If you search for “woke” on your digital device, you will learn that it refers to the state of mind of someone who has awakened (“woke up”) to social injustices in our current world.  A woke individual, once awakened, may begin to seek out social justice, or become a social justice advocate.   While trendy, new words are sometimes vague, the terms woke and social justice seem well-defined, as they are connected to a family of academic theories known as “critical theory” which has re-purposed old words and used them in special, new ways.  When you hear this distinctive vocabulary of old words used in new ways, you can be pretty sure you are listening to a social justice advocate.

Background on Woke

Woke social justice may be understood as a set of ideas based on a semi-historical narrative.  Social justice advocates do not publish this narrative, but it is implicit in the many public statements of social justice advocates who use the easy-to-spot vocabulary of critical theorists.  When advocates use this vocabulary, you can connect the dots to the many academic writings using the same language.  Traditional words that critical theorist have repurposed include: social justice, privilege, diversity, equity, anti-racism, inclusion, oppressor, oppressed, intersectionality, patriarchy.  The repurposing of traditional words is a signature of neo-Marxist philosophers and is reminiscent of the way an earlier generation repurposed words like exploitation, liberation, and “the people”.

Here is one version of the narrative that seems to animate many woke social justice advocates.

Woke Social Justice Narrative Derived from Critical Theories

Many people enjoy favorable situations and outcomes solely as a result of white privilege, which white people enjoy at the expense of people of color whom they have oppressed. In another context, males have exploited a patriarchy to accrue privilege at the expense of other genders whom they have oppressed.  Any difference in the situation or outcomes of people of color or non-male genders compared to white people or males must always be interpreted as a social injustice to be corrected.

In their role as oppressors, white males (now dead) developed the dominant culture, philosophy, and ideas traditionally taught in academia as western civilization, while people of color were developing an equally valid, alternate culture, philosophy, and ideas derived from their experience as oppressed people.  Critical theory does not accept western civilization as valid just because it led to the dominance of western nations.  Rather, critical theory says that objective reality and truth do not exist, so there is no basis to say that any particular philosophy or set of ideas is any better than any other.

The set of culture, philosophy, and ideas commonly known as the Enlightenment and Western Civilization was created under white privilege, and must be destroyed to enable a socially just society, one in which everyone has equal outcomes.  Any and all artifacts connected to white oppressors are subject to destruction upon the demand of oppressed peoples.  A necessary revolution is in progress to bring down the culture, institutions, and structures of white oppression fashioned by the Enlightenment and Western Civilization.

Woke Narrative is Compelling

The most compelling aspect of the woke narrative is that it contains historical truth. There are lots of true stories, especially in the past, where white people used their privilege to oppress people of color.  Like the bible stories and other believable myths, it is rooted in people’s direct experience.

The woke narrative is consistent and compelling.  Americans love the underdog, love justice, and want everyone to have a fair shot.  It is certainly true that people of color have been denied opportunities by white people.  It is important to continue to make efforts to improve opportunities for all people.  It is important to consider whether the woke narrative and its prescriptions would lead to further improvements.   

Despite its “curb appeal”, the woke narrative has several important weaknesses.

Woke Narrative Not Historically Accurate

First, the often-stated claim that white people used capitalism to exploit people of color leading to massive inequality, is simply not historically true. People in western Europe became much richer than people in the rest of the world through a technological and industrial evolution that occurred within western culture, which, at the time, was ignored by the rest of the world.

Empire-building occurred because western European countries were already richer and more powerful than the countries they occupied.  If they were not already much stronger, how could they have occupied other countries, often without a shot being fired.

In actual history, white-majority England was the first country to ever completely ban slavery.  In 1833, slavery was abolished throughout the British Empire at a time when every country in the non-white world was actively practicing slavery.  After 1833, as the British empire began trying to eradicate slave trade on the seas (which they dominated), most non-white-majority countries were actively practicing slavery and selling their captured “brothers” to white and non-white slave traders around the globe.

England and the USA are currently criticized for not immediately extending the liberties they invented in 1215, 1688, 1776, and 1789 to all people.  In those times, people in other countries had little or no liberty.  The outcome that, during the 20^th century, 50% of the countries of the world converted to democracies where slavery is illegal arose mainly due to the efforts of white people in England and the USA.

Woke Prescriptions and Cures –  Worse Than The Disease

An even bigger weakness of the woke narrative is the often-stated belief that a revolution by people of color against white people would lead to justice and equality for all.  Anyone who thinks about this for a few minutes becomes aware that such a revolution would not be justice, and would not improve anyone’s position.

Does continuing to attack white people for the past sins of dead white people “work”?  Is it likely to make things better for anyone?

Thinking Before Acting

Many people, now called “activists”, do not usually think very much before acting, so the following “actions” are often advocated and praised in the name of “social justice”.

Destruction of the reputations of living and dead people accused of social injustice.

Destruction of property, without regard to identity of owners, in social justice riots organized by BLM.

Political actions to restrict freedom of Speech and Religion.

Political actions to restrict the freedom to own property and conduct business.

These activities have improved, nor could improve, the fortunes of people of color.

Some would argue, probably correctly, that our version of the woke narrative goes well beyond what most people are thinking when they argue for social justice.  In our view, that is the problem.  If most people thought very much about the things they advocate, they would not advocate or support the woke agenda.

The same people would probably argue many woke advocates do not seek a revolution leading to the destruction of western civilization, “they just want to right a few wrongs”.  No matter how deeply or shallowly you think, the question should always be: “ Will what I advocate make things better, or worse?”

Woke Implementation of Social Justice is Unfair and Inefficient

Whatever one thinks about the narratives and prescriptions of social justice advocates, the standard operating procedures are a separate cause for concern.   Social justice differs greatly from actual justice in that there are no courts, rules, or due process. Advocates attempt to punish people thought to commit a sin as quickly as possible by public criticism, defaming, shaming, and demonstration, or by pressuring for boycotts, de-listing, de-credentialing, denying media access, or terminating employment of the alleged offender.

Because of the way they are administered (by an angry crowd), similar punishments are doled out for different sins, rather they are great or small.  There are no statutes of limitations, no appeals, and no path to redemption.  The most common outcome for those punished is permanent loss of career.

Conclusion

Woke social justice advocacy seems to be based on a flawed theory of world history that has a distinctly neo-Marxist twang.  Worse, it is being applied with religious fervor by dogmatic, vigilante mobs in a random fashion causing harm to many innocents.

While it has made some headway in mainstream America, it has become endemic, rampant, and out of control in universities, broadcast media, Hollywood, and large corporate boardrooms.

It is time for everyone who believes in a reasonable way of life to look at this situation, examine what is going on, and take a firm position.

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Categories: Commentary, Culture, Ethics