What is "woke"? In conversation with Susan Neiman
Depending on who you are, you might understand “woke” to mean “concerned with fundamental human justice”. Alternatively, you might think its means obsessed with identity politics, tribal, angry, and inclined to cancel and censor.
Either way, you probably associate the term with the left. After all, “lefty” and “liberal” and the words most commonly paired with “woke”.
But what if that isn’t the case? What if it’s an oversimplification? What if woke isn’t left and left isn’t woke? Where does that leave the left? And where does it leave wokery?
Depending on who you are, you might understand “woke” to mean “concerned with fundamental human justice”. Alternatively, you might think its means obsessed with identity politics, tribal, angry, and inclined to cancel and censor.
Either way, you probably associate the term with the left. After all, “lefty” and “liberal” and the words most commonly paired with “woke”.
But what if that isn’t the case? What if it’s an oversimplification? What if woke isn’t left and left isn’t woke? Where does that leave the left? And where does it leave wokery?
Purchase a copy of Susan's book 'Left is not Woke' here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Left-Not-Woke-Susan-Neiman/dp/1509558306