Thread: woke

The term 'woke' is used by Republican extremists to attack progressive ideas. Specifically what ideas? They seem to limit medical treatment for trans-gender, censor school libraries, etc. What else? What does 'woke' mean?

Originally Posted by mathman

The term 'woke' is used by Republican extremists to attack progressive ideas. Specifically what ideas? They seem to limit medical treatment for trans-gender, censor school libraries, etc. What else? What does 'woke' mean?

It is my understanding that the word "woke" originated in the African-American community and referred to people who are enlightened about African-American issues. The term itself is based on differences in the use of language between African-Americans and whites. This possibly facilitated the word's appropriation as a pejorative by the right-wing. I've seen Donald Trump use the word "awaken" to refer to what he regards as seeing through the propaganda of the left-wing. This use of the word "awaken" is in contrast to the word "woke" and highlights the contrast between blacks and whites. I've also seen Donald Trump use the word "woke" as a term of contempt for left-wing values.

English footballer turned presenter Gary Lineker now labelled a woke by comparing the Tory government to Nazi Germany.

"It’s been a weird week for Gary Lineker, a woke, leftie snowflake (translation: reasonably thoughtful and compassionate man) who generated astonishing levels of outrage when he quite reasonably described the government’s small boats policy as “immeasurably cruel” and “directed at the most vulnerable people in language that is not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s”.

To be blunt, "woke" when used as a fearmongering idea by right leaning groups DOES NOT have a definition, its being used as a strawman term to encompass anything that the specific person using the term wants to make scary sounding.

It has been used to make free school lunches, books on (anything), college courses, specific people, and whole demographics of people seem "bad"