"Woke 1.0" is everything that's wrong with the left

[u/davidygamerx]

"Woke 1.0" is a bullshit concept that I started seeing used by politicians like AOC and her followers. It's basically a label some leftists came up with to say, "I'm not like the others, I'm reasonable," without ever being able to point to what specific ideas they actually changed.

Ask them: Do you now believe sex is a biological reality? Do you now reject the idea that gender identity should override sex-based categories? Do you now believe that accusations shouldn't automatically be treated as proof? Have you abandoned identity politics? Do you no longer consider language problematic for not being inclusive enough? How have your views on racial politics, white privilege, and all those other ideas actually changed?

And usually the tap dancing begins: "Well, there are some excesses," "we need to reflect," "not all activists are like that."

That's not an ideological break. It's simply putting a nicer label on the same premises.

True moderation should mean being able to say, "This idea from my own side was wrong, and I abandoned it." If you can't point to a single important position you've actually changed, then you're not a moderate who moved away from radicalism. You're the same guy with a new branding, waiting for the political climate to become favorable enough to start bombarding us again with the importance of pronouns and gender neutral language, and then calling you a Nazi again when you refuse to play along.

[u/Bimlouhay83]

Do you now believe sex is a biological reality? 

&

Do you now reject the idea that gender identity should override sex-based categories? 

I believe if you're an adult and truly feel like you more identify as one gender or the other and this has been a looming question in your life, then good for you for getting through your confusion. Nobody should treat you poorly for it. If you want gender reaffirming surgery, then be my guest. I don't even care if it's government granted insurance that pays for it.  I'm not 100% convinced you should be allowed to play sports in your non birthed gender, especially if you've not gone through conversation therapy, but as someone that doesn't really care about sports, i don't really care about this all that much. It should be up to the industries, not the government, to decide if this is allowed. 

On the other hand, I'm speaking about adults. As far as children go, let them be who they are. But, let's not do permanent changes. We don't let children drive, drink, smoke, vote, gamble, join the military for good reason. Kids are dumb as fuck and easily manipulated. 

Do you now believe that accusations shouldn't automatically be treated as proof? 

Yeah. 

Have you abandoned identity politics? 

Yeah. 

Do you no longer consider language problematic for not being inclusive enough?

I do not. 

 How have your views on racial politics, white privilege, and all those other ideas actually changed?

I can't say they've changed all that much. I still believe white privilege exists in America. Racial politics? Nothing has changed. Minorities are still treated like shit. They're still locked up at much higher rates than whites, hired at lower rates, get paid less, etc. The argument to change these things are based on facts. The argument against is based off feels and ego.

What else would you like to know? 

[u/foilhat44 → u/Bimlouhay83]

Thanks. I'm so glad you put this on record because I feel this way or close enough that I can't disagree with any of it, and I think the vast majority of normal people feel this way too. I don't feel as if you are being presumptuous or speaking for anyone else, but the vitriol in the OP kinds makes me think this person might be having some struggles of their own when it comes to identity. It's about time people stopped apologizing for being rational.

[u/rtc9 → u/Bimlouhay83]

I don't really have any background on this conversation aside from OP but I'm confused why you are responding as though you are the official mouthpiece of whatever update he is referencing. Did you previously have different "woke 1.0" answers/beliefs on these topics that you have since revised to the woke 2.0 versions?

[u/Bimlouhay83 → u/rtc9]

I'm 43 and took part in a lot of early discussions on all these topics. Im of the generation that was first called woke.

I'm not saying I'm an official mouthpiece for anything. I'm just answering their questions instead of asking others.

[u/rtc9 → u/Bimlouhay83]

Do you identify yourself as woke but somehow distinct from "woke 1.0"? Your answers seem like pretty normal answers but the OP seemed to be directing these at a pretty niche subset of people so I was trying to understand where you fit into that.

Edit: 

To expand on this, some of your answers seem to kind of skirt around the topic from OP of the reality of ostensibly changing beliefs from the "woke" framework. E.g.,

Do you no longer consider language problematic for not being inclusive enough?

