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

(246 Posts)
Franbern Sat 29-Apr-23 09:10:55

This silly 'new' word WOKE. Exactly what does it mean. It is meant to be some sort of insult.

However, it seems to me that anyone who is woke means that they are caring, considerate people. People who really care about other people, and how they are managing and how they feel. It is 'woke' people who give donations to food banks, and give up their time to run them. Who also work in charity ships and similar.

Being woke just means being nice to other people, and walking in other peoples shoes.

Rather like Newspeak in 1984, somehow - being kind and caring has been made an insult in our Brave New World.

Doodledog Sun 30-Apr-23 11:13:49

Snowflake" is a derogatory slang term for a person, implying that they have an inflated sense of uniqueness, an unwarranted sense of entitlement, or are overly emotional, easily offended, and unable to deal with opposing opinions.

I don't see that use of 'snowflake' as being left/right. It does describe a particular type of person (ditto 'unicorn'), but as always, when these things catch on they start to lose meaning, as they are applied to swathes of people and are used very lazily.

Callistemon21 Sun 30-Apr-23 11:15:09

VioletSky

callistemon

It's never really fit the left, we don't melt under the rights hot air smile

I didn't know that the term snowflake was meant to apply to people on the left.

🤔

volver3 Sun 30-Apr-23 11:20:01

You know what happens when a lot of snowflakes get together?

An avalanche.

Here we come, take cover. 😉

maddyone Sun 30-Apr-23 11:21:03

Neither did I Callistemon. I thought it was supposed to be applied to people who are over entitled and unable to cope with difficult situations in life. And can’t take the rigours of life. So as an example, need to be warned about the content of novels written at a different time, such as Dickens novels which depict how hard life was in that time for the poor. Maybe I’m wrong, but that’s what I thought.

HousePlantQueen Sun 30-Apr-23 11:27:13

Surely it is the implied meaning of the word, the intent that matters? I am happy to describe myself as 'woke' for example (not that I need to), but when the word is hurled around as an insult by Braverman, Badenoch, Patel etc it is meant to offend, to wound. On the other hand, I am delighted and proud to be the opposite of them when it comes to moral behaviour and beliefs. Oh, and I have been known to eat tofu.....

VioletSky Sun 30-Apr-23 11:30:44

volver3

You know what happens when a lot of snowflakes get together?

An avalanche.

Here we come, take cover. 😉

Lol!

Mollygo Sun 30-Apr-23 11:32:39

volver3

You know what happens when a lot of snowflakes get together?

An avalanche.

Here we come, take cover. 😉

Are you now claiming to be a snowflake V3?

Callistemon21 Sun 30-Apr-23 12:01:46

volver3

You know what happens when a lot of snowflakes get together?

An avalanche.

Here we come, take cover. 😉

I never took you for a snowflake, volver
😲

Doodledog Sun 30-Apr-23 12:01:49

This has just reminded me. I wrote this little ditty a while ago in a creative writing class smile)

Snowflakes
Why do they think they’re so special?
They aren’t like us – they don’t see things through.
They’d be lost without Facebook or Twitter,
And if war came, who knows what they’d do?
Even their food’s self-indulgent,
Quinoa, and pies free of meat.
They wouldn’t survive in a crisis
They’d wither and melt in the heat.

But we are the way that you made us,
We unicorns, fairies and elves.
You went to great lengths to persuade us
To be different and think for ourselves.
But we also think of one another,
And argue for communal cases
We consider our sisters and brothers,
And create them non-threatening spaces.
So don’t underestimate snowflakes.
The question’s, not ‘if’, but it’s ‘whether
An avalanche, snowball or glacier
Is what we’ll be when we stick together’.

Callistemon21 Sun 30-Apr-23 12:03:31

maddyone

Neither did I Callistemon. I thought it was supposed to be applied to people who are over entitled and unable to cope with difficult situations in life. And can’t take the rigours of life. So as an example, need to be warned about the content of novels written at a different time, such as Dickens novels which depict how hard life was in that time for the poor. Maybe I’m wrong, but that’s what I thought.

