Have you been a Karen or Kevin or been attacked by one?

B

Blessed

Well-known Member
This has become such a big deal. So much coverage put on the net now that almost everyone has a cell with camera. I do not have a cell so I really don't pay attention. I have "Karened" a time or two. It was in the hospital when my husband was receiving cancer treatment or other medical things and they did not bring his medications on time. That was the one thing I just could not stand and would flip out if he was not taken care of.

Have you been a Karen or Kevin or been attacked by one?
 

i had a Karen in line in front of me at a self check line.a register was open and on the way there she stopped and started talking to another person at one of the other registers.i did wait a little I thought it might be brief..but she just kept yapping.there was a line behind me so I went to the open register.she had a fit and loudly said I cut in front of her and I was rude.i just turned around and smiled at her.that made her even angrier.other people in line just smiled at me.
 
i suspect some online customer service reps have perceived me as one for my strong words about how their company has messed up (i actually usually point how they could do better--often involves beta testing websites when 'updated' and utilizing tech properly to better serve people.

i haven't encountered either (but i live rural), my daughter gets a lot of both at the Motel where she works. Most of them get angry they can't get exactly type of room they want for price they want when they come strolling in the day/night they want it without having made a reservation. Or complain the Swamp Coolers not hooked up when night temps still going below 45; or that TV isn't working. 1) The sets there actually tell folks that 'inclement' weather can disrupt service and often they checked in because that weather was too extreme for them to keep driving, but apparently expect the clerk to climb on the roofs (the motel has two sections and satellite dishes) in the dark to brush still falling snow off the receivers. 2) often the set is simply unplugged--same happens with other appliances in the room too. Nor can they wait a few minutes for hot water to travel the width of some 8-10 rooms from water heater pushing the cold water sitting in the pipes out first.

Of late, being an old white woman, i have on occasion come close to telling someone who apologized to profusely for blocking my path or accidentally bumping me in a crowded store that they need not worry--i'm not going to go all 'Karen' on them, but i usually just smile and say 'It's alright, accidents happen.'
 
Blessed said:
This has become such a big deal. So much coverage put on the net now that almost everyone has a cell with camera. I do not have a cell so I really don't pay attention. I have "Karened" a time or two. It was in the hospital when my husband was receiving cancer treatment or other medical things and they did not bring his medications on time. That was the one thing I just could not stand and would flip out if he was not taken care of.

Have you been a Karen or Kevin or been attacked by one?
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Insisting on the best possible care for your husband isn't being a Karen, though. Karens and Kevins are people who think they're special and they (and their spouses, sons, and daughters) deserve better than the best possible.
 
Murrmurr said:
Insisting on the best possible care for your husband isn't being a Karen, though. Karens and Kevins are people who think they're special and they (and their spouses, sons, and daughters) deserve better than the best possible.
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I am sure some of the nurses thought I was a Karen. I would get upset if he was in pain and I knew his medication was delayed. Don't get me wrong he had wonderful doctors and nurses but it did not seem to me reasonable to make sure he was pain free. I would give them a half an hour but after that I was at the nurses station throwing a fit. It was not a fun time, I was never a confrontational person but that I could not accept it.

I know you know that pain medication must be kept current to make sure there is no break through pain.
 
oldaunt said:
You know, there really ARE a lot of people who actually have those names. Pretty darn unkind to stigmatize them that way. Shame.
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I agree, I don't know who chose those names but I guess someone decided instead of b***** or b*****. Kind of like using John or Jane Doe when someone can't be identified.
 
Blessed said:
This has become such a big deal. So much coverage put on the net now that almost everyone has a cell with camera. I do not have a cell so I really don't pay attention. I have "Karened" a time or two. It was in the hospital when my husband was receiving cancer treatment or other medical things and they did not bring his medications on time. That was the one thing I just could not stand and would flip out if he was not taken care of.

Have you been a Karen or Kevin or been attacked by one?
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It doesn't sound as if you were unreasonable @Blessed simply looking after your very sick husband.
 
I have most often often heard of Karens in regard to the pandemic and fortunately I haven't been one or been accosted by one. They were those women who took it upon themselves to rudely tell others to put on a mask in public, although it could apply to any insane rant. There are actually some pretty funny stories about them. I wasn't aware it had to do with race although I shouldn't be surprised to see that pop up.
 
Blessed said:
I agree, I don't know who chose those names but I guess someone decided instead of b***** or b*****. Kind of like using John or Jane Doe when someone can't be identified.
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From what I’ve read, the origin may have come from social media; African-Americans referring to some white middle aged woman as Karen’s. In part based on the popularity of the name in the 60’s, and therefore perceived to be prevalent later in middle age?

Kevin being the male version. But prior to this, in the UK at least, ‘Kevin’ was a name used to describe a particular type of teenager:

 
Murrmurr said:
Karens and Kevins are people who think they're special and they (and their spouses, sons, and daughters) deserve better than the best possible.
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New to me, I am neither, but have know lots of Kevins and Karens don't recall ever having trouble with any of them.

It seems an unnecessary degrading of a couple of perfectly good names...
 
oldaunt said:
In my opinion, anyone calling someone a Karen IS the worst of what they are referring to. Its ugly.
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What would suggest for people who behave in such ways??? The more cumbersome partially obscured B**** or B******? Or perhaps the gender neutral A**H***?

While i don't use the terms Karen/Kevin except in the context of a thread like this one they have become part of current slang. But no calling someone that is, IMO, no where near as bad as some of things such people say and do, including ones who have accosted children for things riding a bike on sidewalk past their (the AH's) house; hurling various kinds of very nasty epithets at random folks minding their own. business in public places.

Often they are the ones who have cut in a line: blocked a grocery aisle, then go ballistic on someone who says 'excuse me' hoping to get by; wrongly assumed someone was employee of a store and refused to grasp when they are told the person is not.

While i feel sorry for anyone who actually has those names perhaps there is lesson about the weight of stereotypes on people who may look/seem like the people that inspired the stereotype but do not actually behave the same.
 

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