The word “woke” has been used a lot to make fun of, insult, and minimize people’s political and social beliefs. But that was not its original intent. It’s a very important word.
However, the right-wing talking heads, Republican leaders, and their advocates use the word ad nauseam for that purpose.
Here’s a definition from bard.google.com using the prompt, “What does woke mean”:
The word “woke” has been around for centuries, but it has taken on a new meaning in recent years. Originally, it was used in African-American Vernacular English (AAVE) to mean “alert to racial prejudice and discrimination.” In the 2010s, it came to encompass a broader awareness of social inequalities, such as sexism, and has also been used as shorthand for some ideas of the American Left involving identity politics and social justice, such as white privilege and slavery reparations for African Americans.
The word “woke” has been both praised and criticized. Some people believe that it is a positive term that encourages people to be more aware of social injustice. Others believe that it is a negative term that is used to shame people who do not share the same progressive views.
Ultimately, the meaning of the word “woke” depends on who is using it and in what context. However, it is clear that the word has become a powerful symbol of social awareness and activism.
Here are some examples of how the word “woke” is used:
Google Bard
- “I’m so glad that people are finally woke to the issue of police brutality.”
- “That politician is just trying to appeal to the woke crowd.”
- “I’m not really woke, but I’m trying to learn more about social justice issues.”
The antonym (opposite) of woke is comatose. So no, I don’t want to be comatose when it comes to defending what needs to be defended.
Here’s what I’m talking about:
- If woke means being on a continuous anti-racist journey, then yes, I’m woke.
- If woke means treating my fellow human beings with respect and dignity, even if I disagree with them, then yes, I’m woke.
- If woke is about fighting for justice, equality, and human rights, then yes, I’m woke.
- If woke means I defend our democracy even if I don’t get my way, then yes, I’m woke.
- If woke is about supporting science and reason, discourse, and dialog, then yes, I’m woke.
- If woke means standing up to bigotry, then yes, I’m proud to be woke.
- If standing up for critical thinking and science, then yes, I’m proud to be woke.
- If standing up for teaching all of American history, then yes, I’m proud to be woke.
If we treat our fellow human beings, whether they’re Americans or global citizens, with kindness, decency, and respect, then make the claim, “I’m proud to be woke.” There are millions of us.