Zeitgeist: AWFUL women vs Karens

I just finished reading No Country For Old Men. This quote struck me:

“Sheriff, how come you let crime get so out of hand in your county? Sounded like a fair question I reckon. I said: It starts when you begin to overlook bad manners. Any time you quit hearin Sir and Mam the end is pretty much in sight.”

Would it be correct to say that a “Karen” is someone who’s trying desperately to enforce what he or she perceives as cultural norms, manners, decorum, good behavior, and that the phenomenon arose as these basic cultural norms started rapidly deteriorating? My impression of the people who rake Karens over the coals is that they just can’t handle being called out for rude and antisocial behavior. Yes, some “Karens” go too far, maybe, but I think Jonathan is right in that their intentions are basically benign. At a deep level, perhaps they are defending against civilizational collapse.

An AWFUL is similar. She sees herself as a Warrior for the Good, but she’s so chronically online that she has lost touch with reality and is living in an imaginary world. Her idea of Good and Evil is very frequently inverted.

P.S. Had to look up the “Karen haircut” b/c I literally didn’t know that was a thing. As a Gen-Xer — the home of the Karens! — I’m relieved to say that although I’ve worn my hair short in the past (yes…an 80s mullet…) I’ve never employed that particular style. Whew!