Woke capitalism

[Apileofballyhoo]

Much of this has been going around in my head but without being able to articulate it, so it's a relief to see someone has written an article on it.

helenlewis.substack.com/p/the-bluestocking-woke-capitalism?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email&utm_source=copy

This is a fantastic feature.

I've just this article and was about to link to it.

Fabulous.

Similar to what I've said and thought for some time.

It really has pissed me off seeing companies exploiting both workers and consumers pay lip service to causes - it's been bothering me for a while. But the speed of the rise of the trans rights activism has really bothered me and I couldn't get my head around it. I'm always inclined to follow the money and I know there is money to be made from the medical aspect of transitioning, but it is also niche.

It's amazing how with unisex toilets a company can virtue signal with no cost other than a bit of paint.

Also creches at work should be obligatory and it's a disgrace they aren't. That's annoyed me for the past 20 years.

I find it difficult to take articles seriously when they use the word 'woke' unironically

The thing in the article was:

Anyway, here’s Harvard Kennedy School professor of public policy Iris Bohnet:

“About $8 billion a year is spent on diversity trainings in the United States alone. Now, I tried very hard to find any evidence I could. I looked not just in the United States but also in Rwanda and other post-conflict countries, where reconciliation is often built on the kind of diversity trainings that we do in our companies, to see how this is working. Sadly enough, I did not find a single study that found that diversity training in fact leads to more diversity.”

Diversity training is so interesting in that it really is in no way evidence based.

I see a lot of similar things in education where I work - all kinds of programs that are meant to accomplish some ends, some paid for some are volunteer run. But there are never any real metrics as far as how they work. Even something like active shooter drills which the kids are required to do now. We know they scare the heck out of the kids, but do they save lives, and how many?

No one seems to think it is reasonable to ask because it is well meant, so it must be ok? It's totally exempt from the obsession with showing value found in some other areas.

I find it difficult to take articles seriously when they use the word 'woke' unironically

"And that leads to what I call the Iron Law of Woke Capitalism: brands will gravitate towards low-cost, high-noise signals if these are accepted as a substitute for genuine reform. (I’m not using the word “woke” here in a sneering, pejorative sense, but to highlight that the original definition of wokeness is incompatible with capitalism.)"

This isn't just another right wing article by somebody talking about political correctness gone mad. It is about companies exploiting social causes for capitalist aims, and how this harms those causes.

I know RTB. Diversity training my arse.

The Body Shop is a prime example for me with their exploitative MLM bullshit while presenting as environmentally friendly and fair trade and whatever. They did out do themselves over JKR though.

Helen Lewis doesn't exactly have right wing creditials...

In 2012, Lewis coined the light-hearted Lewis's Law: "the comments on any article about feminism justify feminism". She has written about the harassment of women online and trolling.

Yes. I had a vague sense of that but couldn't articulate it.
So Corporate virtue-signalling then really?

Strangely if the only criticism that someone can level at that article is they can't take them seriously for using the word 'woke' then a) they haven't read the article b) they have no interest in reading the article c) they don't have another arguement to make against about the content of the article.

I can’t read ‘woke’ in title either.

Will rtft for summary.

I think people have talked about green washing for a long time, but one of the things this article points out is that companies are scoring points on twitter, at the expense of employees, and they get positive feedback from people who would previously have been expected to support workers' rights.

Yes Apileofballyhoo, completely agree about Body Shop and MLM. They also have a rather embarrassing gender pay gap issue.

That's a really concise way of putting it.
I was going to say they are deflecting criticism while its business as usual.

Read this piece earlier and thought it was right on the money.

@merrymouse

I think people have talked about green washing for a long time, but one of the things this article points out is that companies are scoring points on twitter, at the expense of employees, and they get positive feedback from people who would previously have been expected to support workers' rights.

Yes Apileofballyhoo, completely agree about Body Shop and MLM. They also have a rather embarrassing gender pay gap issue.

The co-opting of the left into all kinds of areas that previously it championed has been shocking all round. The other one that always strikes me is how concern around jobs and immigration has been completely abandoned by the left. Or that they have now taken up fre trade as some kind of moral imperative.

These things show that it isn't leftist at all , it's become completely bourgeoisie.

merrymouse

companies are scoring points on twitter, at the expense of employees, and they get positive feedback from people who would previously have been expected to support workers' rights

Couldn't agree more. I can't understand anything anymore.

Helen has managed to capture my swirling thoughts on this issue and express them succinctly. Now. Am I brave enough to give it to the Diversity and inclusion woman at my work. (small right on workplace. I'm the eldest at 55. Lots of young women, bright, but no real political awareness.) Our disability training last week was allabout intersectionality and identity (I've been in the vol sec for over 30 yrs. Seen equality training come and go and never make a difference)

There seems to be a direct correlation between how amazingly woke a company is and how bad its reputation for corporate responsibility used to be.

I was going back through my old Chumbawamba back catalogue from 1986 and the worst offenders - Coca Cola, Unilever and the BBC - are all seemingly atoning for their past sins by telling us how virtuous they are.

RunningWild12
Our disability training last week was all about intersectionality and identity

Could you show them this?
www.disabilityrightsuk.org/how-we-can-help/training/disability-confidence-training

Thanks inebriati. The training we got was delivered by experienced trainer who has a disability herself but was v clear that theoretical underpinning was intersectionality. Reference Kimberle Crenshaw who coined the term. But of course didn't say it ws with reference to discrimination faced by black working class women. Not about gender feelz. Trainer said she politically identified as disabled.

Trainer said she politically identified as disabled.

What does that mean?

I wish this identity/identify thing would go away.

Everything is topsy turvy.

Here we go again. GoogleUK tweeting to sign a petition to protect trans rights. I'll do a thread if there isn't one.

mobile.twitter.com/GoogleUK/status/1273556835421880320