Why Being Too Woke Is A Bad Thing
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

Your Perfect Wokeness Is Overrated And It's Doing More Harm Than Good

True activism comes from compassion and empathy.

1151
Your Perfect Wokeness Is Overrated And It's Doing More Harm Than Good

In the modern age, the regulation of speech and the ideal of wokeness are hot button issues both on and offline. In our increasingly divided society, it seems that some despise the idea of wokeness, deeming it a regulation of speech that is making people too sensitive. Others believe it to be necessary in a changing and increasingly diverse world. While I do believe a certain level of self-censorship is necessary and appropriate, the idea that people have to be perfectly woke to be considered good is a load of BS.

There is a certain type of language that I do deem highly offensive, and thus inappropriate to say both online and offline — I believe that no one is overly sensitive by calling out someone else saying the N-word, for example. For at least the last three or four decades, this has been a standard belief that the majority of the population can agree on.

However, with recent (often political) events, it seems that this culture of what is and isn't offensive is becoming highly skewed. Fellow liberals, especially online, attempt to cancel the slightest inkling of conservative thought. Freely stating opinions that differ from the political ideology one aligns with often results in Twitter tirades. Mistakes from decades ago that did not do any serious harm are resurrected to influence current campaigns.

The example that comes to mind is Justin Trudeau's blackface scandal. I agree that the act was racist, offensive, and done in bad taste. But by the way that it dominated headlines, you would think Trudeau was a war criminal. And while the scandal should indeed have been a negative factor towards Trudeau, I don't believe that he truly meant harm or ill-intent — Trudeau has had an excellent track record in progressive policy in numerous facets like climate action, immigration, and foreign policy. Ultimately he won reelection as prime minister, but he had to overcome the furor generated by (in the grand scheme of things) a minor incident.

While it may be hard for liberals like myself to agree with conservatives who criticize wokeness, take it from a progressive leader more than half the country misses: Barack Obama. Many people who participate in this cancel culture-esque wokeness believe they are the epitome of activism, champions of social justice, and that whoever strays from their ideal should immediately be labeled a misogynist, a racist, a homophobe, and so on.

However, both Obama and I agree this is not so.

Yelling at people who do not exactly follow this forward-thinking perfect notion does not do any good, and, honestly, probably encourages them to continue bad behavior. True activism comes from compassion and empathy, but still remaining firm in your beliefs.

Ultimately, I believe that wokeness at its core has positive potential — being sensitive to others' needs and experiences. But social media, social justice warriors, and identity politics have hijacked wokeness and turned it into something I do not recognize anymore. This new wokeness says people who don't fit the perfect woke mold are immediately bad people, and I don't agree with that. This may be naive, but I do believe that most people hold their beliefs with good intentions for everyone and I do not think it's fair to attack someone because their definition of good is different than mine. Does that not make me woke? Maybe so. But I don't think I am a worse person because of it.

Report this Content
the beatles
Wikipedia Commons

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

Keep Reading...Show less
Being Invisible The Best Super Power

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

19 Lessons I'll Never Forget from Growing Up In a Small Town

There have been many lessons learned.

70817
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

132426
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments