How to Defeat the Woke Apparatus

Commentary

Have you ever wondered what the woke industrial complex actually means? Over the past century, several iterations of Marxism have been rolled out in a number of nations. In recent years, the woke movement in America has displayed eerie similarities to the language and behaviors associated with these Marxist doctrines practiced in autocratic regimes.

Although these modern forms of Marxism are riddled with internal contradictions, naïve individuals can be deceived by their false promises of “liberation” from oppression and “social transformation.”

The bottom line is that the woke movement attempts to reconstruct the moral foundations of the American republic in order to amass and consolidate power over others via fear. First, this secular theology seeks to dismantle the building blocks of society such as community, family, faith, free markets, and responsible liberty. It also attempts to emasculate good men and demean values-driven women—all to supposedly create a new, utopian world.

Wokesters don’t wish to be empowered to govern themselves. That is too difficult, because it requires discipline and intellectual inquiry, which can be uncomfortable. Wokeness demands that everyone adhere to an arbitrary vocabulary of convoluted phrases and words that are deemed “inclusive.” If some rebel against this bondage, they are excommunicated. The capricious nature of the ideology is meant to keep people on their heels so that leftist elites can exercise an insatiable appetite for raw power.

Disciples of wokeism utilize the Saul Alinsky playbook of targeting opponents, isolating them, freezing them, then canceling them. It becomes an Orwellian world where vices are virtues and virtues are vices, lies are truth and truth are lies. In this fantasy, men can be women and women can be men. This inverted ideology manifests as transhumanism, which runs counter to universally accepted moral and natural laws. It is the ultimate Jekyll and Hyde form of nature tampering.

Wokeism’s primary tools of repression consist of manufactured grievances, economic ignorance, unearned entitlement, revisionist history (1619 Project), race- and gender-based employment quotas, and a perpetual victimhood mindset. In other words, folks who are attracted to this vision lack the ability to move beyond emotions to a realm of realism and reason. They are doomed to repeat the history they never absorbed (George Santayana).

Wokeists battle perceived racism with racism by evaluating folks by their color, ethnicity, or gender. This identity politics is the opposite of what Mohandas Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Nelson Mandela preached. Indeed, “progressives” peddle critical race theory and “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI) narratives, but essentially these theories are racist against Caucasians and Asians, who are considered to be “white adjacent.”

Woke advocates for women’s rights are strangely silent regarding the suffering of women around the world. They also don’t lift a finger when female sports under Title IX are demolished by the transgender industry under the guise of equity and inclusion. There’s plenty of virtue signaling minus genuine virtues.

Card-carrying members of “progressivism” often lack the curiosity to search for factual truths because moral relativism is their guide. For example, many believe that the AR-15 stands for Assault Rifle. It actually means ArmaLite Rifle, which was the firm that developed the firearm.

Moreover, unprecedented pandemic mandates were coerced upon Americans while countless unlawful immigrants streamed into this country without vetting for health or security risks. To the left, criminals are treated as victims, while crime victims are regarded as criminals in this topsy-turvy world.

These harebrained ideas have infiltrated many institutions and dumbed-down society, especially in blue states such as California. Homelessness and lawlessness have flourished due to idiotic anti-law enforcement policies. Even liberal San Francisco has ousted its George Soros-funded District Attorney Chesa Boudin, and Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón might face another recall election due to soft-on-crime policies.

Left-leaning moneyed elites who finance the woke apparatus would have us believe that middle class and poor minorities have created the narrative of oppression in a free society. Hogwash! It is narcissistic elites who focus on America’s past misdeeds instead of taking a balanced approach to the sweep of U.S. history. They have given up on the human race, taken their blessings for granted, and ignored the divine spark in every individual. They are also immune to the repercussions of their dystopian edicts.

Hoover Institute contributor and University of Toronto psychology professor emeritus, Jordan Peterson, was a liberal at one time. However, when the academic community began making demands such as requiring professors to use students’ preferred pronouns or write DEI statements as a precondition to receiving research grants, his eyes were opened regarding the insidious nature of the woke movement. Now he’s a warrior for common sense and exposes the irrational narrative that has infected many of our key institutions.

How can reasonable folks defeat the diabolical woke apparatus? Unfortunately, many young people are attracted to this form of socialist indoctrination because it appeals to the baser aspects of human nature.

However, there is hope because woke “revolutionaries” lack the attention span and dedication of genuine revolutionaries of the past who endured great suffering. It’s unlikely that hardcore leaders of the woke movement can be reasoned with, but the young fence-sitters might be persuaded to move toward reality. They are still developing their philosophy of life and likely see facets of wokeism that just don’t compute. They seek answers in many of the wrong places but still question what they hear and see.

First, decent folks with moral principles should never apologize to the woke crowd. It will only be perceived as weakness, and they will be eaten alive. Be fearless in exposing the corruption and hypocrisy of the entire woke propaganda. Get involved in the process of refuting it and replacing it with a more objective narrative concerning human nature, American history, and the importance of merit-based success instead of introducing new forms of discrimination. There are countless examples of self-initiated success regardless of color, creed, gender, or race.

Next, seize opportunities to celebrate America’s tradition of natural diversity and systemic opportunity. Most folks understand that life is unfair for everyone and that maturation challenges shape character. We must teach this lesson over and over again to young people who are faced with conflicting messages from academia, government, and the legacy media.

Third, get involved in the political process by attending meetings at all levels of government. If necessary, run for the city council, board of education, county board, state office, and Congress. Familiarize yourself with the work of the Leadership Institute, Heritage Foundation, Hoover Institution, Turning Point USA, Young America’s Foundation, among others. They all do excellent work in countering Marxist propaganda disseminated by the government, media outlets, and public education.

If reasonable folks, across all points of the economic and political spectrum, carry out even some of these actions, the woke industrial complex will someday collapse under the weight of its internal contradictions. What is at stake is the very heart and soul of the American republic.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.