Exactly What is "Woke?"

Ron in Regina

"Voice of the West" Party
Apr 9, 2008
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When this term became popularized, initially the meaning of this term was when an individual become more aware of the social injustice. Or basically, any current affairs related like biased, discrimination, or double-standards….but…

Being a modern usage of an older term, I went to the dictionary (online) the seems to address words with a modern usage of an older term:

….using this term recklessly, assigning this term to themselves or someone they know to boost their confidence and reassure them that they have the moral high grounds and are fighting for the better world. And sometimes even using it as a way to protect themselves from other people's opinion, by considering the 'outsider' as non-woke. While people that are in line with their belief as woke.
Separate from DEI? Woke is exclusive DEI is inclusive.
Meaning that those 'outsiders' have been brainwash by the society and couldn't see the truth. Thus, filtering everything that the 'outsider' gives regardless whether it is rationale or not.
And should it be forbidden by law?
It’s annoying but not illegal. I don’t believe it should be forbidden but law, but it could be pointed out when seen or experienced.

And as of now, the original meaning is slowly fading and instead, is used more often to term someone as hypocritical and think they are the 'enlightened' despite the fact that they are extremely close-minded and are unable to accept other people's criticism or different perspective. Especially considering the existence of echo chamber(media) that helped them to find other like-mindedindividuals, thus, further solidifying their 'progressive' opinion.

Further down at the above link, I came across this attempt at a modern definition of “Woke”:

Umbrella term for individuals who are engrossed by social justice and thinks of themselves as saviors with a moral high ground, but remain willfully ignorant to the irrationality of their claims and the problems they create. These individuals give special treatment to certain minorities in hopes of ending racism and perpetuate mental illnesses as the norm.

…OR this one:

An oxymoron term used to describe the many indoctrinated & radically left-wing people of today's world who are obsessed with jumping on whatever mainstream bandwagon is necessary to feel included, though ironically being the most intolerant and hypocritical people on the planet.

The irony is the term should be used if correctly to describe those who are 'awake' to the modern world however these people are so closed minded they cannot think critically, and are actually 'asleep.'

…OR this one:

"Woke" is a colloquial term used to describe the manifestation of the latest iteration of Marxist principles as they are when applied to culture rather than economics.

They've been targeting culture instead of economics roughly since the 1950s, when the Frankfurt school's adherents (Adorno, Marcuse, Horkheimer, Löwenthal etc) started moving to the States and other western nations. That's when they realized that focusing on economics and the class structure wasn't going to work, so they decided to try focusing on grievance groups instead (women and minorities), ergo you got MLK and his movement (and its modern versions like BLM), rainbow movements, feminist movements etc, which all get their philosophical and moral frameworks from cultural marxism.

This is all just from the first site I looked at, so though similar, there are already several definitions of the modern usage of this older term, so defining “WOKE” isn’t as easy as defining the term “Woman” without using the term “Woman” in the definition.

Originally defined as "being aware of social and racial injustice in the United States", due to constant overuse it has degenerated into a meaningless word with no agreed upon definition. It has replaced the term "libretard" in modern online discourse.

"Woke" is most commonly used as an insult aimed towards people with progressive ideals, and depending on who you ask it could range from describing someone who pretends to be open-minded, to describing any person who disagrees with conservative values, to anyone who attempts positive depictions of women and minorities in media.

Then, as a bonus, I also attempted to (at the same site) look up DEI (Diversity, equity, and inclusion) and it stumbled:
1703347513376.jpeg
Though I was able to find this cartoon. Hope it helps:
1703348333979.jpeg
 

petros

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.Meaning that those 'outsiders' have been brainwash by the society and couldn't see the truth. Thus, filtering everything that the 'outsider' gives regardless whether it is rationale or not.
More like DEI doesn't give a shit if you're a white male colonizer or oppressed by white male colonizers. You're both equal.
 

Ron in Regina

"Voice of the West" Party
Apr 9, 2008
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Regina, Saskatchewan
More like DEI doesn't give a shit if you're a white male colonizer or oppressed by white male colonizers. You're both equal.
Sounds similar to the definition of DEI’d, & #2:

2. Forcing an employee to go through Diversity training because they are white heterosexual and male.

I knew I’d seen that somewhere today.
 

Tecumsehsbones

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Hmm. . . is a White guy who has never personally been denied a promotion or opportunity bitching about DEI in the same position as a non-White woman who has never personally been denied a promotion or opportunity bitching about racism and/or sexism?
 
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Serryah

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Sounds similar to the definition of DEI’d, & #2:

2. Forcing an employee to go through Diversity training because they are white heterosexual and male.

I knew I’d seen that somewhere today.

Just curious, but why would you use Urban dictionary as a source for the definition of words?

