What’s a Gen Z Karen? They don’t complain to the manager—they cancel you online

Does Gen Z have its own version of "Karen?" According to a recent viral video, they sure do—and these Karens live on social media.

If you spend any time at all on the internet, you're probably already familiar with the idea of a "Karen."

The term exploded during the pandemic, with the stereotypical version being a boomer or Gen X white woman, often with a severe bob, who demands to see the manager over trivial things.

It has also been used to describe people weaponizing racism in these instances, like when the infamous Central Park Karen called the cops over a Black birdwatcher and acted as if he were a threat to her.

Gen Z Karens

Recently, a TikToker suggested that Gen Z actually has its own version of a Karen, one that thrives in the social media age, where everything you say is forever.

"Gen Z Karens won't say 'Let me speak to your manager,'" Alexis (@passedgas2) suggests in a video posted this month.

"They will villainize you on the internet for maybe wording something poorly or making a human mistake that everyone makes every single day, and then make it to where you're harassed on a daily basis, and that your reputation is forever ruined and you can't come on the internet ever again without being called a terrible person and being harassed."

Her caption basically sums up her hypothesis—"Gen Z Karens LOVE cancel culture."

With the original wave of Karens, their demanding behavior was often captured on video in the real world and brought to the internet for scorn. Alexis's idea of a Gen Z Karen seems to flip the script on its head, where the mob drumming up the scorn takes things too far, ultimately becoming the new generation of Karens.

The exhaustion of cancel culture

Like "Karen," the term "cancel culture" in and of itself is pretty controversial. Some people use it to bemoan the way high-profile public figures are called out for things like racism or homophobia.

Others point out that these people are rarely actually held accountable or suffer long-term consequences, even if they never apologize or change.

What Alexis is discussing feels different. These so-called "Gen Z Karens" (recently dubbed "Jessicas") seem more likely to harass random internet users and smaller creators—people who actually can be bullied off the internet for their mistakes.

"They demand an apology but the apology is never enough," @virgotherachel observed. "Theyre obsessed with punishment."

Other viewers agreed with the sentiment.

"To them bullying is acceptable if they do not like you," wrote @redheadsunshine.

"As a gen z myself, I think our generation is painfully self-centered, selfish, and embarrassingly lacking in empathy," @morrisseyurnotavibe said, while @darryl.spivey suggested, "Honestly Gen Z has more in common with boomers than they want to admit."

Some people attempted to dive into the reason Gen Z turned out this way, with @jonathon6984 noting, "Gen Z grew up with an engagement algorithm that rewards people for hate."

Regardless of the reasoning, it's obvious that there are plenty of people out there who would like to see more differentiation between accountability that allows for folks to make mistakes, apologize, and grow, and "accountability" that requires every online misstep to haunt people forever.

Whether Gen Z is actually to blame or if they just picked up the mantle is another debate to be had.

The cat's out of the bag at this point, but Alexis and her viewers are still hopeful individual people who act this way might come to their senses.

"If that's you," she says, "you might need to rethink some things."

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