Originally published at: How is a demanding "Karen" made? This TikToker's explanation is spot on (video) | Boing Boing
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I don’t believe that all "Karen’s must have been so-called Trophy Wives. I can’t help feeling that significant isolation must be a big factor.
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“TikToker Rebecca Larsen” comes across as a bit of a Karen herself.
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I suspect most of us are quite capable of being a “Karen”. But of course, when you get upset with the service you receive, and you feel the need to seek the attention of management, that’s totally different, because yes, you know working in retail is nightmarish and you know that no one is really to blame here but you have a legitimate issue rooted in systemic flaws and some changes clearly have to be made and if you don’t speak up then nobody will, and so on.
I don’t think it requires one to be a “trophy wife”, only that you think you’re superior in some way and exceptions must be made. There are plenty of average women who still feel superior because they are white 
But if you’re good looking and white, then you have a double whammy of the idea you’re superior and exceptions should be made.
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That was much more introspective than I expected.
I think that’s kinda the point; she seems to be speaking from personal experience.
The words cautionary tale come to mind.
False equiv is false as fuck.
Mere ‘complaining about poor service’ isn’t why Karens get called out.
It’s because they actively weaponize their White privilege against POC and other marginalized & oppressed people.
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In what way? Everything she says seems to be spot on…
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I just want to second this, it’s totally possible to be upset with the product/service you receive without turning into an avatar of privilege.
I’ve definitely had times when I was VERY annoyed with customer service (hello US medical insurance industry), but any time that happens make it a point to never rise past the level of grumpy or take it out in any way on the actual person I’m talking to. Once even got into a conversation with a support rep about how it was the company and its higher-ups that were making life hard for both of us.
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Word.
I’ve asked to speak to a manager before; because I knew it would take their authority to rectify whatever the issue was.
Customers do still deserve to get what they’ve paid for, along with some basic respect.
Wanting that is NOT the same thing as being a Karen.
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That’s so sa…Oh yeah, I’m all out of f**ks for these people.
I think she makes a very compelling argument. I’m sure it doesn’t explain every case, but it holds up consistently for the case she’s describing.
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When the handle falls off the basket holding all your eggs
Yup. Nailed it.
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There’s one thing that jumped out at me, though:
TikToker Rebecca Larsen tells the Karen origin story like no other. Watch (below) as she so amazingly explains how these victims
I wouldn’t describe Karens as victims. They chose that life, swallowed those lies, and attempt to mess with others to make themselves feel superior / better about themselves. The worst of them don’t care about the consequences to others, and engage in targeting as @Melizmatic described above.
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Agreed.
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Yeah, I mean, there is some societal pressure to conform to specific ideas of femininity, but there are very much alternative models to be embraced that aren’t all that hard to find, if one seeks it out.
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Yeah. I think the video describes one very specific pathway to Karenhood, but there are several. Isolation, loneliness turning into anger at seeing other people having fun, etc. All served on a bed of racial superiority, of course.
Her story was so detailed I wondered if it was autobiographical.
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