Wokeness: Pretending to Care

Let’s start with the basics. Wokeness originally meant being “awake” to social injustice—racism, sexism, inequality. It was about noticing things others ignored. About caring. About wanting a fairer world.

Sounds reasonable, right?

But somewhere along the way, the word got hijacked. Now, it’s less about empathy and more about ego. Less about doing good and more about being seen to do good. Wokeness used to be a whisper of conscience. Now it’s a bullhorn of moral superiority.

So, what happened?

What Wokeness Used to Mean

In its early days, being “woke” was brave. It meant standing up for others, questioning the system, and noticing the hidden injustices in everyday life. It meant listening to people who’d been ignored or silenced.

Nobody sensible was against that.

But wokeness today isn’t what it used to be. It’s become something else—a label, a fashion trend, a social weapon. It’s not just about awareness anymore. It’s about performance.

Modern Wokeness: A Performance of Morality

Let’s be honest. These days, wokeness often looks like a performance. It’s people shouting about causes online that they barely understand. It’s brands releasing rainbow-coloured products for one month a year, while treating their workers like rubbish the rest of the time.

It’s someone adding hashtags to every post—#BLM, #BeKind, #NoJusticeNoPeace—and never lifting a finger to help anyone in real life.

You see, wokeness in its modern form isn’t about solving problems. It’s about looking good. It’s about saying the right words, wearing the right t-shirt, and cancelling the right people. That way, you get to feel like a hero—without ever leaving your laptop.

The Smugness of It All

One of the most annoying things about wokeness is the smugness. There’s a moral arrogance to it—a belief that if you use the latest buzzwords, you’re automatically a better person.

You know the type. They correct your grammar mid-conversation to make sure you’re being “inclusive.” They demand you “educate yourself” the second you disagree with them. They speak in jargon nobody understands, as if that makes them wise rather than insufferable.

It’s less about helping people and more about showing off. Look at me, I’m enlightened. Look at you, still in the dark.

Changing the Rules, Mid-Game

Wokeness also has a strange habit of changing the rules constantly. What was acceptable last year might be offensive today. And if you haven’t kept up, you’re suddenly a villain.

You used the wrong term? Cancelled. Asked the wrong question? Cancelled. Shared the wrong meme in 2012? Cancelled forever.

There’s no grace for mistakes. No forgiveness. No learning curve. You’re expected to know everything, say everything perfectly, and agree with every new rule the second it’s invented.

It’s exhausting—and frankly, unfair.

Does It Help Anyone?

Here’s the big question: Is wokeness actually helping anyone?

Maybe. In some ways, yes—it’s given voice to groups that were ignored. It’s made some people think twice before saying harmful things. That’s something.

But beyond that? Much of modern wokeness seems more interested in symbolism than solutions. It’s easier to scold someone for using the wrong word than to fight poverty. It’s simpler to complain about a statue than fix the school system. It’s cleaner to argue on Twitter than volunteer at a shelter.

Real progress is messy, difficult, and slow. Wokeness, as it’s often practised today, is none of those things. It’s tidy, loud, and fast-moving—and largely superficial.

Wokeness as a Status Symbol

In many ways, wokeness has become a new form of social status. Like designer clothes or a fancy degree, it’s something people use to show they’re “better.”

And if you don’t speak the language? If you don’t keep up with the ever-changing rules? You’re looked down on—seen as backward, ignorant, or dangerous.

But let’s not forget: most of the world doesn’t live on Twitter. Most people have jobs, kids, responsibilities. They don’t have time to memorise the latest terminology or debate microaggressions over brunch. That doesn’t make them bad people. It just makes them busy people.

Fear Over Free Speech

Perhaps the worst part of wokeness is the fear it spreads. People become scared to speak their minds—even politely—for fear of saying something “wrong.”

It creates a chilling effect. No questions. No doubts. Just nod along—or else.

This isn’t how ideas grow. It’s not how conversations happen. And it’s certainly not how societies move forward.

When wokeness turns into a purity test, we all lose. We lose curiosity. We lose discussion. We lose the chance to understand each other.

Final Thoughts: What’s Left of the Original Idea?

The original idea behind wokeness—caring about injustice—still matters. Deeply. There is racism. There is inequality. There is suffering. And we should care.

But modern wokeness? The hashtags, the self-righteousness, the public shaming? It often feels more like a hollow ritual than real change.

Wokeness, at its best, wakes us up. At its worst, it puts us to sleep with slogans and self-congratulation. It allows people to feel like they’re making a difference, without doing the hard work of actually making one.

And that, perhaps, is the biggest irony of all.