Woke To Being Politically Correct

Politically correct (as brought to general public view) began as merely pointing out that words have meaning and subtext; and that sometimes the subtext can be harmful.

 

For example:

The definition of Homo sapiens as "Mankind"; the harmful subtext being the exclusion of women and girls (approximately 51% of the human race).

The "Politically correct" suggestion was to use "Humankind" in order to describe Homo sapiens; thereby including and respecting women, girls, sisters, aunts, wives, grandmothers, mothers.

 

Outraged by the suggestion that they could be in error, UK right wing oligarch newspaper owners (exclusively male) through the pages of a predominantly right wing UK press e.g. The Sun, News of the World, Telegraph and The Express, re-defined "Politically Correct" to mean "lacking the courage to speak your mind".

 

Incidentally, a Google search reveals the current definition of "woke" as "Alert to injustice in society". To me that sounds like a worthwhile aspiration and more: a duty.

 

Be woke to the fact that definitions can be and often are weaponised. For example, the word "woke".

 

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Comments

[Rae]

My thoughts exactly, except so much more eloquently than I ever could write.

Thank you.

I have no problem with being 'woke' but sadly those of us that are, simply can not wake the many that that spend their lives as though they are in a permanent coma.
Sleeping beauties, othat are ugly on the inside.

Labi Siffre, you are amazing. You inspire me. I only knew a couple of your songs and I've just watched your BBC documentary and it made me cry.

Keep writing.

From a fellow gay (lesbian) atheist.

[Kevin L]

Political correctness has been a topic my friends and I have discussed extensively. In the USA, people throw around the term a lot, whether because they like what it originally meant, or to mock it. I think this poem encapsulates this phrase perfectly, and makes a prediction on the word "woke" as well. Thank you for your short but sweet poem, Mr. Siffre. I'd love a poem one day on your thoughts on what's happening in the USA, or rather, how the UK views the events in the USA. Worldview is fascinating to me!