the old adage goes, "if you hate them, you know they're a good actor".
Glad you guys are going strong in quarantine!
Edit: could you guys make a video on Latino or Native American or more Asian stereotypes, or how they're depicted in the media?
The 'dragon lady' or those native American characters used to teach white guys something come to mind
Completely agree. Especially pointing out why Yalitza Aparicio is so special to the Latino community(well mostly me😅)
Hey there quick question,why is everyone talking about quarantine,are the Take members in quarantine or is the US on lockdown kindly ?
YES PLEASE, I'm sick of the "hot, spicy latina" crap that people like Sofía Vergara happily endorses -_-
Si!!!
Someone called me a Karen today because I asked on a Walmart Reddit post why curbside puts one item in a bag. I'm convinced he doesn't know what Karen means.
"Calling anyone you disagree with a Karen dilutes the word...."
Welcome to the Internet.
Is this like an extension of Godwin's Law?
@@ericdaniel323 More the idea that sooner or later, the Internet has a way of taking complex issues and diluting them down to the point of meaningless, whether in the name of memes, social media posts or just human nature in general.
@@stevenguitink5947 I was joking, but that actually sounds about the same. Godwin's Law says that every thread will eventually lead to Hitler, which often means someone is being inappropriately compared to the Nazis.
The internet can be annoying.
@@ericdaniel323 True. Also, my bad. So used to people taking comments on the Net at face value. Also know what Godwin's Law is too ;)
@@stevenguitink5947
people just need to mind their own business
I never really associated "Karen-ness" with being a woman. I work at a fast food place and get men who act entitled and selfish as well as women who do, and I think of all of them as "Karens."
The thing is not the entitlement itself, the thing is they are sandwiched between two parties, but choose to keep to their own despite knowing how it feels. Instead of looking inside and admid their actual powerlessness. It is what makes it so sad.
Idk, I think there is a difference in tone. When I worked in customer service (and I am a white woman) men could be unreasonable assholes, but it's like they were at least somewhat aware that if they crossed certain lines they could come across as threatening. Male customers almost never tried to touch me, for instance. But some white women didn't seem to think boundaries applied to them. Once a women came up behind me while I was stocking a shelf and ran her fingers through my hair, before telling me she liked my haircut. Scared me half to death, to just suddenly have mystery hands in my hair.... but she just laughed it off. Men never tried shit like that, probably because they would expect to get kicked out of the store for harassment.
@@chris7263 Hm. Americans always seem so very aware about their personal space. Touching is like crime. In other countries this is not like this, it depend of course where, but even here in the Netherlands we only would find woman on woman touch strange, but not like boundary braking hysterical.
We call the men "Kevins".
@@isabellalynnwood6486 That sounds more Chavvy.
Moral of the story: Don’t be a Karen. No one likes a Karen.
Well the subset of Drunk Classy Bitchy Karen's are loved, Lucile Bluth and Karen Walker have fans
@@christianwehner5565 Didn't we used to have drag queens for that?
@@neuralmute Doesn't mean we can't have both
((((((
I'll probably have to change my name now...
Karens’ kids are the most talented, gifted and entitled kids deserving of all of a teacher’s attention, according to them. Nobody else matters.
Some kids hate being "that" kid.
First.
I am so happy. But I see a lack of Mrs America, maybe cover that for a video on media housewives (the not so or very happy homemaker)?
Yes, please, I'd love for them to mention Mrs America again in a future video, as they did with the feminist trope. It's compelling how the Housewife stereotype has evolved over time, and there's even House Husbands nowadays! 🏡😻
@@trinaq Yes. There was a Washington Post article that likened Alice to the modern Karens.
Hestias
Like Marge Simpson?
@@kerri6011 That is one.
I'm glad she mentioned "Miss Ann". That's what my mom used to call them and anyone that tried to boss her around so much that she used to call a couple of my female cousins that when they had too many demands.
Omg, Mrs. Waterford from "The Handmaid's Tale" is THE Karen of all Karens.
