For reasons that are unclear to me, the women and men so infuriated
in these videos are called “Karen”, so let me start by saying that’s not
appropriate. My mother-in-law’s name is Karen, and she’s always kind
and courteous. I’ve known other women named Karen, who were also not
nincompoops. There’s no need to insult the many people named Karen who aren’t making fools of themselves, so instead of calling the people in these videos Karens, I call them Entitled Idiots.

And once in a while, I am one.

As I’ve grown in years, I’ve also grown in impatience for ineptitude. I believe that systems — systems of anything
— should be set up to operate smoothly, and when systems are set up to
be difficult instead, well, I can be difficult too. I believe people
should try to do their jobs in a competent manner, and if they’re not
trying, or if they’re awful at it and act like it isn’t a problem, I
might get cranky. I don’t often holler like an Entitled Idiot, but … it happens.

First example: A year or so ago, needing just a few
groceries, I went to the grocery store nearest my house, where I rarely
shop. I’d forgotten why I rarely shop there; it’s because they have
prices marked in big bright numbers, but those prices are for members
only; if you’re not a member, the price is substantially higher and in
much smaller print. Well, as confessed already, I’m a cranky old fart,
so I don’t want to be a “member” of a grocery store, because I don’t
want their spam in my in-box or mailbox. At the cash register then,
lacking a loyalty card, my $10 worth of groceries came to $16 — and I
became an Entitled Idiot. If anyone had filmed me that afternoon, I’m
sure I would’ve gone viral.

Second and mercifully last example: My wife, being disabled
and home all the time, watched lots of TV, but I only watched when I was
watching with her. After her death, I knew I’d never watch TV so I
canceled our cable and Netflix. Netflix made canceling a cinch, with
just a few clicks at their website. Charter Communications (or Spectrum,
as they now disguise themselves) made canceling into an afternoon’s
work — I had to talk to three different people, each of whom tried to
talk me out of canceling, via lengthy scripted dialogue and lower and
lower-price offers. I was very polite with the first employee, less
polite with the second, and reached “full Karen” with the third
employee, who still wouldn’t vary from reading the company’s script for cancellation-prevention.

I have a long fuse, but at the end of it there’s a firecracker. Call
me Karen if you like, but unlike most people in those viral videos, my
rants never feature racist jargon, and usually include no profanities or
personal insults.

I’m aware that it’s almost entirely futile to complain to an employee
who’s just doing his/her job, so before sounding off I try to find the
highest-ranking person I can reach. But I do think there’s some value in
complaining, if it’s done right.

More people should run out of patience sometimes — especially we
people who are generally sane. It’s not wise to let life’s little
irritations make you irritable, but it’s equally unwise, I think, to be
silent about the bigger irritations, or an accumulation of little
irritations from the same source.

If you’re encountering problems because of stupid rules, stupid
policies, or stupid employees, speak up. It’s better for your own mental
health, and it’s better for the system you’re dealing with, and for
society at large, to say something. And it’s most fun to say something
loud.

Try not to be unreasonable about it. Try not to do it unless it’s
truly warranted. Try not to do it too often. When something needs to be
said, though, don’t be the person who doesn’t say anything. itsdougholland.com ← PREVIOUS          NEXT →