Problems With How People Handle “Karens”

What I wish people would do when confronted with these yelling, abusive and dangerous people.

Photo by television.co on Unsplash

I have to make a confession. While I scroll through my social media feeds, I will stop and look at some “Karen” videos. There they are in all their glory, the middle-aged white women (and, on rare occasions, men) — yelling and screaming. Their words pour out a torrent of verbal abuse and nonsense. They are often so angry that they are on the brink of violently attacking someone. I have to ask the question, what should we do if we meet one?

Mistakes People Make When Dealing with Karen Attacks

Here are some of the main mistakes that people make when they are responding to these situations and some possible solutions and strategies we can use if we are facing this type of encounter.

Not recognizing what may be fueling the attack

Sometimes video depictions have commentators who roll their eyes, tsk-tsk and laugh at them. They shook their heads and accused the Karens of being entitled. I think there is more to it. I have had a lot of exposure to mental illness in people close to me and met many drug addicts and alcoholics during my volunteer work, so I have to wonder if these factors are fuelling their behavior in some…