The problem with Wokeness
“I think wokeness has robbed many people of compassion and replaced it with moral superiority. Compassion and empathy are paramount to any social movement and any form of progess.”
Powerful words, once more, from London fashion stylist, writer, cultural commentator and artist Ayishat Akanbi, a sorely needed counter voice against the ruthless bloodthirst of the Woke Brigade, whose main goal seems to be shaming and cancelling people who do not obediently endorse their theology of dogmas and taboos.
“What is radical, is kindness”, Akanbi says. “Wokeness tends to be reactionary instead of responsive and that doesn’t necessarily leave much space for nuance and nuance is important for understanding the interconnectiveness of the issues.”
“A lot of us are seeing people who remind us to our former selves, and we’re attacking them. It’s hard for me to completely condemn someone as problematic, I’m not committed to purity, but I’m committed to people who want to be better.”
“It’s just the digital version of a school canteen: people choosing who they’re going to sit with, and who can’t sit with us and you can’t speak on this and you can’t speak on this, and it’s just completely not the goal of any social justice movement. We’re seeing people for their groups: white man, gay woman, black woman. We’re talking about what we are, not who we are”. (PB)
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