“Woke” is the new “lit,” and everybody wants to be woke. But like any buzzword, it can get overused in a way that undermines its message or meaning. So, when is being too woke a bad thing? According to Google Trends, searches for the term have increased by over 100% since 2020. But what does it mean to be woke? Is there such thing as too woke? And if so, how do we define this threshold?
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What Is A “Woke” Person?
What does it mean to be woke? The term is thrown around a lot, but many people don’t know what it means. Woke can be defined as “to become aware” or “to become conscious.” It can also mean that someone is aware of the issues surrounding oppression in society and actively working to end them. That’s where things get tricky: just because you’re working against oppression doesn’t mean you’re woke enough or even too woke at all.
Woke people have various characteristics and beliefs about what the world should look like; there are those who believe in equality among races and genders, while others believe everyone should go back to their countries of origin because they don’t belong here. These differences between different types of woke people are what make others wonder whether they’re doing enough for their cause or whether they’ve gone overboard with their activism.
While being awake means acknowledging your privilege and fighting against power structures such as racism or sexism, there has been some controversy around this word lately due to how easily it’s used by anyone who wants credit for being politically correct without actually doing anything helpful in real life situations where these issues come up more often than not.
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Are There Different Types of Woke-Ness?
Yes, there are different types of woke-ness. The most common types include:
Woke to the patriarchy. You’re aware that the system is designed by and for men to benefit men at the expense of women.
Woke to the patriarchy but not capitalism. You understand that while women have been historically oppressed by men, they have still benefited from capitalism’s domination over other systems like feudalism in terms of being able to work outside of a home and make money for themselves.
Woke to capitalism but not the patriarchy. You realize that many people who identify as men have been discriminated against throughout history due to factors like race and class; however, you don’t think this should excuse them from their responsibility in perpetuating oppressive.
There Are Limits to How Woke You Can Be.
You can’t be too woke. But you can sure be wrong. There is a line between being woke and being a bigot, and it’s not as simple as just wearing an “All Lives Matter” shirt with the intent of starting controversy. Woke people are often wrong so much so that sometimes they’re called out on their stances by other members of the community, or even their own family members.
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Conclusion
There’s no perfect answer to how woke is too woke. It depends on the brand and the industry, but you should always be aware of your tone and consider how it might come across to your customers. If there are any questions about whether or not something could be construed as offensive, it’s best not to use it.
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