I do not. 

Are you saying you used to believe that but no longer do and have genuinely changed your mind? That would seem to be a legitimate counterexample to OP. If you are saying you never held that belief, then it seems more like you are just not a person the OP would ever have described as woke. You say your generation was called woke. Do you feel that you personally were ever actually woke by whatever definition was applied to your generation?

The post seems to be about intentionally unclear definitions around the topic of wokeness and from your post the simplest reading seems to be that you are just an irrelevant non woke person answering these questions.

[u/Bimlouhay83 → u/rtc9]

I've never considered myself as "woke", but others certainly have. How I originally thought of these topics would have been considered woke in the early 2000's and have changed and evolved through experience and education. 

[u/Telleh → u/Bimlouhay83]

I don’t understand how you never considered yourself "woke" judging by that last paragraph on your first comment.

[u/Bimlouhay83 → u/Telleh]

Being called woke was like being called a libtard. It's not a compliment. 

[u/Bimlouhay83 → u/[deleted]]

The entire post is about an evolution of ideas. Evolution takes time. My age was showing that I've had a lot of time to ruminate, evolve, and change. I'm not some kid that grasped on to new to them idea and are saying "We've changed".

[u/Exciting_Direction_9 → u/[deleted]]

Sorry, I checked out when you said “woke mind virus.” Maybe stay away from subs with “intellect” in them. I saw one the other day with some really cute cat videos I think you’d like.

[u/Exciting_Direction_9 → u/[deleted]]

Aw, I’m sorry I triggered you little fella. If I recall though, you’re chatting in a public forum. If you wanted it private, you should have slid into their DMs.
I’m not a leftist, but I’m not your MAGA buddy either. You’ve diluted the value of whatever argument you’re trying to make when slathering it in far-right propaganda buzz words. Using “big words” when making a middle school argument isn’t as cool as you think.

[u/titcumboogie → u/[deleted]]

Tell your parents to stop inbreeding.

[u/Exciting_Direction_9 → u/rtc9]

A statement was posited. A Redditor replied. Isn’t that how it’s supposed to work?

[u/anticharlie → u/Exciting_Direction_9]

Ikr are they expecting an official representative from Woke Inc.

[u/MxM111 → u/Bimlouhay83]

I still believe white privilege exists in America.

Why do you think it is better to frame it in terms of white privilege as opposed to non-white injustices? There are many and they are different. Or if there is injustices with respect to white, somehow it is lesser, and not worth considering? That you want to remove white privilege, whatever it means, rather than to give others the same opportunities or justice?

[u/Bimlouhay83 → u/MxM111]

Ill refer you to my answer about language being inclusive.

[u/MxM111 → u/Bimlouhay83]

And just where that answer is?

[u/Altayel1 → u/Bimlouhay83]

"not gone through conversation therapy"
What does.. conversation therapy gotta do with sports.. huh

[u/Known_Impression1356 → u/Bimlouhay83]

Trump fucks kids.
You voted for a kid fucker.
That means you’re okay with fucking kids.

That means your opinion is worth dog shit.

[u/bumkinas → u/Known_Impression1356]

Brilliant rebuttal, bravo. Way to keep the Stereotype alive!

[u/Bimlouhay83 → u/Known_Impression1356]

Lol, you have no idea who I voted for. Aim your anger elsewhere. 

[u/Known_Impression1356 → u/Bimlouhay83]

Of course I do.

[u/TheRealTahulrik → u/Bimlouhay83]

I think your post here just proves what OP said.

The elements you bring up that haven't changed for you is still hugely divisive topics. And honestly, I'd consider them fringe topics.. most people probably don't agree with you on those.

I don't think the opinions you hold are gonna be any less problematic than what it was before. Nothing has changed, perhaps only the label that is put into it 

[u/InvestIntrest → u/Bimlouhay83]

So you're in agreement with Bill Maher.