AIBU to wonder why people use the term "Woke" as an insult?

[Canada4321]

What is the problem with being woke?

It’s the modern day equivalent of “political correctness gone mad”. I don’t see it as an insult, but it’s been twisted so that it is intended to be.

Because people who are racist, sexist, generally awful have to try to make themselves feel better.

Anyone using 'woke' as an insult is a dickhead.

Agree it is the current version of calling someone PC.

It's been at least a week before we last had one of these threads...

There is no problem in what woke really is, it's what we want everyone to be - woken up to injustice racism, misogyny, etc. Caring about others. Predictably on social media scumbags the world over tried (& succeeded) to co-opt the word and mock it, thereby taking away it's power. So now apparently NOT being an asshole is something to mock. It's the same way 'the Left' is used as an insult. It's a lazy vapid approach to targeting generally caring people. Labels suck.

Of course it's a social media thing. I haven't ever met a person in real life whose said it, but then you can't throw out a nasty comment then run away and hide behind a username in real life, you actually have to explain yourself.

I think woke started out as a good thing, as a positive towards one’s character.
Now it’s more of an insult due to the wokeness replacing common sense in some people.

@HeDidWhattt

I think woke started out as a good thing, as a positive towards one’s character. Now it’s more of an insult due to the wokeness replacing common sense in some people.

'the wokeness replacing common sense' is very much 'its PC gone mad'.

I think they like to put others down who are thoughtful and considerate of the impacts of issues on other people's lives, they see it as a weakness, instead of just getting on with life and offending who the fuck they want without repercussion.

I see it as a warning sign that people are just obnoxious and not really worth my time.

@Canada4321

What is the problem with being woke?

Probably because woke goes hand in hand with purity spiral virtue signallers who follow a set list of group think ideas, from which they cannot deviate, and they make sure other people know how good and virtuous they are. These people who generally do nothing (themselves) to actually make other people's lives better at all. At least they're easy to spot and avoid though.

Because it's now swung completely the other way into ridiculousness and whataboutery.

For example, a notoriously "woke" influencer (who is white) recently criticised the recent changes to the law around hitting children, saying it would negatively impact black communities. Her attempt at "inclusion" is actually massively offensive to the very community she was trying to defend, implying that black parents hit their children.

Probably because woke goes hand in hand with purity spiral virtue signallers who follow a set list of group think ideas, from which they cannot deviate, and they make sure other people know how good and virtuous they are. These people who generally do nothing (themselves) to actually make other people's lives better at all. At least they're easy to spot and avoid though
This.
If you're described as woke, it implies jumping on band wagons, I'm holier than thou, I'm-the-Debbie-Downer at the party and I've elevated myself to a more righteous place than you.

Because 'woke' is increasingly associated with things like the hounding of JK Rowling, Kathleen Stock. Allowing Lia Thomas to compete as a woman when common sense dictates (as per the neatly 2000 posts on the thread) that she shouldn't. Whether it should be associated or not is debatable, but that's why I personally might use it with an eyebrow raise.

Being woke or 'awake to injustice' is like a smoke detector. When it's working, noticing injustice and calling it out is really useful. But if it's over sensitive, and goes off every day, then it's both annoying and more dangerous than helpful, because you learn to ignore it. Some people are like overactive smoke detectors, they get addicted to crusading against perceived micro aggressions, police their thoughts, and we end up with articles with headlines like "is carrying your baby in a sling racist?"

@carefullycourageous

Because people who are racist, sexist, generally awful have to try to make themselves feel better.

Anyone using 'woke' as an insult is a dickhead.

Agree it is the current version of calling someone PC.

Says the person using the term ‘dickhead’! Oh the irony.

@camelfinger

It’s the modern day equivalent of “political correctness gone mad”. I don’t see it as an insult, but it’s been twisted so that it is intended to be.

Exactly this. It's not an insult and when someone uses it as an insult it's a really nice way for them to tell you a lot about themselves and allow you to file them in a certain column in the spreadsheet of your mind.

Woke us being used to describe people, organisations or situations who have taken with the (correct) wish to be inclusive to such a level it's no longer inclusive to those who aren't the minority they were trying to include.

A good example is making toilets gender neutral resulting in no space for women, I've been in so called gender neutral toilets with urinals on display to all, I don't want to see random men weeing! Another example is adding pronouns, I have a name just use that, no need for he or she (and I hate titles anyway, why do people need to use them anyway).

Probably because woke goes hand in hand with purity spiral virtue signallers who follow a set list of group think ideas, from which they cannot deviate, and they make sure other people know how good and virtuous they are. These people who generally do nothing (themselves) to actually make other people's lives better at all. At least they're easy to spot and avoid though.

Perfect explanation.

Surely putting people in columns on a mental spreadsheet is just as categorising and judgemental as the people you're talking about. Everyones views and cultures should be respected (unless they disagree with me / twitter)?

In my working class community it seems the word ‘woke’ has always been an insult.

I believe it refers to the kind of people who actually place much more value on appearing ‘woke’ by making the right noises rather than actually trying to fight injustice or apply any kind of critical thinking or nuance.

The kind who will say that any white boy must ‘check his privilege’ because of his skin colour, while very much ignoring any evidence about how white working class boys are being let down by the education system. The people who justifiably talk about racism, which is a huge issue, but then fail to understand WHY those white working class boys might look at a black middle class person, then back to the white privately educated mp telling them how privileged they are and roll their eyes, aren’t helping to combat racism. They are just making themselves feel better and failing to apply any nuance to the ‘right think’.

Same with that Labour MP who said that male rapists should be housed in a female prison IF they ‘identify’ as a woman. Because in ‘right think’ that automatically makes that man more vulnerable than the often previously abused and disadvantaged women trapped in the prison room with them.

@Dadalus

Being woke or 'awake to injustice' is like a smoke detector. When it's working, noticing injustice and calling it out is really useful. But if it's over sensitive, and goes off every day, then it's both annoying and more dangerous than helpful, because you learn to ignore it. Some people are like overactive smoke detectors, they get addicted to crusading against perceived micro aggressions, police their thoughts, and we end up with articles with headlines like "is carrying your baby in a sling racist?"

Good metaphor.

There was a spat on an FB page yesterday about using the word 'lame' to describe something disappointing. The dictionary definition shows two meanings: disappointing and uneven gait (usually in animals).

Someone chose to derail a perfectly good cooking conversation on a cooking page with an argument about how the use of the word lame was an insult and mockery to people with limited mobility, and should be avoided.

allow you to file them in a certain column in the spreadsheet of your mind.

And the woke do like spreadsheets. Of what sort of people are 'worthy' enough to be in the good column. And those who are in the bad column. They wouldn't be able to operate without a spreadsheet / checklist tbh because theres no actual logic behind it.

Says the person using the term ‘dickhead’! Oh the irony.

I don’t think you understand irony.

Exactly this. It's not an insult and when someone uses it as an insult it's a really nice way for them to tell you a lot about themselves and allow you to file them in a certain column in the spreadsheet of your mind.

I’m with @JenniferBarkley

Because they are twats. Next question please!

@deplorabelle

Because they are twats. Next question please!

Why are they twats?

Woke as an insult... it's the new 'oh it's PC gone maaaad' crew

People who can't handle taking 2 minutes to understand something so as not to hurt other people and preferring to stay in their comfort zone. Ignorant, fragile luddites.