Politically Woke

Woke is a phrase that has gone through some changes in recent times -

The previous definition of woke was slang for being politically awake, for example knowing that there are legitimate social injustices in the United States, such as police brutality, poverty, disability discrimination, etc.

However, " to be politically woke" has changed in recent times. Woke is now used more as a derogatory term to satire or make fun of SJWs who go too far or lack political knowledge.

Woke nowadays refers to a specific ideology of people who oversimplify complex societal issues into a binary hierarchy of oppressor group vs victim group, and the ideology often removes sense of individuality / nuance.

"woke" ideology can often call for measures to be put in, namely Equality of Outcome and call for the legally compelled measures to artificially elevate the victim class and similar measures to artificially relegate the said oppressor class.

The main issue with being "politically woke" is that it often blames entire groups for the actions of a few, or may bring up historical injustice from centuries ago and frame it as a present issue and present people responsible for it.

Friend 1: I think my professor is politically woke.

Friend 2: in the good way?

Friend 1: no, the bad way.

Politically woke

When an individual is fully aware of what is happening in the government and society, what various individuals, organizations, businesses, social movements, and political parties’ agendas, beliefs, and actions are on numerous policy issues, as well as understanding how these beliefs and activities can affect them, their family, community, and certain minority groups in society and mobilizing socially, financially, and politically when needed in effort correct actions that are unreasonably discriminatory towards certain groups in the name of social justice. These actions include doing things such as attending protests and marches, signing petitions, calling out people, organizations, and businesses for performing biased actions, etc. It is important to note that people who are politically woke tend to be liberals and generally speaking will only mobilize on issues that are considered to be part of the social justice.

Lexy is aware of what is happening in the government, including what certain political leaders are up to. She has mobilized on many occasions to try to correct social and political wrongs committed by the government, certain celebrities, and organizations. For the most part, she only mobilizes on issues related to gender equality, LGBTQ rights, and racial equality. She considers herself to be politically woke. (The Giphy chosen for this word shows a movement that uses this idea a lot: the Black Lives Matter movement)

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