Beautiful People

Let Your Woke Flag Fly

A few nights ago, I had just gotten home from a busy day at work when I found myself busy searching YouTube for the latest videos about the political news of the day while I ate my dinner. That's when I came across a video that is probably one of the funniest videos I've ever seen. It was so funny it made me laugh so quickly and so violently it literally forced the food I was chewing to fly out of mouth and land just inches from where my dog was sitting staring at me. I was laughing so loudly and so uncontrollably that I couldn't even tell my dog "No!" to instruct him to leave it on the floor because all I could do was laugh. That's how funny this video was. It was of an interview of a conservative author who had just published a book about wokeism. The author was throwing out the word woke so frequently it prompted the person conducting the interview to ask the author to define woke "just so we're all on the same page about what it means". One would expect an author who just published a book about wokeism and who had consented to a pre-scheduled interview to promote her book to have a definition of this word ready. Instead, and this is the funny part, all we got was thirty seconds of uh, er, uh er, uh oh, and the like. She literally could not get the words, any words, out of her mouth. She sat there with a such a stupid look on her face that for a second I thought she had somehow turned into Marjorie Taylor Green, the absolute dumbest person on Earth. She kept opening her mouth to speak but no words came out, just stupid looks on her face. The only clear thought she was able to express was the realization she knew that video would go viral, which it shortly did. You can see this video HERE (YouTube, 2023). I laughed for so long that I nearly pissed my pants. This woman is such an expert on the concept of woke and wokeism that she literally doesn't even know what it means. I acknowledge that it can be difficult to pin down a precise definition of what conservative politicians think it means because they use it to describe anything and everything they don't like, but there is an actual dictionary definition. If it was anyone else, someone who hadn't just written a book on the topic, it would not have been unusual, but this idiot had just published a book about wokeism and was claiming to be an expert on all things woke, yet she couldn't even spit out a basic definition of what it means. Life doesn't get better than that. It was fucking hilarious!

What Woke Is

The word work came into common usage among black people in the mid-1900s as a colloquialism that referred to an awareness of the social and political injustices they were experiencing at the time. It was an acknowledgement that these injustices were not isolated incidents, that the racism they experienced in society had become institutionalized. The word remained a colloquialism with its very specific meaning for many years, but in the first decade of the 21st century, its meaning shifted to encompass a broader awareness of racism, sexism, homophobia, and other social inequalities. Today, woke is defined as being aware of and informed about social and political issues, especially those related to racial and social justice, but there is an additional component to its current meaning. People who are woke are critical of existing societal norms and power structures that perpetuate oppression, and they advocate to change these things to make a better society. They're concerned with a wide range of issues, from racial discrimination to police brutality to gender inequality to LGBTQ+ rights. Wokes promote empathy, inclusivity, and acceptance of diverse perspectives as a way of fighting the oppression that harms our society. They support a culture that fosters equal rights, equal opportunity, and equal treatment for everyone. And they're not just passive observers. They fight against the denial of political rights and civil liberties like free speech, freedom of expression, voting rights, and many others. They fight against racial injustice and all forms of discrimination. They fight for gender equality, gender inclusivity, and equal representation in work, education, and other societal structures and institutions. Wokes express their views in a variety of contexts, but they are best known for their use of social media and other technologies. Most wokes are Millennials and Gen Z-ers and are very comfortable using technology to their advantage, and they make their voices heard across multiple social media platforms, adding their voices to those condemning social and political injustice. Wokes create a culture that encourages individuals to educate themselves about the problems caused by oppression, engage in activism to fight oppression, and support the marginalized communities that experience oppression.

Wokes recognize that racism, sexism, ageism, heterosexism, and other forms of oppression have profound and far-reaching negative consequences not only on individuals but also on communities and society as a whole. Oppression violates the fundamental human principle of fairness and undermines the concept that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. It creates artificial divisions within society, and these divisions foster animosity, prejudice, and discrimination that leads to conflict between individuals in different social groups and ultimately pits different groups against one another. This hinders social cohesion and leads to increased violence and unrest. Constant exposure to prejudice and discrimination can lead to low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and other psychological distress, which hampers the ability for people experiencing this type of distress to fully participate in society. Embracing equality and dismantling oppression creates a more vibrant and prosperous society, but when a society fails to address oppression, its potential for progress is limited. Wokes understand this and fight against it. That's what makes them woke.

Woke Principles

Today, wokeness is a fluid and evolving concept that constantly adapts to new cultural, political, and social contexts. Because of this, there is no fixed set of principles that are universally agreed upon by all those who consider themselves woke. There are, however, some overarching themes associated with the principles of wokeness.

Social Justice: Wokes prioritize social justice and strive for fairness and equality in society. They challenge systemic forms of oppression, including racism, ageism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, and others.

