Karen

A meta-analysis of 76 definitions of ‘Karen’ on Urban Dictionary reveals that only approximately 5% of the defining characteristics have a Karen being ‘racist’. The overwhelmingly definitive characteristics of the stereotype are, in order: that she wishes to speak to the manager (with a subset threatening to call the police) 28.25%; that she has kids, more than one, is overley protective and always takes them after the divorce 22.03%; that she has a swept, layered bob hairdo 11.06%; and that she is white and middle aged, both 10.73%. Her attitudes to masks, vaccines, minorities and her own entitlement put together constitute less than 17% of the character of a Karen. These facts have apparently presented no barrier to a cynical appropriation of this stereotype and the projection onto it of the fanciful notion that America is a fundamentally racist society, as portrayed in the recently released movie ‘Karen’. So few people will take the time to familiarise with the etymology of newly coined words that we are on the brink of millions of Americans being led dumbly by this movie to the conclusion that a Karen is a racist, illustrating that a politicised Hollywood and Madison avenue are the graveyards of natural language.