I have to say though:
Umbridge aint a Karen in the Books.
The ‚Stickler for Rules’ was added in the Films.
They changed a lot.
YES!
I didn't realise how similar to Cersei she looks
Worst timing ever to be black and named Karen. Thanks mom.
Every Karen I have known in life is a nice, caring person. But I guess memes convince the masses, and there are some people who push for what they believe they deserve and are horrible to those who they think are menial, particularly those who work in shops, cafes, restaurants, and other retail outlets.
You can read up on Karen Attilah
Imagune if you were mixed instead of black. The Karen half would be calling the cops on the black half 😂
Whoopi Goldberg's real name is Karen but she spells it Caryn.
You're black??
Karens are just grown up Beckys
Becky->Karen->Susan
The lifecycle of those who live this sad existence.
@@Ray03595 is Susan the older one?
@@oooh19 Yes lol
@@Ray03595 And just like pokéman they evolve.
Becky is a broad name for all white women usually young ones.
Something i learned as a retail worker is that every women older than 30 is "Karen" but even the worst most sexist, racist or homophobic older men is just "stressed customer" that you need to "understand".
hmmm 🤔🤔
TRUE! Unfortunately
I don’t think that is true not all women are Karens
Preaaaach 👏👏👏 I had the same experience. Yet those gentlemen don't deserve a nickname and an avalanche of memes, wonder why? This is why I take 0 interest in jokes concerning these power dynamics, no matter who they target. Much rather do my criticism via political & social commentary.
Thank you 👏👏👏👏👏
I really don't think Dolores Umbridge qualifies as a Karen, she is so much more evil.
A more accurate Harry Potter Karen would be Rita Skeeter... or JK rowling
Karen's are evil.
I don't think that disqualifies her.
Petunia Dursley is Harry Potter's Karen, of course!
How are Karens not evil lol
Honestly, there are people who are named Karen who are genuinely good people. I have a friend who has a mother who looks like and is named Karen, bu she’s a GODDESS. She’s one of the science teachers and she is a lovely woman. Damn, I miss her.
"...particularly by white men can function as an excuse to insult older women while ignoring entitled white men who may more often get away with similar behaviour." EXACTLY
Something I noticed too
Makes me think about the grumpy old white guy trope ngl
@Emperor omg, after 11minutes, when he said 'overweight woman'
Misbehavior by one gender does excuse misbehavior from the other. When men did this there are just assholes/jerks they don’t get a special name.
I don't buy this at all. There's no racism involved in this term. It's because of her behavior not because she's WW. This isn't a racist term. That's a intellectually dishonest statement. It's also been used much more broadly to describe women as a whole who have these attributes
In spanish we call them "ladys" , "señora castrosa" and in my family we call them "Doña Chuy" , there was a woman who tried to hit a poor employe with a sandal in a pizza place because she wouldn't wear her mask
God, that sounds absolutely horrific! 😱 Fortunately, I haven't come across a severe Karen like that in my time, but they definitely exist all over!
"Ya siéntese señora" jajaja
Like Lady Frijoles
And Mexican Karens bring out their Karen on their kids
@@helloeli7162 Every time I hear Lady Frijoles I fucking DIE 😂
"THE KAREN OF WESTEROS"
that's no rare insult. that is an epic and glorious insult no one was ever given before. and god, it's so well deserved.
It was good.
Nah. Doesnt sound right
The Takes modern AV approach to the classic essay format is so enjoyable. it’s never bombastic in claim then empty in content. I really appreciate the honest attempt to explore and expound upon whatever theme or topic is at hand. Y’all do a wonderful job, and I personally thank you for bringing straightforward insightful pop culture trope breakdowns as opposed to hollow flashy BS.
Love this series, but i'd love more videos talking about Muslim tropes and arabian character tropes and how they should be fixed to the modern world
That's interesting
Because I remember the Muslim tropes before 9/11. Mostly the "silly cab driver" the "rich but confused foreigner" and they even fit into the "model minority" stereotype sometimes, but now the connotation has completely changed. Someone who is sexist, and violent, and anti-American. It would be really interesting to see how history and media have changed these negative stereotypes.
