"Woke" Test

I'll try to keep my opinions of "wokeness" to myself, except to say that a lot of it is great, although you don't have to be "woke" to be a decent human, and for the millionth time, "woke" does not mean "awake."

 I saw an article titled "21 Signs That Indicate You Have a Woke Mindset." How could I resist...I took the "woke" test. I didn't really think I'd ace it but I didn't know for sure. Here's the definitions, plus my two cents.

1. You advocate for body positivity. It says that no matter what the shape, people deserve to feel good about themselves. I agree, except for the fact that by extrapolation we're supposed to consider all body types to be "healthy," and that simply isn't the case.

 It also says that you reject societal beauty standards and embrace all body types. Ideally that should be true, and for some it is, but at the end of the day you're going to like what you like. It's genetic, and being "woke" can't change that. It's not something I feel the need to advocate for, but maybe that means I'm an asshole.

2. Intersectionality is more than just a saying. It says that you've gone beyond saying "I don't see color" to realizing that people's experiences come from all our differences. I quit "seeing color" a long, long time ago, and the rest is pretty obvious to a decent person.

3. You actively fight for rights. Yes. I've fought for animal rights among other things. You gotta fight for your right to party too.

4. You use inclusive language. I'll call someone whatever they wish to be called, but I'll never believe the notion that a person can change their gender just by how they "identify." It doesn't matter how much a lie is promoted...it's still a lie. 

5. You're politically engaged. Actually I'm politically disengaged. I think politics is a distraction, a football game, and they're all just different clowns in the same circus, not to mention they're about 50% crooks and 100% liars. I guess I failed that one.

6. You use social media as a platform for activism. It says you use it to share information and raise awareness, which I do nearly every day, but for activism, not so much. I leave that for people who're into politics. If someone goes to my Facebook page for example, I want them to have a good time and forget about all that shit for a minute. I'd like for them to see cool photos, maybe learn something and hopefully leave with a smile on their face. Plenty of people have politics on their page. Go visit them if you like, and tell 'em I sent you.

7. You're continuously learning. Absolutely. I'm a sponge for knowledge. A good day for me is when I learn something cool that I didn't know the day before.

8. You've got pronouns in your social bios. I wouldn't say that but again I'll call people whatever they wish. It talks about respect, and I'm all about that. Disrespect is something I can't tolerate. It says though that using pronouns shows that you're on the right side of history. I don't know about that at all, and what's the "right" side of history anyway? It's how we interpret it. The main thing about history is that we don't learn from it, and you can take that to the bank.

9. Sustainable fashion is your go-to. I wear cotton. It's plenty sustainable.

10. The music you listen to isn't just for entertainment. Yes it is, sorry. It says you listen to artists who address social issues and advocate for change. Music has always been about that stuff, among other things. I try to separate a musician's music from their politics. I don't care who they're sleeping with or what drugs they do or which clown they vote for. All I care about is whether or not I like their music. 

11. You support fair trade. Of course.

12. You practice ethical tourism. I don't go anywhere, but if I did I reckon I would.

12. You appreciate cultures without exploiting them. Sure.

13. You challenge societal norms. I've done that nearly my whole life.

14. You have a diverse bookshelf. Very much so.

15. You support reproductive right. That's a toughie. I think life begins before a baby is born, and those lives are taken every day. I also have a problem with "my body my choice" applying to women for the choice to terminate, but not to people who don't wish to take a certain shot. Equality? Where? It's bullshit. 

16. You stand firm against hate speech. I always have. The problem I have with it is when stating simple truths, such as certain biological issues, is called "hate speech." That's more bullshit. Pure-D bullshit.

17. You care about economic justice. Of course. It says that no matter what their background, everyone deserves to thrive. That goes without saying.

18. You practice mindful consumption. Always. Well, almost always.

19. You know your privilege. I'm not sure about that one. It says you use your "privilege" to help disadvantaged people. I'll help a disadvantaged person all day of the week but I'm not sure how "privilege" plays into it. 

20. You believe in climate activism. I'd better not say too much. Climate change, formerly known as "global warming" is very real, except that it's NOT...I repeat NOT because of what we're told. Do your own research. Hint: start with how much "greenhouse gas" and CO2 a single volcano releases every day. After that, learn how Earth is heating up from the inside as well as the outside.

 Except for a few things I strongly disagree with, most of these things I've been practicing all my life, and most of it was "pre-woke," but according to these points, perhaps I'm more "woke" than I thought. It still doesn't mean "awake."