The Psychological Power of Calling Someone a Karen

Karen used to be such an innocuous name. Not anymore. Now it’s an insult.  Karen is the entitled, officious middle-aged white woman who wants to speak to the manager. More ominously, she and Ken, her male counterpart, are racists. They are “unashamed exploiters of white entitlement.” Have you heard about the woman in San Francisco who called the cops on a Filipino man who was stenciling “Black Lives Matter” in chalk on his own property? She was named Lisa, but she’s a Karen. So, too, is the most notorious Karen, Amy Cooper. When a Black man in Central Park politely asked her to leash her dog, as required in that area of the park, she called 911 and, faking fear and panic, said that an African American man was threatening her.  Karen episodes blow up on social media. They attract millions of likes, shares, and retweets, and often cross over into the mainstream media. Each Karen is shamed and mocked relentlessly. Her real name is discovered and announced, and she sometimes issues a public apology.  Why are the Karen episodes so fascinating to so many people? How can we understand their psychological power? Naming a Phenomenon Is Validating and Clarifying Stories about people who behave in Karen-like ways can be important. They can make an impression. Their power is amplified when they are all gathered together under the umbrella of a unifying name. Now the next person is not just another obnoxious, entitled, potentially dangerous figure. She’s a Karen. A Karen ...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Psychology Racism Women's Issues Entitlement Privilege white fragility white tears Source Type: blogs