It's Been a Minute Woke is BACK! ...really?
Dec 5, 2025
Joining the discussion are Constance Grady, a senior correspondent on Vox's culture team, and Tyler Austin Harper, a staff writer at The Atlantic. They explore whether 'woke' is experiencing a revival with topics like its evolution since 2010, the impact of the pandemic, and how brands like Target and Starbucks respond to cultural shifts. They dive into criticisms of performative activism and the emerging concept of 'Dark Woke.' Ultimately, they ponder the cultural relevance of wokeness today and the nostalgia for a unified progressive narrative.
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How Wokeness Went Mainstream
- Wokeness mainstreamed around 2014 with the Ferguson protests and Black Lives Matter activism.
- It became cultural capital for corporations and media to signal alignment without systemic change.
Pandemic Fueled The Backlash
- The pandemic and lockdowns triggered a reactionary cultural turn, especially among young men.
- Lockdown resentment merged with perceived left-wing censoriousness, fueling backlash against wokeness.
Politics As Consumer Identity
- Conversations about woke often play out as consumer choices, like boycotts and brand perception shifts.
- That frames political identity primarily through consumption rather than collective civic action.