(Wall of text incoming, sit down lol)
I think it's time to openly call out the split in wokeness in this day and age.
I consider myself "Old Woke"; basically, I support equal rights, respecting others regardless of belief, and giving everyone the same opportunity to thrive in society. This is what "Woke" meant when I was growing up and is the foundation of my mostly "Centre-left" political position.
But what Woke has become over time is what I personally call "Neo-Woke": basically, those who use the title Woke and the ideals of equality and fairness to bully those with opposing views and beliefs into either conforming or shutting up. This is something I can never support, as it's going too far to the left of the right/left divide. Using the justifications of Old Wokeness to push for division, censorship of media, sanitation, etc. If you've spent any of the last 5 years in the anime fandoms, you know what I mean.
Neo Wokeness is just as bad as the current right-wing slop that is thrown at the left, fueling hate, division, and dehumanising the "other side". In reality, we're all human; we all have our own opinions, values, and moral beliefs. This is fine. I have friends on the right I don't agree with; I have friends on the left I don't always agree with. What makes you a centrist (which I know many don't think exists anymore; I disagree) is the ability to listen to those on the right and the left, and despite your differences, come together and respect each other's opinions and beliefs, and find a path forward.
I still consider myself Old Woke, and I still stand for the values I always have. But I can not in good faith call myself Neo-Woke, because of all this shit I've seen: attacking people like
@MiiaTzu for simply having different opinions, pushing her into crying on stream over the state of a fandom she loves, and pushing her to do some actual hurtful things such as outwardly tearing up a trans flag.
Let me make it clear, I am 100% in support of LGBTQ+ Trans rights, but I do not support shoving these values down the throat of those who don't. If you disagree with someone online, ignore them and move the fuck on with your day.
It's time to wake the fuck up, and realise that the hate being thrown at the left and the right from both sides solves nothing but continues the cycle of ideological conflict, and we MUST accept the reality that human beings are complex creatures with unique beliefs and values, and we can hold our own values and personal opinions without being at each other's throats every single day. It's time to recognise and strive for the equality of thought and opinion.
Thank you for coming to my TED Talk, and reading my wall of text that probably said absolutely nothing lmao.
#wokeism #lgbt #Anime