Yess
@@jacksont9455 what about the Arab "morally dubious billionaire/crime boss/human trafficker" in those action thrillers like Taken
@@tahsina.c That's true too. Shows and movies about human trafficking generally feature either Arabic, African, or Russian traffickers, even though the biggest customers of human trafficking are from the United States
@@jacksont9455 I agree. as a muslim born and raised in America after 9/11, I'm tired of seeing the same tropes for Muslims illustrated in shows and movies (hence why I love abed from community, who's Muslim AND Palestinian and is obsessed with pop culture)
Karen from mean girls is like the exact opposite of this trope haha
Ikr
AKA - My mom's trope. Yeah, she is Karen by soul.
My condolences
Break the chain!
Show her this video and see her reaction :o
This video made me realize my mom is a Karen. Honestly I don't think about her a lot, other than what not to be.
Freud literally wrote the book on this. "On Narcissism."
Honestly we need a name for male Karen because they exist too.
What could be as catchy and as memorable as “male Karen”?
Nothing would take nearly as well.
@@BlackCover95 let's brainstorm together. How about Kevin?
@@BlackCover95 or we could just call them Karen too😂😂😂😂
Ken.
@@Iquey niceeee I like ken.
Karen's aren't only middle-aged . They can be late 20s and 30s too.
Yeah that is Becky.
ALL communities have them....believe it or not Ive met several women named Karen that were great people....this is not a very intelligent movement
@@mistyphilippe1575 Its not a movements. More a meme to label those that are unbelievably entitled, and by now it has been expanded to about anyone. I do agree some use it for any situation or person they don't like regardless of the reason one person is having a breakdown.
@@mistyphilippe1575 one of the reasons they’re called “Karen’s” is because Karen was one of the most popular names when baby boomers were born. And the baby boomer generation happens to have a lot of entitled people. So a lot of the white, Middle Aged white women when the meme was made were named Karen.
Not every Karen is a Karen, and not all Karens are named Karen. Everyone knows this
Lol I was called a Karen once because I heard several blood curdling screams in a parking lot and went to make sure no one was dying.
That’s alarming for sure and I hope everything was ok. If it turned out that nothing was wrong and you insisted on investigating and escalating, then yes-you were being a Karen. I hope you saved a life that night
@@valthomas9786 apparently, it was just a brother and sister (adults) just messing around, but I've certainly never head screams like that from an adult in public before. I didn't escalate, though I was worried about turning my back because the man was acting very aggressive. I hope everyone was okay, but the woman was looking okay, no one looked hurt.
Caring for other's safety is such a Karen thing to do...sure.
That was actually really nice of you
if she is white, though, retards will claim her a "karen" out of their lowmind racism.
Should've included the clip from the movie _Waiting_ - there's a scene where a woman berates one of the waitresses over her orders which she's never satisfied with (save for a salad) and she even questions the intelligence of the people working there. People thought that the scene was over-exaggerated (maybe the ending of that scene is, hopefully), but when you've been a waiter/waitress for a long enough time - you either have a story about that or you've witnessed it.
Before watching the video, I have a feeling this relates to the martyrdom that women have felt throughout history, and sometimes currently feel. I think this is especially felt in conservative families with very traditional gender roles. We give up so much to be mothers (which traditionally is expected of us) and have been "put in our place" for most of history. Men have the real power. I think being a Karen is simply a bad method of trying to reclaim power. Even though they feel hurt, the "Karen" actions they use to try to regain a sense of power just makes people dislike them. It's a victim further victimizing themselves. Misunderstood, but their actions make them assholes. (Of course I don't think this describes all Karens, I think it more describes the average Karen who freaks out in public, not necessarily the rich extra narcissistic Karen)
They excist everywhere :
In The Netherlands we call them a Gerda
that's such a nice name though :o
@@marekvojtko1846 i don’t really like it with the Dutch pronuncation ( Does sound better in other languages tho🙂)
And its a kinda old fashioned name in Dutch
In my country they are called "Marites".
