You've probably heard about the “Ship of Theseus,” a paradoxical thought experiment that challenges you to question whether or not an object that has had all of its parts replaced is actually the same object anymore. Another variant of this is the "grandfather’s axe," which seeks to challenge whether or not an axe that has had its handle replaced and then later its head is really the same axe as it was before. Although not really quite the same philosophical question, I can't help but wonder… I…

We all spent the past week giving thanks and expressing our gratitude for life's many joys. Unfortunately for us and for the rest of the world, life still comes with Karens. So now that we are done saying what we're thankful for this week, let's take a look at some of the people who we aren't thankful for but we have to deal with every so often. This week's roundup of Karen stories includes an Internet rant, a parking debacle, a customer service experience gone wrong, a workplace sabotage saga,…

Sometimes, the only way to deal with a Karen customer is to give them a taste of their own medicine. Here, we have a rare instance of a revenge tale that ends up having more of a wholesome ending. Who knew that getting payback could actually lead to positive change in your adversary's behavior? That's what this Redditor learned after they refused to let this regular customer get away with nonsense at the fast food restaurant where OP worked.

No offense to this woman, but if you're in a super big rush , why are you stopping at a restaurant? We've all been there: you're out on the go somewhere, maybe between jobs or between meetings, and you suddenly get that rumble in your stomach. When you're hungry, every restaurant looks appealing. If you have an hour or two to spare, stopping into a sit-down dining establishment is a great way to have a break and refuel.

It's certainly not easy to deal with a Karen customer or a Karen coworker, but what about having to deal with being married to one? Or rather, having a Karen in your immediate family? There are several tips and tricks for how to cope with this unfortunate but very real phenomenon. Firstly, find someone else to confide in, whether that's another family member or, ideally, a professional because this Karen is probably going to cause you to go into therapy at some point anyway. Second, draw bounda…

Accusing a hotel front desk agent of fraud is probably not the best way to get them to help you. Remember: these are the people that can make your stay exponentially easier or exponentially more difficult. It's also worth noting that so much of this drama can be easily resolved if people remember to book their hotel stays directly on the hotel website rather than through a third-party site. The number of instances in which we have seen irate customers make this mistake through Internet stories…

Even though she was only 17 years old, this woman was already an expert on koi and other tropical fish . It's fortuitous that she got a job to match, starting off at a retail tropical fish store. Whether you have a pet or not, spending time at pet stores is a fun and free activity to do. Many stores have tons of cats and dogs, some have gerbils or birds, and others have aisles and aisles of fish tanks. As far as retail jobs go, I imagine this is a pretty calm place to work most of the time.

Supermarkets are already a relatively overwhelming experience for most of us, akin to navigating a labyrinth that's been starkly lit by harsh-white fluorescent lighting while a string of the most infuriatingly mundane acoustic covers of songs that were popular ten years ago play omnipresently throughout.

Having kids is the greatest joy one could experience, or so any new parent will tell you, despite that they haven't slept since the night before they became parents, and the bags under their eyes tell a different story. In fact, it's more than likely that this entire sentiment is really just a combination of sleep deprivation-fueled delusion and resigned coping with the fact that there's no going back.

Have strength retail workers , you will need it when these customers show up. As a cashier, you'll ring up hundreds of customers each shift, and you'll probably forget all of them, except those who are exceptional. Maybe they're especially kind in a job where many customers are impolite. Or maybe they're really funny and manage to make you laugh. Or, if you're these people, you've remembered the customer because they've asked some of the most absurd questions ever. Several people who worked in…

Everyone gets embarrassed by their parents in public, but this one goes out to all the children of the entitled Karens and Kevins of the world. They have it so much worse than the rest of us. As someone whose greatest level of embarrassment during childhood as a result of something my parents did was when they danced up and down the aisle of a movie theater one time, I cannot imagine what it would be like to have a quintessential Karen as a parent. The closest I can get to that experience was w…

Karens have the uncanny ability to identify, single out, and berate people who work customer service jobs, accosting them with wanton fury regardless of whether or not they even happen to be working at that time—or are even employed by that place at all.

Sometimes, Karens get served a much-deserved dish of instant karma, but other times, they get exactly what they want. Here at FAIL Blog, we're used to triumphant stories where the little guy stands up for himself and calls an entitled Karen out on her nonsense either with some fun malicious compliance or delicious petty revenge. That being said, every so often, the Karens win and we are left to pick up the pieces of the messes they have made in the process.

Entitled customers are really twisting the whole “customer is always right” saying these days. Whatever happened to straight factual information? Some things simply cannot be argued, no matter who you are. For instance, salmon is a type of fish. When you order it, expect fish to come to your table. In addition, if a server tells you they are out of a specific dish, it's not up for debate. They're simply out. Once again, this isn't an opportunity to flex your muscles and enforce a false sense of…

Typically, purchasing something means that you intend to keep that thing for the duration of its life or until you pass it on. This directly contrasts with renting something, where you lease it for a set period of time for a fee with the expectation that you will be returning that thing by the end of the period you have paid for it. Both arrangements have their advantages, by owning something it's yours and you can do whatever you want with it, but this usually requires a much higher buy-in cos…

In the spirit of Halloween, it's about time we shed light on some of the spookiest phenomena known to humankind: Karens. This week, we have Karens making scenes at a variety of locations, including movie theaters and on the road. Additionally, we even have thieving Karens, YouTube Karens, and mothering Karens. These days, it seems that Karens are everywhere and there is nothing scarier than that reality. Most recently, I had an unfortunate run-in with a Karen at the airport, who couldn't stand…