Real “wokeness” is just something people know. It may only be dangerous because so many don’t really know what it means.

The meaning and definition is not negative at all.
I think a lot of older folks use it if they don’t really know what they’re referring to.. It has become a catchall colloquialism.
Some political members have turned it wrongfully into a derogatory word/expression.

Being Woke means to be able to think critically about history and the current state of life in 21st century America. It is inherently liberal and therefore seen as dangerous to bigoted, right-wing thinking.

It is just a repackaging of this old caper:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Degenerate_art#Cultural_Bolshevism

Because it threatens the republican fright-wingers and their barbaric ways and out-of-date thinking.

I don’t think anyone on the left or even liberal uses the term any more. It is outdated. The Repugs just use it as a label for anyone and anything that they want to stigmatize. What they call “wokeness” many people consider open mindedness, compassion and critical thinking.

I’m trying my best these days not to pay too much attention to the political circus.

In her mind, she’s just being a good & loyal republican spouting the republican rhetoric at every turn.

Chris Rock live this weekend on Netflix did a whole bit on it that was fairly concise. It’s the selective outrage that’s dangerous. A person said something wrong and lost her livelihood, while others are forgiven.

Examples:
Chris Pratt
John Cleese
Bill Maher
Gina Carano
Winston Marshall

Nikki Haley is using a catch phrase to pander to an uneducated, uninformed subculture.

In recent years, the pandering had involved critical race theory, which enraged ignorant people who didn’t know the phrase’s definition. Now that CRT’s meaning is becoming more well-known and less inflammatory, it’s time to move on to something else. (The ever-delightful Marjorie Taylor Greene did recently say, during a Congressional committee hearing, that CRT is a movement to teach young, white children that their skin is inferior to the skin of darker children. She was mocked for her words.)

So, the term “woke,” which means well-informed and actively attentive to societal issues, is being used as a blanket term for ridicule. All progressive or moderate thoughts are neatly insulted as overzealous or insincere, simply by using a single word.

In all fairness, there is an elitist aspect to the term. I am woke! I have seen the light. Let me show it to you. But then I feel the same way about Jews who say we are God’s chosen people and Christians who say that they have been saved.

@KNOWITALL John Cleese?

@Zaku https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/john-cleese-disastrous-woke-culture-killing-creative-comedy

@LostInParadise I believe you are confusing the terms. Being “woke” is not putting ones-self higher or better than anyone, only being aware and able to think critically about issues.

@KNOWITALL Thanks.

It seems to me that the definition Cleese is using there, is about fearfulness in corporate comedy and writing, of offending someone.

As for the definitions people here have mentioned, e.g. “to be able to think critically about history and the current state of life in 21st century America” or “open mindedness, compassion and critical thinking” or “well-informed and actively attentive to societal issues”, is not what Cleese is talking about, and in fact Cleese of all people was rather a pioneer of those sorts of “wokeness” going back to 1969.

Someone should remind Cleese, that his movie “life of Brian” was outright banned in several countries, including some places in the UK.
It is not like public outrage is anything new, and if anything, it was worse in the past.

@Zaku I think being ‘woke’ has good and bad points. But I don’t believe trying to force it is always appropriate, as in racial and LGBTQ issues. Force doesn’t work on everyone, especially in conservative areas.

I remember when “woke” was used by conservatives to describe a liberal who only posted Black Lives Matter pictures on Facebook and didn’t do anything to actually help people. But now because it’s politically convenient, they’re calling any form activism as “woke”. Conservatives need to make up their mind.

Conservatives and mind in the same sentence, but you did use the words make up so maybe if you move those words around in the proper order….?

Maybe it’s because I’m tired, but I don’t know what you’re trying to say

If I explained it I would probably get flagged. Some people tend to get a bit cold and melt pretty easily if you get my drift?!

What is real wokeness? From the best I can figure out, it means that I’m able to think for myself. It’s also a buzz word for the magamaniacs

Is real wokeness good or bad? That depends on who is using the word. Back in 2016, I was called a sheeple because I dared to think for myself & I did NOT like 45. Fast forward to 2023, I’m still thinking for myself & I still don’t like 45, so I must be woke. The truth is that I do NOT care what word they choose for their buzz word…it does NOT bother me!!!

I can’t help unhear the WHAM song Woke me up before you go-go!

Even righties can’t explain woke.