Never heard about Gerda, I would know I am Dutch...
@@estherbosbach377 lol volgens mij hebben we in NL ook gewoon "Karens"
My name is Karen. I've worked in retail for 15 years being yelled at by Lindas, Barbaras and Judy's. So how is it fair that my name embodies these nightmare women?
✨🔥🙏🏼💚
Freaking unfair!
It’s not fair at all. Its a stereotypical name associated with a certain demographic of white women. Kinda like “Jamal” for black men. I’m sure you’re a wonderful person. Imagine being named Osama or Adolph…
@@valthomas9786 or jerome leroy tyrel/tyrone or lamont
I liked the Karen meme and it being used to describe entitled middle-aged white women, until sexist dudes started using it just so they could hate on women.
There also doesn't seem to be a male equivalent of karen, nor do people get as outraged when a man in a video shows ''Karen behaviour''. Not saying that we should get rid of the ''Karen Trope''. It's just something to think about.
I always thought of male Karen’s as “Darrens” sixteenleo had a really funny video about then you should check it out
There isn't a male equivalent because male equivalents just generally get called "asshole/doucebag/ pos" instead. I guess we should do that with women for the sake of fairness since "Karen" is so sexist.
@@Ray03595 Kevin, Ken, Chad are male Karen named equivalents
I thought they were called Kyle's.
Yea there are just as many male ‘karens’ out there to be realistic. I think we can call them Karen’s too :). But it makes me worry when I get older I may not ever be able to stick up for myself without being labeled a Karen type. I hardly stick up for myself now because I’m so socially awkward. But in 10 years I hope I’ll be even more self assured.
The "Karen" stereotype can also tie in with the "Smother" trope, who is an overbearing mother or guardian who controls every aspect of her kids' lives, even when they're grown adults. Beverly Goldberg is THE best example! 😉💕
"Helicopter parent" right?
OMZG my mom
yea she's just unreal! yikes!
They need to do videos on the Overbearing/Overprotective Parent (especially the Jewish Mother or Latina Mom)
Faye Dunaway as Joan Crawford in Mommie Dearest is a savage example.
Anyone interested in more about how Karen became so popular on the internet, Tiffany Ferguson made an Internet Analysis video about the Karen meme, I highly recommend!
Tiffany has great video analysis
4:37 The name Karen, from what I recall, comes from a posting thread created by a man who was married to his wife, Karen, and then got divorced. His account was dedicated to posting stories of her outrageous fits of rage and horrible actions so that people could read them. Reddit loved it so much that they decided to dedicate a whole subreddit for him to compile his stories and perhaps for other Redditors in the audience to post similar stories of women who were like the original poster's ex-wife (or 'Karen'). Eventually, that term spread to other platforms like wildfire and now we know it as a common term. I'm pretty sure the subreddit is called "r/F*ckyouKaren" (without the asterisk)
Except now, anytime a woman that shares an opinion that someone doesn’t like is immediately deemed a “Karen”. Just like so many words, it’s become meaningless.
>Just like so many words, it’s become meaningless.
Nope, it's become actively sexist.
Well, actually, no she isn’t and no it isn’t. Unless you run with a really, really dumb group of people.
@@chuckm1961 unfortunately there are a lot of really, really dumb people on the internet lol
@Eamonn Wright I don’t see evidence of that. Saying those words does not make it true.
@@chuckm1961 Nope, it's already happening. That's why so many women in the comments are talking about "keeping the term pure" and "it's getting overused", they're the same people who in the past looked at a 5 second clip and deemed other women Karens in the first place.
My problem with this trope is that on meme sites nowadays any woman who has an opinion or speaks out about something gets labeled a Karen, just like every man who says something nice about a woman gets labeled a simp. It has become an incredibly sexist trope and I feel like you should be able to call out bitchy behaviour without it turning into mysoginy.
