BY HERMAN M. LAGON
WOKENESS has also impacted academic freedom. Once champions of free speech, schools can sometimes become echo chambers where only one viewpoint is accepted, suppressing dissenting ideas and stifling intellectual growth. For instance, students or faculty who challenge prevailing woke narratives on topics like gender identity, race, or cultural appropriation may face backlash, social ostracization, or even disciplinary action.
This environment discourages open debate and critical inquiry, essential to academic rigor. The goal of education should be to create an environment where different viewpoints are valued and discussed. This will help students build robust critical thinking abilities and have meaningful conversations about complex topics.
The emphasis on political correctness, especially in comedy and satire, often stifles free expression. Comic artists and social commentators struggle to navigate the boundaries of acceptability, leading to suppressed discussions essential for progress. Overzealous sensitivity can hinder the conversations necessary for clarity, sincerity, and unity in a culturally diverse society like ours.
Social media further complicates public debate, with platforms like Twitter and Facebook becoming battlegrounds for woke activism. Pursuing likes, shares, and retweets often overshadows genuine efforts to communicate effectively and effect change, drowning out more thoughtful discussions.
Finally, there is a sense of elitism and exclusivity associated with wokeness, where those who do not align with progressive views are seen as ignorant, outcast, or inferior. This can be particularly off-putting in societies like ours, where tradition, culture, and family values are deeply embedded alongside the stark realities of poverty, corruption, and impunity. As we have learned from the 2022 elections, dismissing these life facts risks alienating the people we aim to support or win over.
Ultimately, the conversation about wokeness is not about rejecting justice or equality but ensuring that the methods used do not undermine these goals. If applied without care, wokeness can alienate potential allies and deepen divides.
The key is to balance the drive for progress with respect for different viewpoints and cultural traditions. Genuine social change takes a lot of patience; it comes from fostering open dialogue, understanding, and finding common ground. By adopting this more nuanced approach or mindset, we can create a more inclusive society that values progress and the diversity of thought necessary for meaningful change.
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Doc H fondly describes himself as a “student of and for life” who, like many others, aspires to a life-giving and why-driven world grounded in social justice and the pursuit of happiness. His views do not necessarily reflect those of the institutions he is employed or connected with./PN
