AIBU - 'Karen' is about class, why are people so class-blind?

[Beancounter1]

AIBU to hate the way people confuse racism and sexism with class prejudice? To my mind, the use of the insult 'Karen', especially popular in the USA, doesn't just mean a middle-aged white woman who is arrogant, self-righteous, self absorbed, complaining, trouble-making, full-of-herself, etc. etc.
It means a middle or upper class woman with these characteristics. You won't see a working class 'Karen'. The stereotypical 'Karen' behaves as she does because she is on a power trip. Her social class advantage has gone to her head. That is why she complains in restaurants and is rude to shop assistants.
Why are people so blind to class prejudice? Why is the world so often seen only through the lens of race or sex? Is it because the powers-that-be (the 'elite') have a vested interest in deflecting and forestalling any class-based collective action or class consciousness? We are not encouraged to talk or think about class, but it is as significant as ever.

Does anyone remember the 'twigs and pebbly shit' threads? Slating a woman because of her taste in home décor perfectly illustrates what women are up against all the time.

Tbh I don't know much about class systems in the US but in the U.K. if you are a Karen race doesn't come into jt. You are being rude to someone because you think you are superior to them - in a shop for example. As such Karen is rude to people because of their status versus her perceived status. Here that is equally if not more likely to be a white person than a POC. Perhaps that's different in the US

The character of Karen in Cold Feet does not fit that silly stereotype. 🧐

@Pinkkgaga why? what if your name was being used in a derrogative way and you saw it all over SM?

"None of those perjoratives for men carry the distain and hatred that the women's ones do."

That's totally subjective - you don't know what hurts other peoples' feelings. Sorry, you can't pick and choose what names we can or can't call people - if you scream "Dickhead!" in someone's face, they will certainly feel your disdain and hatred.

Besides which, Gammon and Soyboy are actually really offensive and usually said in a hateful way.

If Karen becomes just another name men call women as a general insult, then that's a problem. At the moment the problem is nosy, aggressive, overbearing meddling behaviour which unfortunately you just can't expect to get away with in the age of smartphones. If they can't leave me alone, I'd rather react with humour.

@atilathehut As such Karen is rude to people because of their status versus her perceived status.

Apparently @Pinkkgaga thinks I'm a Karen for sticking up for my relatives who are actually called Karen - you've just proved my point thank you!

@VenusTiger I’m just explaining it from a young persons pov. There’s loads on memes calling people morning about the joke ‘karens’. It’s a joke like the ‘Kyle’ memes.

Here it's definitely a working class name,

What have you that idea? That’s hilarious.😆

'DON'T YOU DARE CALL MY DAD A LOVE RAT' said no one ever.

Loving your posts today
@MorrisZapp

@Pinkkgaga so why did you say anyone reading those tweets in all honesty will just think that’s such a Karen thing to say - is that what YOU think THEY'LL think? So, basically, it's what YOU think.

I am defending genuine Karens and you've turned it into me being perceived as the derrogatory 'Karen' - and that's pathetic and only adds to the effect of the term 'Karen'.

*candilemon

The character of Karen in Cold Feet does not fit that silly stereotype. 🧐*

Karen in Cold Feet was conceptualised long before the bitter mean Karen meme stereotype.
Possibly before we had the internet? I can't remember when it started but Cold Feet is old and Karen wasn't a classist pejorative insult back then.

I agree re twigs and pebbly shit. I always want to see photos of the houses of people making those comments. My best friend is a teacher, she's the kindest, strongest, best person I know. She has a 'keep calm and drink gin' picture on her wall.

Not my taste but so what? Is my house worthy of the Guardian weekend section? No it isn't, and those houses tend to look cold and uncomfortable to me.

Popular culture is just that, popular. Pumpkin spiced lattes are popular because they're sweet and tasty (to many).

I'm not perfect, I laugh at the shite people spend their money on. I inwardly eye rolled at keep calm and drink gin. I get it that this is middle of the road clichedom.

But its just stuff, isn't it. I don't have to have it in my house and if I did I can't imagine someone thinking less of me because of it.

My late gran had legendarily bad taste. We used to cry with laughter about the things she filled her house with. But we never thought she was a less worthy person, and the tears were of grief when she died. I adore and treasure the knick knacks I took from her beloved home. What they meant to her is what matters, not how cool we happen to deem them.

"what if your name was being used in a derrogative way and you saw it all over SM?"

Genuine apology to those people. You can Google how the name arose and stuck. That part of it is very unfair :(

@VenusTiger this isn't about actual Karen's - it's about a stereotype of a lower middle class middle aged woman. It's offensive to all middle aged women - not just those called Karen!

If someone is described as a Karen I would imagine her to be a lower middle class busybody.

Sporting something called a mum bob.

@MorrisZapp
Not my taste but so what?
I’m interested in why your taste is.

what your

I'm growing out my mum bob in lockdown. Loving my new long hair. I remain the kind and empathetic person I always was though, even when I had the shittest skunky highlights of all time.

Ooh. Well, I grew up in a seventies haze of brown walls, books everywhere, macrame, cork tiles and swiss cheese plants. I love that style but DP weirdly doesn't so it's a compromise.

These days I like subtle patterned wallpaper, my big leather sofa, a mirror over the mantelpiece and the obligatory fairy lights. I think of it as slightly Scandinavian but I make no claim to authenticity.

I've got a few truly shite knick knacks about the place but I love them.

Nothing with live love laugh. But maybe a plug in candelabra from Ikea.

It's sexist and ageist first and foremost. There's not a male version ( don't start, there isn't and you know there isn't) because it's aimed at women who dare to speak up about anything.
And no, Amy Cooper isn't a 'Karen' she a racist. Big difference,

An exasperated Karen -

@VenusTiger don’t put words in my mouth or tell me what I think.
That being said, yes you do sound exactly like a typical Karen.

What’s this one about then?