The Decline of the Woke Movement: A Journey and Analysis
For some years, the term 'woke' has primarily been associated with a culture that has held a shaming power over certain vulnerable individuals. However, I believe the woke wave is breaking, and it is crucial to understand the journey that led to this transformation. In this article, I will share my personal experience with the woke movement and analyze the factors contributing to its decline.
My Journey into Wokeism
Until around 2016-2017, the term 'woke' was one I used very positively. As a liberal, I believed in the progressive push for equality and inclusion by the government. I also saw it as vital to understand the societal unfairness imposed on individuals merely because of their identity. Over the years, particularly in my late teens, I began to see the drawbacks of much of popular identity politics, including so-called 'anti-racism' and trans-activism. In essence, I felt that the Woke body was hypocritical, self-contradictory, and absurd.
As a liberal, I fiercely despised elements of the right, including Trumpism, to a significant degree. Over time, my views on Wokism and Trumpism began to converge, as I increasingly felt they shared the same worthlessness in the context of contemporary politics. I spent much of my time witnessing polarized tribes, consumed by low-budget ideology, which pitted them against the most cherished cultural institutions—democracy and science.
The Cartoonization of the Woke Movement
Recently, I came across clips from two documentary-style programs: 'Am I Racist' and 'What Is a Woman.' These documentaries, narrated by a journalist known as Matt something, revealed the absurdity that has infiltrated the woke discourse. Upon watching these clips, I initially assumed they were satire and that the individuals portrayed were actors. Who would espouse such absurdity now? Who would undertake to speak in such clichés and adopt that preaches woker-than-thou voice—whether saccharine sweet or self-consciously brave—while on camera? It all sounded ridiculous, much like the absurdity emanating from religious fanatics.
The Cultural Phenomenon and Its Decline
The point here is that when a cultural phenomenon becomes overdone, exaggerated, and programmatic to the point of absurdity, it becomes laughable. Call it the Spinal Tap moment, a term so named after the mockumentary where even test audiences initially thought it was an actual rock band. Similarly, the Woke movement has reached a threshold of absurdity where it has been exposed, injured, and is in the process of diminishing significance. The same can be said for Trumpism, which has been refuted by the Joke-in-Chief, Donald Trump himself.
A Return to Reasonable Middle Ground
The exposure of these movements may take time, but it seems that we are on our way to a more reasonable middle ground. It is possible that we will return to a place where we can work to incorporate legitimate values and goals from sobered Wokists and sobered Trumpists, as well as anyone else who holds a sober perspective. The objective is to build a framework based on reality that benefits everyone.