Woke Position
A Woke Position is an political belief that emphasizes the promotion of progressive values and the critique of societal power structures.
- Context:
- It can be associated with a Social Justice Warrior" (SJW) Culture.
- ...
- Example(s):
- Supporting Intersectionality.
- Opposing Systemic Oppression.
- Supporting Reparations For Slavery in The United States.
- Supporting the Black Lives Matter movement
- Advocating for gender-neutral bathrooms
- Asking white students to stay home from school for a "Day of Absence" to reflect on privilege.
- Calling for affirmative action policies in hiring
- Criticizing comedians for making edgy jokes
- ...
- Counter-Example(s):
- a Free-Speech Position.
- a Pragmatic Position.
- ...
- See: Performative Activism, Racial Prejudice, Racial Discrimination, Social Inequalities, Sexism, American Left, Identity Politics, Social Justice, White Privilege.
References
2023
- chat
- Q: write an essay on wokism. provide examples of woke positions.
- A: Wokism, also known as "social justice warrior" (SJW) culture, refers to a political ideology that emphasizes the promotion of progressive values and the critique of societal power structures. This can include issues such as race, gender, sexuality, and class.
One example of a "woke" position is the belief in the importance of intersectionality. This concept, first coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw in 1989, highlights the ways in which different forms of oppression (such as racism, sexism, and homophobia) intersect and compound to create unique experiences of discrimination for marginalized individuals. A person who holds this belief may advocate for the inclusion of diverse voices and perspectives in all areas of society, and may critique mainstream movements that fail to take intersectionality into account.
Another example of a woke position is the belief in the importance of dismantling systemic oppression. This can include advocating for policies and practices that actively work to redistribute power and resources from privileged groups to marginalized groups. This may include support for things like reparations for the descendants of enslaved people, or divestment from industries that harm marginalized communities.
A third example is the belief in the importance of language and representation. Woke individuals may critique the use of offensive language and imagery, and call for the use of inclusive and respectful language. They may also push for greater representation of marginalized groups in media, politics, and other areas of public life.
Some critiques of wokism include that it is overly sensitive, or that it stifles free speech. However, supporters argue that it is necessary to address the ways in which marginalized groups have been historically and continue to be oppressed in order to create a more just and equitable society.
It is important to note that not all individuals who hold "woke" beliefs identify as wokists, and that the term has also been co-opted and used as a pejorative by those who disagree with the ideas and values associated with the movement.
2023
- (Wikipedia, 2023) ⇒ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woke Retrieved:2023-1-18.
- Woke is an adjective derived from African-American Vernacular English (AAVE) meaning "alert to racial prejudice and discrimination". Beginning in the 2010s, it came to encompass a broader awareness of social inequalities such as sexism, and has also been used as shorthand for American Left ideas involving identity politics and social justice, such as the notion of white privilege and slavery reparations for African Americans.
The phrase stay woke had emerged in AAVE by the 1930s, in some contexts referring to an awareness of the social and political issues affecting African Americans. The phrase was uttered in a recording by Lead Belly and later by Erykah Badu. Following the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri in 2014, the phrase was popularised by Black Lives Matter (BLM) activists seeking to raise awareness about police shootings of African Americans. After seeing use on Black Twitter, the term woke became an Internet meme and was increasingly used by white people, often to signal their support for BLM, which some commentators have criticised as cultural appropriation. Mainly associated with the millennial generation, the term spread internationally and was added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 2017.
The terms woke-washing and woke capitalism were coined to describe companies who signal support for progressive causes as a substitute for genuine change. By 2020, members of the political center and right wing in several Western countries were using the term woke, often in an ironic way, as an insult for various progressive or leftist movements and ideologies perceived as overzealous, performative, or insincere. In turn, some commentators came to consider it an offensive term with negative associations to those who promote political ideas involving identity and race.
- Woke is an adjective derived from African-American Vernacular English (AAVE) meaning "alert to racial prejudice and discrimination". Beginning in the 2010s, it came to encompass a broader awareness of social inequalities such as sexism, and has also been used as shorthand for American Left ideas involving identity politics and social justice, such as the notion of white privilege and slavery reparations for African Americans.