What is the definition of "Woke"? Perhaps the question should be "what is the opposite of Woke"? When Woke is finally added to the Thesaurus, what will the synonyms and antonyms be? Now if you replace the words in red font in the previous questions of this paragraph with Cancel Culture, the answers you will receive will be as unique as the person you have asked. I'll take a stab at each definition:
Woke - Being aware that racism, sexism, and discrimination against minorities still exists and is a problem (yes...even after the Civil Rights Era).
Cancel Culture - The habit of wanting to rally other's support to eliminate people, businesses, and ideas that you find unfavorable.
I will just establish that I am Woke and anti-Cancel Culture based on these definitions.
Back in the late 90's, I got a kick that there was this comic strip where the main character was someone who I would eventually become: a socially awkward Engineer working out of a cubicle, Dilbert. Another one of my favorites was The Far Side by Gary Larson. The primary difference between Dilbert's cartoonist, Scott Adams and The Far Side's Gary Larson is that Dilbert's cartoonist said stupid controversial shit on social media.
As a result of said stupid controversial shit, Dilbert has been dropped by the majority of the newspapers in this country. The Dilbert.com website now only has a link to Adams' Twitter handle and other subscription sites. Although Adams's is a victim of Cancel Culture, he cannot whine about his free speech rights being violated. I would not be surprised if the Company I work for cancelled me if I got on a podcast with thousands of subscribers and announced that all Black People should stay away from White People.
Adams is a victim of cancel culture just like a child molester is a victim of prison rape after getting convicted, being found guilty, and sharing a cell with a man named Bubba Longshaft. I have a history of supporting the art but not the artist. I loved the Cosby Show even though I wasn't a Bill Cosby fan. I loved Thriller and Bad even though I thought Michael Jackson was an alien addicted to plastic surgery. I REALLY enjoyed Dilbert comic strips even though I knew his creator is a Trump worshiper.
The fact of the matter is people are standing in front of a door that swings both ways preparing to kick it in and are freaking out when they get smashed in the face instead. Being a victim of free speech and a victim of cancel culture are not always the same. Adams tried to kick the door down with a podcast and got his nose busted when newspapers dropped him. He didn't get thrown in jail for speaking his mind, he just lost a lot of money.
Is banning a cartoonist for what they say on a podcast for saying anti-black statements part of the Woke Agenda? I don't think so. According to my definitions above, demanding women have the right to vote was once considered Woke. Allowing schools to be integrated was once considered Woke. Making interracial marriage legal was once considered Woke. Requiring handicap parking spots for the disabled was once considered Woke. Adams would not have been banned from newspapers if he said what he said 50 years ago.
That is what I call PROGRESS.
Next time you hear someone use the word Woke, make sure you get THIER definition of it before the conversation continues. Hell, try to get their definition of anti-Woke. I am aware that America's shit stinks just like every other country. We are not perfect, but at least we are diverse and (somewhat) united. If you comprehend freedom of speech, you should comprehend that you should defend the right for people to say what they want, even if you don't agree with them.
I will miss going to the dilbert.com website and reading it on a daily basis. I'm also glad Adams wasn't thrown in prison for his anti-black statements. However I won't feel sorry for him when his wallet takes a hit for thinking he was going to get away with it.
"You can't call yourself a Patriot of the United States and not be for the whole 'United' part."-Bill Maher
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