What Does “Woke” Mean And Why Should You Care?
An exploration of the current political culture
“W”oke” is a political slang adjective derived from African-American Vernacular English (AAVE) originally meaning alertness to racial prejudice and discrimination.
Beginning in the 2010s, it came to encompass a broader awareness of social inequalities such as racial injustice, sexism, and denial of LGBT rights.
Since it has drifted from its original meaning, it has come to signify social scolds. People who think they have a moral purity that is far superior to your own may try to cancel you for not being “wok” enough. The issue is, that one can never be woke enough. The goalposts will always be moving because the Woke will always need people to condemn.
In a sense you could say that in this respect, Wokeness is like a cult.
Karen Randolph described “wokeness” in the following way.:
It is a term that refers to being aware of and attentive to social and racial injustice. It can also refer to being supportive of progressive movements for social change. More and more, the term is being used disparagingly by those who…
