Being ‘woke’ has become a religion.
And according to author, John McWhorter, it’s betraying Black America.
Michael Shellenberger was good enough to write about the book and what McWhorter himself has said about ‘woke’ America.
"We have an idea that, to show that you're a good person who knows racism exists, you're supposed to treat black people like children. We've gone from helping black people in the real world to a religion… It's kabuki & it needs to stop"
🔥from @JohnHMcWhorter @MSNBC pic.twitter.com/n9Dym5y7ny
— Michael Shellenberger (@ShellenbergerMD) November 6, 2021
It’s kabuki and it needs to stop.
Boo and yah.
John's best-selling new book, Woke Racism, is brilliant. I couldn't put it down.
It's worth it just for its list of wokeism's contradictions (e.g., "Show interest in multiculturalism/Do not culturally appropriate"). pic.twitter.com/05nANqPwCd
— Michael Shellenberger (@ShellenbergerMD) November 6, 2021
Point 4 really jumps out to us …
You must strive eternally to understand the experiences of black people BUT you can never understand what it is to be black.
Alrighty then.
Therapists call this "crazy-making"
"To apologize shows your racism; to be refused the apology, too, shows your racism. To not be interested in black culture shows your racism; to get into black culture & decide that, you too want to rap, or wear dreadlocks, shows your racism."
— Michael Shellenberger (@ShellenbergerMD) November 6, 2021
So basically everything and everyone is racist.
Sounds legit.
I have known John since 2005 when I sought him out to advise me on how to survive as a heterodoxical intellectual.
I had read and was blown away by his brilliant books, Losing the Race (2001) and Winning the Race (2006)https://t.co/ryBrIeL9EV
— Michael Shellenberger (@ShellenbergerMD) November 6, 2021
John was on my mind a lot while writing San Fransicko. I was inspired by his critique of victim ideology 20 years ago (!) and by his more recent identification of wokeism as a religion. pic.twitter.com/j86JGs9lWR
— Michael Shellenberger (@ShellenbergerMD) November 6, 2021
I was delighted to share the stage with John late last month, and to be reminded of how kind, generous, and hilarious he is in person, none of which takes away from the devastatingly serious nature of his critique of the racist religion known as wokeism.https://t.co/984KxH1fGa
— Michael Shellenberger (@ShellenbergerMD) November 6, 2021
The book. ^
While John is concerned by the impact that woke religion is having on all of us, he is particularly concerned by its impact on black people, hence the book's subtitle, "How a New Religion Has Betrayed Black America."
— Michael Shellenberger (@ShellenbergerMD) November 6, 2021
This. ^
In San Fransicko I note that while 69% of San Francisco’s white students are proficient in math, just 14% of its black students are.
But rather than improve schooling, progressives are lowering standards for all students and eliminating merit-based admissions & algebra pic.twitter.com/UNwM1rtMza
— Michael Shellenberger (@ShellenbergerMD) November 6, 2021
Instead of helping build Black kids up, they’re lowering standards and expectations? How does that help Black America? How does that solve racism?
While progressives actively deny that Critical Race Theory even exists, the doctrine is being used to introduce woke racism into California's math classes. https://t.co/v84127fOoj
— Michael Shellenberger (@ShellenbergerMD) November 6, 2021
Oh, it exists.
The quantity of gas-lighting that exists around denying the impact of CRT on schools is matched only by the straw-manning of the tenets of wokeism.
Just witness the gross misdescription of wokeism offered by WaPo’s Jonathan Capehart on PBS last night
— Michael Shellenberger (@ShellenbergerMD) November 6, 2021
“It’s not wokeness to want to be treated fairly by the police. It’s not wokeness to not want law enforcement to view you as a criminal. It’s not wokeness to demand that our nation’s history be taught accurately. That’s not wokeness! That’s asking for dignity & respect.” pic.twitter.com/HC415uyEbl
— Michael Shellenberger (@ShellenbergerMD) November 6, 2021
Well, of course its not.
Wokeness is demanding that we *lower* standards for, & not enforce certain laws against, people because of their race, or victim status.
Wokeness is demanding that we teach history *inaccurately* (e.g., war of independence was a defense of slavery)
— Michael Shellenberger (@ShellenbergerMD) November 6, 2021
Ding ding ding.
The contrast between McWhorter & Capehart is striking. McWhorter honestly characterizes his opponents arguments, and criticizes them. Capehart totally misrepresents both his opponents & the issue in question, and dismisses them.
— Michael Shellenberger (@ShellenbergerMD) November 6, 2021
The fact that Woke Racism is a best-seller is one more sign that we are in a healthy backlash against wokeism.
Both John's book and mine rest on the idea that, once people understand what woke religion is actually saying, and demanding, it will lose its cultural power
/end
— Michael Shellenberger (@ShellenbergerMD) November 6, 2021
Okay, here’s a bonus clip
So satisfying pic.twitter.com/ArybJlQzm6
— Michael Shellenberger (@ShellenbergerMD) November 6, 2021
It really is.
Woke Racism is very satisfying. Honorable, erudite, and funny. I can see why it’s a bestseller pic.twitter.com/1qM2yIhFw3
— Michael Shellenberger (@ShellenbergerMD) November 6, 2021
Every few sentences I find myself shouting to myself, “Yes!! That’s it!!!” pic.twitter.com/DWFzgDczBf
— Michael Shellenberger (@ShellenbergerMD) November 6, 2021
Ok, and now this editor has to read the book.
Heh.
***
Related:
Join the conversation as a VIP Member