Palki Sharma | Wokeism: An Assault On Common Sense & An Affront To Activism | Stay Awake, Not Woke

In an era where good old-fashioned activism continues to be a force for positive change, wokeism, a disturbing trend usurping it for the last ten years, is ever more emboldened. While the intention behind activism is to create a more just society, wokeism has taken this noble cause and veered off course into damnation. It is activism gone rogue, co-opted by nefarious interest groups seeking to advance their own agendas under the guise of progress.

The problem lies not in the pursuit of social justice, but rather in the distortion of common sense itself. Wokeism has created a dystopia where common sense is no longer common, but rather twisted and redefined to suit ideological narratives.

For example, legitimate concerns regarding racism, homosexuality, and transgenderism in the West, tribalism, and colorism in Africa, sectarianism in the Middle East, or casteism in India, have been weaponized. These issues are now used to label anyone questioning extreme woke viewpoints as bigots. In this way, wokeism alienates rather than unites, hindering the very progress it claims to champion.

Wokeism brazenly crossed the line, shifting from objectively challenging the status quo to selective outrage and extreme political correctness. This imbalance has seen the emergence of extreme counter-culture, where the alienated and disillusioned, like myself, feel compelled to push back against what we see as the excesses of wokeism.

Inevitably, this leads to a vicious cycle of counter-protests within the larger protest movement, creating a zero-sum game. For every gain made by one side, the other side perceives a loss.

The irony of each side protesting for the other side to lose the right to protest isn't lost on everyone, but it brings attention to the complexities of balancing individual rights and societal stability. Some may see the paradox, while others may not fully grasp it.

Such counter protests are a symbolic commentary on "How woke is too woke?". The irony serves as a way to draw attention to perceived threats to societal stability if society prescribes and indulges new rights and civil liberties detached from common sense.

In short, while injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere, we must be vigilant against letting wokeism overshadow genuine activism and impede the path towards a truly just and empathetic society. Striking a balance between genuine progress and safeguarding the sanctity of common sense is the key to a more united and just future.