Guys can act in a bitchy way like this and as far as I know there is no trope name for that.
EXACTLY!
I agree. I say this as a black woman, I think that it is getting to the point that when a woman really does have a legitimate complaint, then she is labeled as a Karen, and it's an easy way to dismiss real concerns. And you are right. These memes do hide misogynistic intent.
as a poc woman i agree with this
the way some ppl jump at every chance to showcase their misogyny
I thought a male Karen was called a Chad. I've been using it that way. Am I using "Chad" wrong?
@@Luboman411 Chad is basically the "you may not like it, but this is what peak performance looks like" meme on a dude. The full name IS Chad Thundercock.
In Mexico we call them Ladies and Lords, those people who feel entitled to everything. Some examples are Lady Tres Pesos (she wanted to get into a supermarket with her child, mind you covid and I think she didn't have a mask) and Lord Pizza (wanted a little caesars and didn't have mask)
Karen story: I was working at my cafe when a lady in a pantsuit came in, lowering her sunglasses slightly and ordering a cortado in an already passive aggressive tone. Everything went down hill very quickly when I told her that, due to COVID, my cafe couldn't accept cash as a manner of payment (while we accepted everything but cash), without giving me a moment to breathe, she yelled out "well what about the women who are forced to become hookers for the NHL?"
😂😭😂😭🤦🏾
National Hockey League?
entitlement check anger check random neurotic outburst double check
"The chain of screaming" was known in the Depression as "...and the office boy kicked the cat."
Shit flows down hill.
Why is entitlement even cute? It’s a euphemism for being a horrible person.
Is cute if you're a upper class middle aged white men that can pay the credit card so your wife's awful personality doesn't bother you but the cashier instead; when they get older their looks make them a Karen so you divorce them and find another bratty young woman with her "endering" demands.
And guess what type of folk is producing all the stuff in Hollywood?
By that definition everyone today is a horrible person.
Everyone is constantly screaming their ‘rights’ (entitlements) are under threat.
‘Rights’ to broadband internet connections, private schooling, organic produce and of course ‘respect’ (obedience).
It's not... It's anything and everything BUT cute.
It isn't cute. It's a scourge.
It's only cute in a girl if you can tease her.
Being master's favorite dog is still being a dog and having a master
A "Karen" is just a female narcissist. A whopping sense of entitlement is at least partly a class thing, and not a gender thing at all.
Male narcissists are not made into such a pop culture character.
@@Lalan396 true thst
Plenty of male Karen’s out there!
Class and race
But I definitely agree.
The gender component involves the Karen's modus operandi of feigning victim-hood, whereas the male counterpart would have to feign strength or authority instead of playing the victim.
I can tell you right now- as a black person that is always on “black Twitter”, Karen from Goodfellas had absolutely nothing to do with “Karen”
Listen to people when they tell you about themselves. That’s your perception as a Black woman but white women know who they are too. Take notes sis...
@deepdive Hold up, I think she's black, so it's allowed.
Lemme check my notes.
@@reclaimedandrested what the hell does that have to do with Karen from goodfellas?
deepdive .. what’s wrong with calling a black woman “sis”?
Cersei and Dolores are not Karens. They're way too cool and evil for that. And also lady from Knives out. It seems that now you can call anyone "Karen".
I think they link Uxbridge because of her hate on werewolves and creatures which arguably can link to racism
Just because the narrative found a way to portray them as "cool" or "evil" doesn't make their actions less "Karen"-like. Umbridge is a little white woman in a position of power who weaponises her stature and sickly pink, syrup-voiced aesthetic to paint herself as a sweet public servant who's just there to do her job while she terrorises children and enacts policies that discriminate against muggle-born wizards and sentient, intelligent magical creatures (such as giants, centaurs, goblins, et cetera). Speaking as a British person in an enforcement role in civil service, I know the type very well. Dolores Umbridge is a Karen.