UD - while it might have an official, real definition - is also more for slang terms, not actually an official "Definition" source site, and more about entertainment.

At most UD gives you biased sources of the meaning of something, this being a good example.

Same with DEI; UD is not a source to define it.

As for the actual topic on what woke is:


There are issues with using the term though, at least in that much, Ron, you're right. Like a lot of other terms - nazi, fascist as examples - the meaning is losing the 'punch' it had, because now everyone is "woke".

But is that because it's popular to accuse everyone who doesn't agree with you on social issues as woke (which yes, happens too often) or could it be also that the social injustices are more out there, more recognized now, that accusing someone of not being woke to them happens much more often (happens a lot, too). And then there's the right leaning idiots who freak out if they're called woke, even validly, and have turned it into a kind of slur; it's the updated version of "Snowflake".

If anything, the blame of the overuse of woke is 50-50, IMO.


Hmm. . . is a White guy who has never personally been denied a promotion or opportunity bitching about DEI in the same position as a non-White woman who has never personally been denied a promotion or opportunity bitching about racism and/or sexism?

Honestly? My answer would be - it depends.

But then IMO, we can bitch about things all we want regardless of topic, cause we're humans and bitching is what we do a lot of.
 

Ron in Regina

"Voice of the West" Party
Apr 9, 2008
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Regina, Saskatchewan
Being a modern usage of an older term, I went to the dictionary (online) the seems to address words with a modern usage of an older term:
Just curious, but why would you use Urban dictionary as a source for the definition of words?
1703362970601.jpeg
UD - while it might have an official, real definition - is also more for slang terms, not actually an official "Definition" source site, and more about entertainment.

At most UD gives you biased sources of the meaning of something, this being a good example.
I didn’t realize that the other dictionaries were catching up. Good on them!!
Same with DEI; UD is not a source to define it.
1703363148542.jpeg
So I learned earlier today.
As for the actual topic on what woke is:


There are issues with using the term though, at least in that much, Ron, you're right. Like a lot of other terms - nazi, fascist as examples - the meaning is losing the 'punch' it had, because now everyone is "woke".
I figured something like Merriam-Webster might have sorta caught up to five or ten years ago, and in 2028 might have caught up to 2023 usage. I also assumed it was quite possible of also having a bias, with a fraction of the fun involved.

(the word “Extreme” as an example was so overused that it also lost its punch)
But is that because it's popular to accuse everyone who doesn't agree with you on social issues as woke (which yes, happens too often) or could it be also that the social injustices are more out there, more recognized now, that accusing someone of not being woke to them happens much more often (happens a lot, too). And then there's the right leaning idiots who freak out if they're called woke, even validly, and have turned it into a kind of slur; it's the updated version of "Snowflake".

If anything, the blame of the overuse of woke is 50-50, IMO.

Honestly? My answer would be - it depends.

But then IMO, we can bitch about things all we want regardless of topic, cause we're humans and bitching is what we do a lot of.
 

Ron in Regina

"Voice of the West" Party
Apr 9, 2008
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Regina, Saskatchewan
Hmm. . . is a White guy who has never personally been denied a promotion or opportunity bitching about DEI in the same position as a non-White woman who has never personally been denied a promotion or opportunity bitching about racism and/or sexism?
Good Question. I don’t know the answer, but it’s a good question. So sure, why not? Above, I was simply acknowledging that I literally read almost the same thing a few minutes before reading it on the forum:
1703364242024.jpeg
Still coming full circle, and in the nature of equality….
Hmm. . . is a White guy who has never personally been denied a promotion or opportunity bitching about DEI in the same position as a non-White woman who has never personally been denied a promotion or opportunity bitching about racism and/or sexism?
I’ll go with yes, yes they’re equally annoying.
 
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petros

The Central Scrutinizer
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Sounds similar to the definition of DEI’d, & #2:

2. Forcing an employee to go through Diversity training because they are white heterosexual and male.

I knew I’d seen that somewhere today.
DEI without the I is reactionary woke BS.
 

petros

The Central Scrutinizer
Nov 21, 2008
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Hmm. . . is a White guy who has never personally been denied a promotion or opportunity bitching about DEI in the same position as a non-White woman who has never personally been denied a promotion or opportunity bitching about racism and/or sexism?
Until the Chinese CEO lays them both off for piss poor attitude?
 

Taxslave2

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Umbrella term for individuals who are engrossed by social justice and thinks of themselves as saviors with a moral high ground, but remain willfully ignorant to the irrationality of their claims and the problems they create. These individuals give special treatment to certain minorities in hopes of ending racism and perpetuate mental illnesses as the norm.
That is the best description of woke yet. Totally clueless and stars in their own minds.