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Nobody Understands Wokeism (Ft. Musa Al-Gharbi)

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Dec 19, 2025

Guest

Musa al-Gharbi

Musa Al-Gharbi, an American sociologist and author of "We Have Never Been Woke," dives into empirical theories behind 'wokeness' and its societal implications. He defines 'symbolic capitalists' as elite players driving cultural change while most Americans remain static. Discussing the concept of elite overproduction, he highlights its connection to societal 'awokenings.' Al-Gharbi also critiques the political alignment across social classes and reveals how symbolic reforms often fail to address material needs, questioning the real impact of cultural shifts on everyday lives.

01:38:59

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insights

INSIGHT

Awokening Concentrated In Knowledge Professions

Musa al-Gharbi shows measurable cultural change after 2010 was concentrated in knowledge professions, not across America.
Most of the country stayed on long-term trajectories while symbolic capitalists shifted rapidly.

insights

INSIGHT

Who The Symbolic Capitalists Are

Symbolic capitalists earn influence from what they know, who they know, and how they're known, shaping public narratives.
They are distinct from mere wealth holders because they produce and mediate symbols and discourse.

insights

INSIGHT

Zoom Out Beyond The Top 1%

Upper middle class plus millionaires hold the lion's share of wealth and shape opportunities, not just the top 1%.
Ignoring the upper middle class misses how wealth and opportunity are hoarded and reproduced.

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Why Musa Wrote We Have Never Been Woke

05:36 • 1min

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Measuring Cultural Change After 2010

06:54 • 2min

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Symbolic Capitalists Defined

09:06 • 3min

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Rise of Knowledge Professions and Their Claims

11:59 • 3min

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Why the Upper Middle Class Matters

14:37 • 5min

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Symbolic Capitalists vs Traditional Class Analysis

19:42 • 8min

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Work Type Replaces Simple Class Politics

27:52 • 6min

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Elite Overproduction and Awokenings

34:13 • 4min

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When Awokenings Take Off

38:31 • 4min

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Why This Era Differs from Past Revolts

42:05 • 5min

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Public Corporations, Boards, and Symbolic Power

46:39 • 8min

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Tech Firms, Government Dependence, and Shifting Speech

54:16 • 5min

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The Four Great Awokenings

59:19 • 2min

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Orwell, Intersectionality, and Elite Paternalism

01:01:34 • 5min

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Paternalism in Progressive Reform

01:06:12 • 4min

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Why Workers Distrust Symbolic Elites

01:10:11 • 5min

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Integrating Critical Theory with Material Analysis

01:14:55 • 2min

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Turning Standpoint Epistemology on Elites

01:16:42 • 1min

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Symbolic Reforms vs Material Needs

01:17:57 • 5min

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Sincerity, Interests, and Cognitive Motivation

01:22:43 • 3min

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How Elites Capture Philanthropy and Policy

01:25:40 • 6min

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Awokenings Often Don't Produce Material Gains

01:31:30 • 5min

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Summary: Limits of Cultural Change as Progress

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Get access to The Backroom (Almost 90+ exclusive episodes) on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/OneDime

In this episode of 1Dime Radio, I am joined by American sociologist Musa Al-Gharbi to discuss his book "We Have Never Been Woke" which is by far the most scholarly work on the topic of “wokeness.” Al‑Gharbi provides a materialist theory of the economics and social dynamics that drive what we call "wokeism" and the great disconnect between what he calls “symbolic capitalists” (the section of the Professional Managerial Class within discourse/symbol generating industries like Media, Academia, Art, and Entertainment) and the rest of society. Al-Gharbi's book provides rigorous empirical research on social attitudes, class structures, and identifies four patterns that he calls "the great awokenings" which are driven by "elite overproduction" and liberals and leftists appear the same to so many people.

In The Backroom (on Patreon), Musa and I continue the conversation by connecting Musa’s materialist socio-economic theory of Wokeness and Symbolic Capitalists to Tony’s Genealogy of Wokeism essay, plus additional examples, arguments, and pushback that we did not have time for on the main episode.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Changing Minds vs Material Conditions (The Backroom Preview)

00:05:34 An Empirical Theory of Wokeism

00:14:41 Who are The “Symbolic Capitalists”?

00:23:55 Top 20% not just the 1%

00:33:45 Elite overproduction and intra-elite competition

00:38:31 The 2010s The Great Awokening

00:53:58 Is “woke” dead? Tech backlash, Trump era shifts

00:59:14 The Four Great Awokenings, mapped

01:00:04 First Awokening (1920s–30s): identity politics before the 60s

01:03:51 Orwell’s warning

01:07:02 Progressive paternalism and Managerial politics

01:15:41 Turning Standpoint Epistimology back on elites

01:19:31 Policing, crime, and what Black voters actually want

01:24:10 Do Woke People believe in Woke ideas? Does Sincerity Matter?

01:28:19 What about the bottom 80%?

01:33:19 Diversity and Totemic Capital

01:36:49 Backroom teaser: Tony’s Genealogy of Wokeism Essay

GUEST:

Musa Al-Gharbi (American sociologist), author of *We Have Never Been Woke*

• Book announcement and links: https://musaalgharbi.substack.com/p/we-have-never-been-woke-available-now

• Musa’s website: https://musaalgharbi.com

Musa’s Substack: https://musaalgharbi.substack.com

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