To me......being called 'woke' is a compliment

Doodledog

Thank you I will definitely listen to his music.

Anyway, I don't think that the fact that the word was coined by Leadbelly, whether or not we know who he was or not, or how long any of us has been aware of it is relevant, really. It's how the term is used now that matters

Many words have been taken over by various pressure groups and have become mainstream.
We are all supposed to adhere to their more modern meanings.

I was brought up listening to Leadbelly, as my father was a huge fan of American blues and jazz. I took and taught numerous Equal Opps courses in the 90s, and have read several books on race relations and sexism, but I've only heard the term 'woke' in the past few years (maybe since BLM?). I remember looking it up when reading Don't Call Us Dead, which was published in 2017, although it was probably later than that when I read it. I'm not very good at remembering timelines for things that don't seem important in themselves, and coming across a word that expresses something that has been around forever (an awareness of injustice) didn't stick in my mind.

Anyway, I don't think that the fact that the word was coined by Leadbelly, whether or not we know who he was or not, or how long any of us has been aware of it is relevant, really. It's how the term is used now that matters.

(Kandinski, he was a blues/folk singer from the Southern states of America at the time of Woody Guthrie. He has influenced many modern singers. Here is a video of him singing a posthumous 'duet' with Kurt Cobain

Kandinsky

Never heard of Leadbelly.

Who is he? She?

People are dropping that name like it’s Elvis or something. Y’know, like ‘oh my god you’ve never heard of Leadbelly? ‘

No I haven’t - & neither have 80% of the population.

His name wasn't actually Leadbelly, Kandinsky.

He was an American singer, his surname was Ledbetter.
I was more into Bunk Johnson and Jelly Roll Morton myself.

Kandinsky

Never heard of Leadbelly.

Who is he? She?

People are dropping that name like it’s Elvis or something. Y’know, like ‘oh my god you’ve never heard of Leadbelly? ‘

No I haven’t - & neither have 80% of the population.

Well I certainly have.
Now, if only there was some way to expand your knowledge by searching for things you know nothing about...oh wait!

I know Kandinsky. Imagine people naming someone you've never heard of in a post.

Maybe we should have a list of people we're allowed to mention.

If you've never heard of him how do you know that 80% of the population haven't heard of him either?

Never heard of Leadbelly.

Who is he? She?

People are dropping that name like it’s Elvis or something. Y’know, like ‘oh my god you’ve never heard of Leadbelly? ‘

No I haven’t - & neither have 80% of the population.

Doodledog!!

If woke means being aware of social injustice, I’m woke.
The problem is that some social injustices are perceived as acceptable by others.
I think it was Doodledog who compared it with the different interpretations of kind. If I’m wrong, sorry DOODLEDIG.

The highest figures for exam results in 2021 were for Chinese students, the lowest were Roma and Irish traveller children. White students did almost exactly the same as black students.
revisesociology.com/2020/04/24/how-does-educational-achievement-vary-by-ethnicity/?
I'd like to see some figures to show the level of parental involvement as well.

I knew who Leadbelly was

I think I'm probably woke.

What do we have to apologise for GrannyRose? Do we apologise for being woke, or not being woke?

Callistemon I love sugar snap peas, especially in salads and with hummus. But cooked and in parsley sauce sounds good too.

Sorry that comment doesn’t work without the quote and I can’t get the quote button to work properly. So Ill check out.

So why do we have to apologise all the time for it.

Not broad beans, spare me please 😲
Sugar snap peas?
(I shan't be making the Coronation quiche!)

Callistemon, try it with broad beans in parsley sauce, and sweet potato chips. Yum.

Thanks Fanny. It’s a new one on me.

Curtaintwitcher

The word 'woke' simply means being aware. However, it has been hi-jacked by those seeking to impose their ridiculous ideology on the rest of us. Sadly, too many people are only too eager to be seen as trendy and happily embrace their nonsense without considering the true agenda behind it all.

No, it's been hi-jacked by people who don't like other people being aware or want to criticise those whom they see as trendy and happily embracing what they see as nonsense.

maddyone

What does gammon mean?
I always thought it was a piece of bacon, thick sliced, and served with pineapple.

Apparently pineapple with gammon is an absolute no-no.

But I like it anyway. 🍍🥓

👌 totally agree

Oreo

Kandinsky

Honestly, you’d think people weren’t aware of social injustice before this word came out of America a few years ago.
But if being called this new term makes people happier then great.

Agreed😄
Tho there’s some real nonsense wokery in amongst the sensible sense of social injustice as well and now so entwined that anyone in the public eye dare hardly say anything.

But who labelled that behaviour as "wokery"? Not the people considered "woke".

It was only because I’d listened to Matthew Syed thing that I heard of him too.

FannyCornforth

As has been said a few times - it was 1938 that Leadbelly used the word ‘woke’

How many people though have even heard of Leadbelly?

Kandinsky

Honestly, you’d think people weren’t aware of social injustice before this word came out of America a few years ago.
But if being called this new term makes people happier then great.

Agreed😄
Tho there’s some real nonsense wokery in amongst the sensible sense of social injustice as well and now so entwined that anyone in the public eye dare hardly say anything.

An old, white Tory. Usually used in relation to Brexit and rascists

What does gammon mean?
I always thought it was a piece of bacon, thick sliced, and served with pineapple.