Woke Culture – Are You Awake or Are You Woke?

If the term ‘woke’ rings a bell, it’s probably because it should. Woke is one of the many words that our present generation is currently obsessed with. Like every other thing on social media, being woke has received a lot of attention. Being ‘woke’ is usually seen as a hallmark for being socially well-versed and politically aware. The term, however, is frequently used in African-American society, and it usually refers to the amount of awareness an individual has about social and racial justice and/or equality. There’s no doubt as to how important the word is for everyone who is passionate about politics or conspiracy theories, or even for people who like knowing about the current happenings. However, the word ‘woke’ is used out of context in many situations, therefore reducing its meaning.

Woke culture is soon turning into something people identify with on a daily basis. However, the underlying question that many people have is – “am I woke?” Well, if you know what evil is plaguing society, and you choose to voice your opinion for/against a particular debate and are not scared to speak up even when you receive backlash, congratulations, you’re woke. The term ‘woke’ has grown from a common descriptor to a way of describing a person’s values.

After reading all such things, being woke seems like the need of the hour. Why, then, do people detest the ‘woke culture’? In my opinion, this is because the word has slowly been losing its meaning over time. A cult of social justice is using the term as a slogan. Being woke is inextricably linked to the Identitarian left. Rather than challenging poor ideas or race equity culture issues by argument, protest, or conversation, woke people are increasingly attempting to intimidate their opponents into silence. This, combined with hate speeches and imposing their illiberal beliefs on others, encapsulates today’s woke society.

Coming from one of the most socially powerful individuals, Former President of the United States, Barack Obama, told youngsters that the ‘world is messy’. He says – “‘woke’ is described as being alert to racial or social discrimination and injustice. This along with being aware of what’s going on in the community. I get a sense among certain young people on social media that the way of making change is to be as judgmental as possible about other people. If I tweet or hashtag about how you didn’t do something right or used the wrong verb, then I can sit back and feel pretty good about myself because ‘Man did you see how woke I was? I called you out!’ That’s enough, if all you’re doing is casting stones, you are probably not going to get that far.”

Is woke culture becoming the new normal? It is possible that we will never know. They could fizzle out like so many other trends, or they may stick around for a while. In any case, if you don’t want to be dragged into the squabbles between the two and don’t want to be a mute spectator, here’s a suggestion. Instead of immediately declaring war on something you see on social media that doesn’t exactly suit your norms, take a moment to consider whether it is having a negative influence on someone. Yes, go ahead and call out the person if this is the case. If you’re criticizing someone’s personal choices, though, it might be time to take a step back and adopt the phrase “live and let live.”