Intersectionality of Oppression: Wokes understand that marginalized people face multiple forms of oppression simultaneously. They acknowledge the intersections of various social identities, such as race, gender, class, sexual orientation, disability, and religion, and they recognize the unique challenges faced by individuals at these intersections.

Awareness: Wokes emphasize the importance of awareness, education, and critical thinking. They actively seek information about social issues, historical injustices, and marginalized communities, and they use this information to unlearn societal biases.

Advocacy: Wokes are allies and advocates for marginalized communities. They amplify marginalized voices, listen and learn from their experiences, and work to dismantle the oppression that holds them back.

Cultural Appreciation: Wokes recognize the difference between cultural appreciation and cultural appropriation. They respect and appreciate different cultures without commodifying or appropriating them, understanding the historical context and power dynamics involved.

Language: Wokes are mindful to use inclusive language that respects people's identities and experiences. They understand the impact of words and strive to avoid perpetuating harmful stereotypes by using derogatory language.

Inclusivity: Wokes fight to increase inclusion of marginalized individuals in the workplace and educational institutions. This inclusive approach characterizes the woke style of activism.

Wokes understand that societal issues are complex and multidimensional and that they require continuous education to fully understand. Because of this, being woke involves a process of learning, self-reflection, and growth.

What Woke Isn't

Recently, the word woke has taken on a negative political context and is used by conservatives to describe anything or anyone they deem to be too liberal or too progressive, which usually ranges from supporting gay and lesbian causes to teaching about the equality of races in schools. Ironically, many conservatives use the word woke to describe the intolerant, rigid, narrow view of the world they themselves hold. Conservatives throw the word around as an insult that disparages people who promote progressive ideas about identity and race, but the joke's on them because they are the only ones who consider the word to be an insult. Conservatives reject all things woke, or at least all things they call woke. These people see no problem with the injustices that minorities experience. They're ok with prejudice and discrimination because they think their whiteness, straightness, maleness, and other -nesses make them superior. These people are out of touch with reality and out of sync with the rest of society. They don't understand that diversity makes a society stronger not weaker. They have hijacked the word woke, choosing to use it as a label for anything and everything they don't like, placing it directly at the center of the supposed culture war that only they are fighting. Their appropriation of woke as a concept has led to multiple misinterpretations about what it means, constant confusion about what it stands for, and many misunderstandings about what it does.

Here are some of the negative views of wokeness that have emerged from the deeply flawed understandings conservatives have about being woke.

Perceived intolerance: Conservatives perceive the woke movement as intolerant and wokes as unwilling to engage in open dialogue or consider opposing viewpoints. Critics argue that there is a tendency to label any disagreement or dissent as bigotry or ignorance, stifling meaningful conversations and fostering a divisive environment.

Ideological rigidity: Conservatives argue that the woke movement exhibits elements of groupthink, where conformity and adherence to a specific set of beliefs are valued over independent thought. This can lead to an unwillingness to consider alternative perspectives or engage in critical self-reflection, potentially hindering intellectual diversity and stifling intellectual growth.

Overemphasis on identity: Conservatives argue that the woke movement places excessive emphasis on individual and group identities, often leading to what is perceived as identity politics. Critics contend that this focus on identity can sometimes overshadow other important considerations, such as economic inequality or class-based issues, and may inadvertently perpetuate divisions among people.

Cancel culture: Conservatives criticize the woke movement for what they perceive as an environment of heightened sensitivity, where certain ideas or opinions deemed offensive or politically incorrect are met with severe social consequences, including public shaming, loss of employment, or otherwise being canceled from a shared social space. Critics argue that this environment stifles free expression and discourages open dialogue.

Oversimplification: Conservatives argue that the woke movement tends to oversimplify complex societal issues by reducing them to binary frameworks of oppression and privilege. This oversimplification ignores the nuances of social problems, leading to ineffective or misguided solutions.

None of these things actually describe wokeness. Instead, they describe conservatives.

Why We Need Wokes

There are stark differences between conservatives and wokes. What it comes down to is this: conservatives want to run this country into the ground by taking away the rights we've fought so hard to attain, while wokes work hard to make a better society for everyone. We need wokes. Our society may not survive without them. Wokes care about the well-being of everyone in society, regardless of race, religion, ability, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status. They are kind, caring, and compassionate. Wokes expose themselves to different perspectives and different way of thinking by learning about people who are different from them. Wokes seek to heal harm, not create more. Woke is about giving love to everyone, whether it's returned or not, whether the other person deserves it or not. We always need more love in the world because it opposes the hate and violence that always seems to spew from the far right conservatives.

Works Cited

YouTube. (2023). Conservative Can't Define Woke. [Video]. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/W7iWEEcPKoQ

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