Me too, Maddyone
We used to use the term wimp.

Not that it applies to anyone on here, I would have thought.

Mollygo Sun 30-Apr-23 12:05:45

Doodledog
Great piece of verse.👏👏👏

VioletSky Sun 30-Apr-23 12:28:34

Here's a not poem that isn't by me

^People who are quick to judge...
are slow to correct themselves^

^Judging a person does not define who they are...
it defines who you are^

^Never waste your time trying to explain who you are...
to people who are committed to misunderstanding you^

VioletSky Sun 30-Apr-23 12:29:04

Stupid italics

Now it doesn't look fancy

Glorianny Sun 30-Apr-23 12:33:05

Deedaa

I thought everybody knew Leadbelly, but I suppose I should revise that statement and say that everybody who was at art school and going to folk clubs in the 60s knew Leadbelly. My mother didn't think he was an acquired taste Dickens but she and my father had been art students in the 30s and their musical tastes were very much Blues and Jazz.

I t hink I've been woke for the last 60 years since reading the works of T H White as a teenager. I was very influenced by his ideas, particularly in regard to how we should treat others,

Thanks for reminding me Deedaa I was wondering how I knew about Leadbelly. My parents were Gilbert & Sullivan and musicals fans, so I knew it wasn't from them. But yes art college in the 60s when education was more than books and exams

Mollygo Sun 30-Apr-23 13:04:14

Exactly VS!

That is why I. . .

Never waste my time trying to explain who I am ...
to people who are committed to misunderstanding me

. . . Never judge you - just let you demonstrate how your judgements make you appear, and understand if corrections are not quickly forthcoming.

VioletSky Sun 30-Apr-23 13:08:52

Mollygo

Exactly VS!

That is why I. . .

Never waste my time trying to explain who I am ...
to people who are committed to misunderstanding me

. . . Never judge you - just let you demonstrate how your judgements make you appear, and understand if corrections are not quickly forthcoming.

Sorry but I don't understand what you mean Mollygo

Mollygo Sun 30-Apr-23 13:10:11

Sorry but I don't understand what you mean Mollygo

That’s OK VS.

JaneJudge Sun 30-Apr-23 13:33:06

TerriBull, your post is very good. I think it is really important to remember that inclusiveness and acceptance shouldn't be at the detrement of other minority groups or causes. Sometimes being so open minded is actually very narrow minded.

Gagjo, I think for people in trauma caused by others, it is useful for them to understand why a person would behave in that way. I know for me, understanding what a sociopath is has helped me come to terms with my own trauma. It's not something I ever really mention to others in day to day life, so maybe people are just a bit more open online.

Doodledog Sun 30-Apr-23 18:25:08

I agree, Jane. This is particularly the case when rights (or wants) conflict, and people have to search their consciences to decide which is more important to them.

FannyCornforth Sun 30-Apr-23 18:48:33

Re ‘snowflake’
Its common usage predates ‘woke’.
I respect others understanding of the word, but for me I understood it to mean someone who lacks robustness and unable to debate anything.
Also ‘I’m so unique and special’; yes, we all are, petal 😉

maddyone Sun 30-Apr-23 18:50:10

I understood you perfectly Mollygo.

VioletSky Sun 30-Apr-23 18:53:02

Predictable undertones lol

maddyone Sun 30-Apr-23 18:53:46

FannyCornforth

Re ‘snowflake’
Its common usage predates ‘woke’.
I respect others understanding of the word, but for me I understood it to mean someone who lacks robustness and unable to debate anything.
Also ‘I’m so unique and special’; yes, we all are, petal 😉

Yes Fanny. A good explanation.

Mollygo Sun 30-Apr-23 19:08:42

VioletSky

Predictable undertones lol

Yours?

VioletSky Sun 30-Apr-23 19:16:32

No, I see exactly what is happening

And I'm always happy to be direct about it

Bringing animosity to me on another thread for absolutely no reason... Again... And with the clique too

Very playground but I don't play silly games