What exactly does it mean when somebody gets called a Karen in English?
Have you heard people use this term to describe somebody?
Lately this term has been used more and more, and you’re going to want to know what it means.
You will learn what this term means, and how it ties into the Black Lives Matter movement.
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Understanding Modern Terms Used A Lot
We want to get you up to date with the more modern terms, and the ones that you would use beyond just a textbook.
Our conversations are completely different now than they were even ten years ago.
It’s interesting to notice how the conversations that we have, the things we’re saying, and even the way that we talk is different.
The intonation is different, so even the way that we deliver the things we are trying to say.
The memes that we see are a big part of this, and one that you may have seen a lot of lately is the “Karen meme.”
The last episode in this series was about trolling in AEE 1445, so this is the next installment on modern terms.
A “Karen” is a white woman who is entitled, middle aged like thirties to fifties, with a particular blonde haircut.
This has expanded though to a privileged white woman who fits a certain stereotype.
Breaking Down “The Karen”
So you can start by understanding that a “Karen” is a white woman who enjoys privilege that she may not even realize she has.
This whole concept has grown even more to a white woman who is not only unfamiliar with her privilege, but who also likes to complain a lot.
She’s the type of person who may complain nonstop and then always ask to “speak to the manager.”
She is an entitled type of woman who can almost become abusive with her complaining.
She complains about everything, even the seemingly smallest thing.
It may be over a silly experience in a restaurant, or it may be that a bakery didn’t have the right type of cookies when she went.
This all shows her entitlement and how she complains about things that really aren’t a big deal.
She doesn’t recognize that she has white privilege, or that she is entitled and therefore her complaining is really unimportant.
The event that happened in Central Park is what reignited the idea of the “Karen”, and therefore that’s important to know about.
The reason why this became so pervasive on social media is because of a woman named Amy Cooper who was walking her dog off leash in the park.
There was an African American man who was bird watching in the woods, who asked her to put her dog on a leash–she called the police on him!
His request was reasonable and it is actually the law to put your dog on a leash, and so this went viral.
It became so big because she had such a horrible reaction that she even lost her job.
There are details about this particular story to check into, but this launched the evolution of the Karen.
A Persona That Has Launched Many Conversations
It’s interesting to use a name to typify something or somebody like this.
You can use this as a springboard to get out of that entitled attitude, and so this has helped to shed light on things.
It’s interesting to sort of take inventory in your whole life to consider how you are privileged because it can be a wakeup call to a certain extent.
This is a deeper issue, and it’s interesting to think of how you have benefited in your life because of that privilege.
You can think of how you are lucky because of it, and then take it one step further and consider how you can pay this forward.
There are actions you can take to pay it forward with something as small as smiling at people, or even volunteering in your community.
There are so many things you can do in your daily life to make a big difference!
This Is A Cultural Thing And Important To Talk About
The idea of a “Karen” isn’t new so to speak, as this idea existed years ago.
We’ve talked about the very current history of Karen, and how it came about in recent days.
The idea of a Karen however started back in 2014, and it surrounded a woman named Kate Gosselin who was on a show called “Jon and Kate Plus 8.”
This show featured her and her family, and the woman was a bit crazy but typified the “Karen” based on the way that she handled things.
So the idea of a Karen is not new as it dates back to how she was on the show and in life.
It has however became very common and current because the latest current events that have highlighted this behavior and state of mind.
Oftentimes current events help to get conversations going about important topics.
Though the “Karen” is not a positive topic, it is something that needs to be talked about.
It would be interesting to see how this is based on different cultures, and we’d love to hear about this.
We’d love to get comments based on this persona, and what ideas like this exist in your culture.
The Karen is a very American concept, but it would be interesting to hear how other cultures view this and experience anything similar.
Takeaway
The concept of the “Karen” is a very American one, and something that has come up quite a bit.
You will hear about this a lot due to current events, and it’s a common symbol of privilege in this country.
This is a good example of checking privilege and talking about it based on current events.
This is not a flattering term, but one that is becoming a common persona in our culture today.
Knowing how to talk about such current cultural terms is an important way of reflecting and of connecting as well.
If you have any questions, please leave them below in the comments section.
We’ll get back to you as soon as we can.
