"Woke" is it Really an Insult?

In today's society, the term "woke" is being transformed into an insult by those who fear change. Nevertheless, history is full of instances where people have had awakening moments that have changed the course of history.

Nowadays, there seems to be an overwhelming sense of uncertainty and uneasiness towards change and anything that is different. That uneasiness can easily translate to hate.

There are those, however, who have made it their duty to embrace the differences in the world and strive towards changing things for the better. They have been given the moniker of being woke.

Nevertheless, the ones who feel threatened by change and like the way things are, have turned the term woke into something offensive.

Regrettably, it is a trend now to use "woke" as a dismissive slur for anything mildly accommodating to marginalized communities, particularly anything featuring a woman of color in a starring role in a movie or a television show.

What is woke? The Oxford English Dictionary defines woke as “an alert to injustice in society, especially racism." The Merriam-Webster dictionary, on the other hand, defines it as “engaged and active in social justice issues.” So, what does that mean?

For starters, it means that you are aware of the world around you and the problems that exist within it. You are not comfortable with sitting back and ignoring them; you want to do something about them.

Sadly, the term "woke" has been used as an insult or to express dissatisfaction with someone's empathy. While some believe that being woke is a new phenomenon, it has existed for centuries; it just didn't have a name.

What do people actually mean when they use the word “woke” as an insult? Are they justified in doing so?

The answer to these questions lies in their insecurities and fearfulness. People may be afraid of change or afraid of things they don't understand. And in many cases, they may also be insecure about their own beliefs and convictions.

They view change as an assault on their beliefs. In the end, using “woke” as an insult is just a mantra that they use instead of saying, “I am at the very least uncomfortable, or at the extreme, fear and hate anything different.”

People are uncomfortable with change and anything that is not normal or familiar to them.

This fear of the unknown has been around for centuries; it is nothing new. However, by giving it a name, it helps them cope.

Unfortunately, there are many people in the world who are happy with their biases and the way that they think. They do not see a problem with this, because it is what they know. Instead of untethering themselves from their programming, they are comfortable with their biases because they have the privilege of not caring.

Fear manifests itself in many different ways, but the most common one is anger.

Those who are uncomfortable with change and have turned the term "woke" into a belittling term do not understand history. History is littered with examples of notable woke people who stood up against injustices that changed the path of history.

The abolitionists’ fight to end slavery was a radical idea at the time, culminating in a civil war. That’s some hardcore wokeness.

Wokeness is the awareness of the ways that the system oppresses marginalized groups of people and makes a conscious effort to dismantle them.

Gandhi’s nonviolent resistance was a woke movement that helped put an end to India’s centuries-long colonial rule.

Years later, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. embraced the strategy of nonviolent resistance in America because it was so successful at challenging a system of authority. It helped pave the way for civil rights reform legislation in later years, which fundamentally changed the landscape of the country.

Some of these moments were wake-up calls, where people suddenly realized that things needed to change, and they acted on them. Others were more gradual, but the end result was still a shift in how things were done.

Gender equality is an ongoing battle. It took almost a century after the formation of women's suffrage in 1848 that women gained equal representation in American politics.

The National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA) campaigned for a woman's right to vote on equal terms with men. At the time, this was a radical idea. However, it was not until 1920 that women were finally granted voting rights across America with the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. There are also some woke ideas in music and entertainment.

Music has the ability to inspire people, raise awareness, and change the world.

There are woke philosophies in music where we are confronted with the harsh realities of the world. These ideas can be found in everything from Billy Holiday’s “Strange Fruit,” John Lennon’s “Imagine,” and the entire discography of Bob Marley.

Music is a powerful tool that artists have been using for decades to spread awareness, reminding us that progress is possible, but it doesn't come easily.

Woke has always changed the world, most times for the better. Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal was a bold idea that revolutionized American society. By the nineteenth thirties, the depression left millions of Americans jobless and homeless.

Franklin D. Roosevelt believed that in a civilized world, it was the government's responsibility to provide its citizens with sustainable employment.

However, FDR's New Deal proposal enraged the rich, who saw it as a threat to their status and wealth. Nevertheless, the New Deal ultimately succeeded in creating jobs, stimulating economic growth, and lifting millions of Americans out of poverty.

The idea of social justice has been around since ancient times. Even Jesus was woke. He took the idea of “an eye for an eye” to the revolutionary idea of “turning the other cheek.”

Leaders of the ancient Jewish world felt a wide range of emotions about the Galilean. Some felt hostility and anger towards him, while others saw potential in his teachings. In the end, most leaders rejected Jesus.

This was largely because he didn't fit their idea of what the Messiah would be like, someone who would overthrow Roman rule and restore Israel to glory. Instead, Jesus preached about love and compassion, which didn't sit well with many traditionalists.

There is, however, another side to wokeness. It can also be extreme, brought on by extreme suffering under the yoke of callous rulers. One such moment happened in 1848, when Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels published The Communist Manifesto.

This document outlined the theory of socialism and the principles that should govern a communist society. It was an idea that shook the capitalist and monarchical worlds at the time.

Woke ideas have been a powerful force for change in the world. For centuries, it has brought attention to injustices, and it has empowered people to speak out against them.

The concept of “woke” is nothing new; it has always existed. And even though some people use "woke" as an insult. It's not. So next time someone calls you woke as an insult or to express their dissatisfaction with you, don't be offended. Instead, take it as a compliment because that's exactly what it is.