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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Why does 'wokeness' annoy people so much?

999 replies

twwindow · 27/12/2021 20:18

Isn't it just trying to make the world a better place but making people feel accepted no matter their race, gender etc?

It seems to wind some people up so bad - and it's usually those that are part of a majority group that gets wound up most by it (usually white/men) - is it because they feel threatened?

Whenever anyone stands up for a cause they are automatically called woke - and it's now as if it's a bad thing.

It's sad, I see people fed up with 'wokeness' as code for 'we can't get away with our racist, sexist BS anymore as people are calling us out'.

OP posts:
crowsfeet57 · 27/12/2021 21:28

It is borderline Orwellian it its beliefs. Re-writing history and language to push its regressive ideology and 'cancelling' anyone who doesn't swallow the narrative. They have zero tolerance and believe in 'one' truth

This.

It's terrifying!

Mellowyellow222 · 27/12/2021 21:28

For me it seems fake.

People should be decent people all the time - race, gender, sexual orientation are all just part of who we are, like the colour of our eyes or our hair colour.

When people make a huge deal about accepting others I always assume they actually have a problem with diversity that they are over compensating for.

We will know we have cracked this humanity thing when no one needs to be woke

Longcovid21 · 27/12/2021 21:29

In her book braving the wilderness, brene brown has some interesting things to say about this. The problem with wokeness is it is ironically exclusionary with proponents just looking for ways to shame and exclude others for language mistakes or for having different views whilst actually being decent humans.

Chimley · 27/12/2021 21:29

I don't have an issue with wokeness per se in its original form. But extreme wokeness is as annoying as extreme anything. We definitely should be more aware of the feelings of people who are not like us. But imagining offence on behalf of other people is taking it to the extreme.

littlepeas · 27/12/2021 21:30

Virtue signalling and no mind of their own - just take the 'woke' view on everything, no deeper thought than that. Intolerant of anyone who doesn't share fashionable stance - and it IS fashion. I can't stand it.

rifling · 27/12/2021 21:30

I agree that woke has just become a synonym for intolerant.

JaneJeffer · 27/12/2021 21:31

It's been mentioned up thread @SlashBeef

titchy · 27/12/2021 21:33

@JohnHuffam1812

Oooh ohhh woke

Lets watch MN decsend into anti trans batshittery that misundertands the process of becoming trans and blames all changes on the Labour party.

Even though the reforms to the GRA were insitigated by the Tories and are being led by a Tory MP. Who also recieves death threats and more from those ever so balanced people just trying to look out for women.

Essentially getting cross at the woke is part of the right wing culture war, they'll stoke whatever issue they want to, and provide loads of misinformation ( see above) and in order to maintain their status quo.

Has it been a long weekend?! Grin
twwindow · 27/12/2021 21:34

@Mellowyellow222

For me it seems fake.

People should be decent people all the time - race, gender, sexual orientation are all just part of who we are, like the colour of our eyes or our hair colour.

When people make a huge deal about accepting others I always assume they actually have a problem with diversity that they are over compensating for.

We will know we have cracked this humanity thing when no one needs to be woke

Sadly you have a very idealistic view of the world.

It's like saying People shouldn't bother highlighting sexism because pele should just 'know' not to be sexist. Sadly they don't, which is why wokeness is important.

Extreme wokeness no - just like extreme feminism is a pain in the arse, anything extreme is - but it appears any ounce of wokeness is considered extreme.

OP posts:
SportsMother · 27/12/2021 21:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SlashBeef · 27/12/2021 21:38

@JaneJeffer

It's been mentioned up thread *@SlashBeef*
Gotcha. I was thinking an extra letter 🤭
midsomermurderess · 27/12/2021 21:38

I never hear it spoken in real life, my life, my work life with a company committed to diversity. I only really see it in things like the Daily Mail where it is clearly used to set people off, to invalidate showing respect and consideration to others, to make them think it means they themselves lose out somehow. I think most normal people think it is absolutely non contentious to treat others with the respect and dignity they themselves would want.

