How Did “Woke” Become a Negative?
By guest columnist Holland Shepherd
The more you know the more you realize how much you don’t know. The less you know the more you think you know.
~ Dunning-Kruger
Recently, I asked my Generation Z son what he thought of the term “woke.” He said it is overused, misrepresented, and not a term his generation feels comfortable with. His reply surprised me, because I consider him to be very woke by my definition of the word. I think a large part of this is because the far-right pundits have created confusion about the interpretation of “woke.” Both left and right have used the word to weaponize their political views, and it no longer holds one definition or meaning. He does support the concept of woke and the use of pronouns. Being from the Baby Boomer generation, I am a little more hesitant. However, personally I like Who/Me, or something more neutral like They/Us.
Gen Z is widely considered one of the most socially conscious generations, actively advocating for causes such as climate change initiatives, racial equity, LGBTQ rights, and mental health awareness. However, this does not mean they universally embrace the “woke” label. Many Gen Z individuals view “woke” as a muddled and often meaningless buzzword that has been appropriated by the political right as a pejorative insult to dismiss progressive viewpoints. Due to its shifting meaning, many are unsure whether it has positive or negative connotations.
My own thinking is that I like the word “woke.” It reveals a lot about a person. One small word says a lot about our present understanding of reality, our relationship with ourselves, society at large, and the greater environment. Its core meaning provides a positive message about our spiritual and social consciousness, our understanding of science, and the intimate relationship we have with our environment. If it happens to rattle the far-right propagandists and MAGA enthusiasts, so much the better.
The original meaning of “woke” means to be alert to social injustices, particularly systemic racism and discrimination. Originally used in the Black community to emphasize vigilance against racial threats, the term has evolved into a much broader term that covers a spectrum of open minded, democratic and liberal views. Like the yard signs say: hope, kindness, equality, peace, justice, science, respect, diversity, and love.
According to this, woke embodies fundamental concepts like compassion and fairness for those less fortunate, a level playing field so we can all thrive together as a community, tolerance for people and ways that are different from us, and simple kindness and caring for others.
But Trumpism, a combination of Monarchism and Fascism, has come to America. It’s appalling, shocking, and overwhelming to watch and listen to. And if it has not impacted you directly yet, it will. I think those folks who voted for Trump had legitimate reasons, but I just have to ask, what were they thinking? Or were they thinking? If Trump is pushing an “anti-woke” agenda, what does that mean? Why is woke now a bad word? Perhaps we should be concerned about someone who is anti-woke. If you can’t see beyond the black and white of him or her, then you live in a very small, shallow, and un-colorful world.
In less than twelve months, our new president has unleased so much turmoil— the reckless gutting of government agencies and firing thousands of dedicated public servants; attacks on our treasured public lands; attacks on institutions of higher learning; illegal arrests and deportations; alienating global allies; the dismantling of civil society and basic values of human decency; indictments, shameless bullying and illegal harassment of anyone he disagrees with; eliminating checks and balances from government institutions so he has the power to sidestep the law and do whatever he wants; formulating fake peace treaties (Gaza); and attacking other nations he doesn’t like (Venezuela, Iran).
A friend of mine, Ernie Atencio, wrote, “Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) only has three letters, but it has become a four-letter word in this administration, and it is being systematically scrubbed from even the most obscure corners of the federal government.” Given the people Trump nominated for his cabinet and key federal positions, anti-woke sets the stage for sexual harassment, misogyny, hate speech, racism, anti-intellectual and anti-science ideologies, narcissism, and disregard for common decency and American values. These are the people running our country now. For all their flag-waving and America-first rhetoric, I honestly feel these ultra-conservative ideologues are unraveling the foundational fabric of our country and our society. They are literally the opposite of patriotic. They don’t seem to care about the values that hold us together as a country while protecting vulnerable populations, and instead are trying to tear us apart.
Woke ideology appears to be fostered by the effects higher learning have on opening the mind to broader realities and critical thinking. The anti-woke tribe tends to fear people in society who opt for a higher education and critical thinking. Look what the Trump Administration did to the US Dept of Education and the attack on institutes for higher education who dared to disagree with their policies and oppose the administration’s anti-DEI policies. Moreover, the current administration is doing everything it can to reverse environmental, laws, regulations and attack governmental institutions established to protect public lands and the environment. This so the very wealthy corporations can continue to exploit these precious resources.
Here is another aspect of being woke we should consider. While “woke” in its social sense implies an awareness of social, political realities that others might ignore, it should also include a spiritual awakening in terms of “awakened” or “conscious” refers to a profound internal shift, often involving a realization of interconnectedness, the dissolution of the ego, and a connection to a greater reality or the divine.
If truly embraced, woke-ness could actually lead to a more peaceful and harmonious world. How is that something to be against?
So now I leave it up to you, how you define “woke.”
It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.
~ Aristotle