I think Cersei isn’t a Karen because she eventually breaks the rules and doesn’t feign helplessness. She has that fear, but she’s too rich to care
I totally agree with you on this point. Cersei isn't a Karen. She has those tendencies, but she's a whole different creature! (I do love me some evil Cersei.)
@@TheTam0613 as much as I love catelyn she’s the only one in got with the most potential to be a Karen or to be classified as one
@@kkandsims4612 What about Lysa Arryn? Or is she just bitter about LF?
I think actually all the women in GoT are too complex to just be considered by the simplistic Karen trope.
3:47 - I always call the hairstyle the “Utah Mom” because at least half of the moms I see at the Walmart I work at have this haircut
I have only dealt with one Karen at work, a women who complained I didn’t slice her party subs into individual slices when she didn’t ask for us to do that on her order. I would have sliced them for her but we were very busy that day and understaffed. She then complains that when she use to work at Walmart they always sliced the party subs that way. I worked in the deli for 6 years and was never taught to do that unless a customer asked for it. She then took her order and yells at the customer service, cursing them out. That event nakes me think this is probably why she USE to work at Walmart.
My mother is a Karen: a full malignant narcissist who thinks she’s better than everyone else. Although she’s different in that she only believes 2 of her 4 kids are special.
I am sorry to hear that, but a Karen is not a narcissist. She is somebody who could be able to look inside to amid her powerlessness and could choose to speak of from that place to gain some authentic independence, but chooses not to. That is the tradigy of it.
@@estherbosbach377 I think narcissists can be the worst Karen's. It's the entitlement that's a core factor, and narcissists arent excluded from feelings of powerlessness.
That must be incredibly difficult to bear. I empathize and I wish you well.
My mom is karen too😔
Are you in therapy?
"You are Godless, woman."
Sums it up.
When you have a class to attend in 10 minutes but the take uploads.
My last class just ended when this came on😂😂🤷🏾♀️
I need to sleep but here I am
Yea this is how I use my study hall
The name Karen carries such a stigma that if I had a daughter and named her Karen, I'd instantly be a horrible parent. The name has become less and less popular because of this meme and I don't think it will ever rise in popularity again
Did.... did they just call Cersei the Karen of Westeros? Lmfaooo
Cersei is a lot of hateful things, but she's no Karen though, she IS the Manager
To be fair, isn’t pretty much everyone on that show horrible?
Also as a waitress i deal with a lot of Karen's and literally had to deal with one Saturday just gone. They frustrate me so much. On the surface i have to obviously be polite and nice and tentative and bite my tongue but underneath mentally I am thinking "You're a Karen and i am done with you"
@@missj794 nah cus i know how devastating death of loved ones can be and i never like to wish stuff like that on people. I never wish death, injury or illness onto people or their loved ones cus thats horrible. Instead i just imagine a pigeon pooping on either their head or car cus that's just funny. Or the bird just flying at them.
You just have to learn to cut them down with a smile. There is a way to let somebody know their attitude isn't appreciated without getting into trouble with management (depending on how controlling management is, I guess. If you are working with a script there isn't much wiggle room). I have shut down some seriously unacceptable nonsense with a smile.
@@FollowingUsernamesR I found it easier to just accept that putting up with unreasonable people was part of my job. Trying to cut Karen down only makes her (or him) more of a Karen. And by reacting that way, you are giving them personal power over you, instead of just situational power as part of your job. Karens act that way because they feel powerless deep down and want to exercise control over something. Let that something be their dinner order, not your psyche.
@@ericdaniel323 I guess it is just one of those things where I got tired of these women assuming that because I look like them, I agree witht their racism, or that because I am providing a service, they are in a position of power. My job expects me to educate clients about some pretty basic things, sometimes I give them a more expansive education...like a reverse Karen. But idc if they speak to my manager, the most they can say is, "I don't want to see her again." I know not everyone has a job like that, I certainly didn't in the past.
The Karen is what the Mean Girl became after leaving highschool
Yup
Shout out to all Karen's who are NOT like that 😂
They will be the last of Karens.