In a world dominated by a stance of power rather than fairness, the idea of being ‘woke’ has been mindlessly thrown around. From conservative politicians and like-thinking media to that distant relative circling dubious Facebook posts, an obsessive contest to vehemently deride ‘wokeness’ is underway. The amount of times this obsession with denouncing ‘wokeness’ presents itself can appear overwhelming. However, if we were to only consider those who understand the term’s true meaning, this overused buzzword would be far less prevalent.
Nevertheless, the term ‘woke’ wasn’t always used as a slur. Prior to the tragic incident involving George Floyd, the African American community had used ‘stay woke’ as a slogan to remain vigilant against systemic injustice. The kind of injustice that could result in a person pleading for breath beneath a law enforcer’s knee. Floyd’s death triggered a global recognition for the term through the Black Lives Matter movement.
With time, ‘wokeness’ has taken on a more mutated form. Various groups on the cultural and political right have weaponized the term as they once did with ‘political correctness.’ They have crafted it into a dismissive label for any policy or movement that proves inconvenient to their perspective. It’s a cunning tactic – whenever ‘woke’ is spat out with contempt during a press conference or shows up in the op-ed columns, it usually signifies a conservative or backwards-thinking person struggling to guard their societal privileges.
Individuals like former President Donald Trump and Peter Dutton have been noted to emphasize ‘wokeness’ as if it’s a threatening omen, similar to how Joseph McCarthy used to chastise communists. Not a day passes without the overflow of resentful social media comments, usually provoked by some seemingly innocuous post – critics express their enmity with phrases like ‘enough is enough, this woke nonsense must stop.’
So, what exactly does ‘woke’ signify today? Apparently, it labels any action, policy or movement that dares to sympathize with others. Even acts that aim to highlight and respect our nation’s complicated history, like Welcome to Country ceremonies, are dismissed as ‘pointless woke practices causing division.’ Anything ranging from recognition of First Nations people at an event, supporting diversity, and even inadequately commemorating Australia Day can be reduced to ‘wokeness’.
There’s some understanding why people are finding it hard to adjust. Admittedly, changes involving language like the use of ‘they/them’ pronouns can be a struggle due to their plural nature. However, if small linguistic adjustments can make a considerable difference in the lives of others, why not make the effort?
In recent times though, it appears that the right-wing faction is slowly revealing its true colors. A qualified black, lesbian fire chief in Los Angeles was outrageously criticized as a ‘diversity hire.’ To top it off, even Vice President Kamala Harris was absurdly labeled as the ‘inclusion and equality Vice President.’
In the prevailing political climate, the term ‘woke’ is becoming the new favorite of the right-wing, not least because, thankfully, even in the era of Trump, racial slurs remain unacceptable. However, it’s worth noting that I’ve never thought of myself as ‘woke’ – in fact, I find the usage of the term quite inane.
But if we are to accept that the redefined meaning of ‘wokeness’ includes the pursuit of empathy and fairness across racial, gender, sexual, and cultural boundaries, then certainly, that’s a tag I am ready to wear. Especially at a time when society’s weakest members are increasingly subjected to attacks, a bit of understanding would not go amiss.
And for those who take offense at this call for empathy, you’re not ‘anti-woke,’ you’re merely averse to understanding and inclusivity. It’s noteworthy that the term ‘woke,’ which has its roots in promoting alertness towards systemic injustice, is now paradoxically associated with pointless gestures and non-essential debates, courtesy of a handful of individuals intent on sustaining their societal privileges.
Such is the strange turn of events that we now find ourselves bearing witness to the mockery of virtuous principles under the twisted banner of ‘wokeness.’ Thus, those right-wingers who rail against ‘woke culture’ truly do seem to be arguing against sympathy and justice.
The ‘woke’ issue, in the end, acts as a mirror reflecting the inherent ethnocentric views within society. It’s indubitably the right’s favorite catchphrase, but it conjures notions of prejudice and bigotry rather than a call for social justice and equal rights for all.
Used as a weapon by conservatives, ‘woke’ has morphed into a catch-all phrase for anything perceived as threatening their standpoint. Rather than advocating for progress and positive change, it seems the goal is to belittle these notions and maintain the status quo.