Woke politics

Several trusted experts have shared their perspectives on "woke politics."

1. Ben Shapiro on The Ben Shapiro Show argues that woke politics primarily appeal to a small group of upper-class, college-educated liberals, typically women. According to Shapiro, a broader populace is more concerned with economic issues rather than "woke distraction politics" 1.

2. Sam Harris on The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway discusses how identity politics and victimhood can foster division in society. He highlights that a vocal minority's influence can distort societal discourse, creating zero-sum conflicts between different groups 2.

3. Ezra Klein on The Ezra Klein Show disputes the notion that wokeness is detrimental to the Democratic Party. Instead, he believes social media dynamics contribute more significantly to problematic behaviors like cancel culture. Klein supports many of the ideas underlying wokeness, such as racial equality and trans rights, while acknowledging that harmful behaviors exist across all ideological spectrums 3.

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     1

     Woke Distraction Politics

     00:29:17
     
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     2

     Power and Identity Politics

     00:11:47
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     3

     Wokeness and the Democratic Party

     00:24:47
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     4

     Woke Culture and Populism

     01:20:35
     
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     5

     Wokeness and Democracy

     02:21:41
     
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     6

     Corporate Wokeness Explained

     00:24:51
     
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     7

     Woke Racism Explored

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4. Eric Kaufmann on The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast links woke culture to the rise of populism, arguing that silencing discussions on critical issues like immigration leads to the emergence of populist movements. He stresses the importance of free speech in addressing these issues 4.

5. Tim Urban on the Lex Fridman Podcast describes wokeness as a radical political movement that has infiltrated numerous institutions, posing a threat to the fabric of liberal democracy by undermining trust and unity 5.

6. Coleman Hughes and Noam Chomsky on Conversations With Coleman discuss how corporations can adopt woke identity politics without jeopardizing their wealth and power. This strategic move allows them to appear morally sound while maintaining their core interests 6.

7. John McWhorter on Modern Wisdom discusses the pejorative transformation of "woke" and explores the concept of "woke racism," where the focus on power differentials and virtue signaling can inadvertently harm marginalized communities. He attributes this phenomenon to a quasi-religious level of ideological commitment 7.

These discussions provide diverse viewpoints on the implications and dynamics of woke politics today.