Mydogmylife · 27/12/2021 21:40

@twwindow

Isn't it just trying to make the world a better place but making people feel accepted no matter their race, gender etc?

It seems to wind some people up so bad - and it's usually those that are part of a majority group that gets wound up most by it (usually white/men) - is it because they feel threatened?

Whenever anyone stands up for a cause they are automatically called woke - and it's now as if it's a bad thing.

It's sad, I see people fed up with 'wokeness' as code for 'we can't get away with our racist, sexist BS anymore as people are calling us out'.

Because most of it's virtue signalling and not genuine
MysteriesOfTheOrganism · 27/12/2021 21:41

Most decent people don't have a problem with being kind, considerate and tolerant of others. But I object to being hectored by people who appear to have a laughably poor understanding of history (or a deliberately false account of history, you choose), are intolerant, eager to sniff out and condemn the unrighteous (witchhunters par excellence) and absolutely refuse to engage in dialogue. Why on earth would anyone wish to side with such people?

SportsMother · 27/12/2021 21:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Slabadabbadooby · 27/12/2021 21:48

Let's keep it simple

If you didn't vote against Brexit you're a twat
If you don't get vaccinated you're an arsehole (barring disability)
If you try to hound J K Rowling off the internet for being (not at all) transphobic you're a wanker

This is an example of woke to me, and all that is wrong with it. It's that close mindedness, definitiveness, you voted brexit so you are a racist or whatever... It's not a nice way to be and it's not good for the world. It stifles debate and it makes people afraid.

milkyaqua · 27/12/2021 21:52

[quote JohnHuffam1812]@milkyaqua

You can't tear down history, you can take down a statue and create more history.

Which bits of art or people do you not think should have been reevaluated?[/quote]
Wokester.

Longcovid21 · 27/12/2021 21:54

Also the woke have created such division with their extreme identity politics that there is less opportunity for a united class struggle and protest against the ruling classes. Capitalism is having a field day whilst we are all fighting over minutiae. You should see the regressive policies going through government whilst we get our knickers in a twist over semantics. Soon someone could be made stateless at the behest of the government but we are all distracted about the right way to refer to each other.

dworky · 27/12/2021 21:56

Because it's become a refuge for the most nasty, intolerant bullies who have no real compassion for anyone other than themselves.

Inthesameboatatmo · 27/12/2021 21:57

I don't have a problem with woke. I've got a problem with people's views foisted upon me whether I like it or not .

unname · 27/12/2021 21:57

@BackBackBack

It annoys me because it's been appropriated. It was connected to an awakening of racial injustice. Nowadays it seems to be a marker for performative purity spiralling on social media, in the race to castigate people for the latest wrong think.
My feelings also.
Broads93 · 27/12/2021 21:58

It seems like the older generations don't like being held accountable for their wrong actions/views on things. "Woke" really isn't an insult, just a sarcastic little dig from the oldies.

ShaneTheThird · 27/12/2021 22:01

Wokeness is ridiculous that's why. It's divisive, us Vs them, perceived good Vs perceived evil. So jkr is evil, but a man in a wig issuing rape threats is good in wokeville.

People get accused of things they haven't done by everyone trying to out woke each other.

Mental health in younger people gets worse because they are perceiving themselves as victims all the time and implying their lives are so difficult when they are not.

I work in a shop and the things I hear from people below the age of 30 is eye opening. Last week I had a few teens explain to me how they had to use notebooks as diaries because the dates in diaries were too much pressure to handle daily Confused apparently we shouldn't sell diaries as they can cause anxiety.

JayAlfredPrufrock · 27/12/2021 22:01

Wrong actions.

Wrong views

Wrong think

🙄

BlackCatz · 27/12/2021 22:01

@Broads93

It seems like the older generations don't like being held accountable for their wrong actions/views on things. "Woke" really isn't an insult, just a sarcastic little dig from the oldies.
That's total bollocks.