What's Woke?
A few weeks ago, I was chatting with an acquaintance and I used the term “woke.” They said “wait, what’s woke?” While I was a bit incredulous that in today’s world someone hadn’t heard the term, I started to explain woke.
And then, on the spur of the moment, I couldn’t give a definition of the term.
Yup, I know woke when I see it.
Here are some examples. You may agree or disagree with each of these. Maybe you think they’re correct views or beliefs. I’m not questioning your values, just attributing them to the term.
Cancel Culture – Canceling a college speaker because they have controversial views on society or race that differ from the academic or “accepted” view. Or, firing an employee because their social media may cite examples of thought that is not socially acceptable today.
Instead of competence, companies, schools and especially government use Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) to make hiring decisions based upon physical and sexual characteristics. This is also known as “box checking.”
Banning classic literature like “Tom Sawyer” or “To Kill a Mockingbird” from schools because words they use in historical context might offend someone.
Supporting the defund the police movement.
Tearing down statues of historical figures because, by today’s standards, those figures were immoral or had beliefs different from those accepted today.
Promoting “equity” (everyone starts different but ends up the same) over “equality” (everyone starts the same but ends up different).
Banning Comedians – TV networks and entertainment venues blacklist a comedian for making edgy jokes that would have been perfectly fine 10 years ago.
Insisting brands like “Aunt Jemima” or “Uncle Ben’s” change their names, logos and mottos because someone was offended or promoted racial stereotypes.
Virtue Signaling – Brands use pro-LGBTQ, pro-BLM imagery to appear inclusive. But this marginalizes a portion of their potential customer base.
Gender Pluralism – People saying there are over 70 genders and that if you disagree based on science, you’re anti-LGBTQ+.
Taking a knee during the U.S. national anthem to protest against racial injustice.
Safe Spaces – Schools and companies designate safe spaces for students and employees where they can feel comfortable and not be offended by those espousing views different from theirs.
If you didn’t know woke before, maybe you do now.
It’s one thing for an individual or even a school to espouse wokeism. The libertarian in me says “go for it – have a day.” But when a company that is trying to maximize returns for its shareholders does this, disaster may befall them:
Gillette, 2019. The company ran a Super Bowl commercial entitled “The Best Men Can Be.” It was launched during the “#MeToo” movement and preached against “mansplaining”, misogyny, sexual harassment and the like. Considering that the ad was critical of men – Gilette’s target demographic – the ad was met with fierce backlash. According to the BBC at the time of reporting the YouTube ad had 23,000 likes and 214,000 dislikes.
Bud Light, 2023. Bud Light produced a tone-deaf ad that alienated its own customer base. Budweiser’s marketing VP Alissa Heinerscheid claimed the beer company needed to update its “fratty” and “out-of-touch” image. She accomplished this by engaging transgender TikTok influencer Dylan Mulvaney to promote Bud Light. Unfortunately for Bud Light, this marketing stunt offended it’s fratty and out of touch customer base and, according to CBS, Bud Light sales almost immediately dropped 23%. Six months later, sales are down 30%.
Disney, 2023. Viewing the original 1937 classic “Snow White” as having a “stalker prince”, a maiden with “skin white as snow,” and reinforced stereotypes of “dwarves,” Disney created a $330 million live action flop with a Hispanic Snow White and the dwarves have been replaced by a racially and gender-diverse cast of mostly able-bodied, average height actors – labelled “magical creatures” – with the exception of one person with dwarfism. As of now this film has been sent back to production and editing for a remake and is not scheduled to be released until 2025.
You know, if I was a shareholder in one of those companies, I’d be looking for a class action lawsuit. Anheuser Busch (BUD) is down 12% from its price in April, Walt Disney Company (DIS) is off 28% from its 52-week high. Note that Gillette is owned by Proctor & Gamble (PG) so its performance is not visible.
As I said, “you do you.” Just don’t force your beliefs on me and I won’t force mine on you. But if I have a choice, I’m going to follow my beliefs, not yours.
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“Gratitude is a sustainable approach to life that can be freely chosen for oneself. It is choosing to focus on blessings rather than curses, on gifts rather than burdens, and people report that it transforms their lives.”
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Have You Ever Seen a Butterfly Swarm?
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