Woke Racism
by John McWhorter · first published 2021
10mentions
2recommended by
10HN commenters
2021–2026first – last mentioned
20% recommend80% neutral
"Acclaimed linguist and award-winning writer John McWhorter argues that an illiberal neoracism, disguised as antiracism, is hurting Black communities and weakening the American social fabric. Americans of good will on both the left and the right are secretly asking themselves the same question: how has the conversation on race in America gone so crazy? We're told read books and listen to music by people of color but that wearing certain clothes is "appropriation." We hear that being white automatically gives you privilege and that being Black makes you a victim. We want to speak up but fear we
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…and courage. Here are some controversial books that may enlighten the reader to some of the myriad nuances of intersecting problems: - The Undertow: Scenes from a Slow Civil War by Sharlet. 2023. - Woke Racism by McWhorter. 2021. - The Case Against BDS: Why Singling Out Israel for Boycott is Anti-Semitic. by Dershowitz. 2018. - Empire of Illusion: The End of Literacy and the Triumph of Spectacle by Hedges.…
on “Stop Demanding Dumb Answers to Hard Questions” ↗The problem with wokeism is that it’s more like a religion than an effective movement for change. Being seen to believe/say the right things is vastly more important than actively helping. Woke Racism is a really good book about that. Don’t worry it’s written by a black guy who’s been fighting for social justice for decades. The fact I have to say that is one of his points/arguments.
on “Adversarial Collaboration” ↗I think I gave some pretty specific example areas, but to get even more granular: I wonder if they will stock McWhorter’s “Woke Racism” or Abigail Shrier’s “Irreversable Damage.” As to the question “what about books I think are really bad?” I don’t see how that’s much different than what these parents are asking. And personally, I…
on “A Texas School District Banned My Book. Then Things Got Ugly” ↗I too blame religion, mostly the woke one, [1] for him getting elected. The left went too far, and when the pendulum swung back, we got Trump again. 1: https://www.amazon.com/Woke-Racism-Religion-Betrayed-America...
on “Loud noises heard in Venezuela capital, southern area without electricity” ↗Some in academia say it's not just religious-ish, but actually religious. Professor John McWhorter has a book coming out on this next week: Woke Racism: How a New Religion Has Betrayed Black America. [1] 1: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B095JLK96B
on “Against ‘Diversity Statements’” ↗To clarify, you are quoting from Monica McLemore's article which the linked article is criticizing. In John McWhorter's recent book, "Woke Racism", McWhorter argues that people like McLemore are adherents of a new religion (he means this in a literal, sociological way) which he calls "The Elect". The Elect's word for "heresy" is "problematic".…
on “Scientific American does an hit job on E. O. Wilson, calling him a racist” ↗…Abbott Elementary refreshingly mocks the suffocating trend of racialism in American culture" – https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2022/03/01/abbo-m01.html Similarly, read their review of John McWhorter's Woke Racism – https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2023/06/14/ihjm-j14.html – in which they largely express agreement with his criticisms of the progressive "woke" ideology, but simultaneously condemn him for making…
on “The Origins of Wokeness” ↗>I don't understand why you are calling it a religion. There's a book on the topic: "Woke Racism: How a New Religion Has Betrayed Black America" by John McWhorter
on “NSF starts vetting all grants to comply with executive orders” ↗…even a "bad" book is "important". But sometimes it's not. So edge cases abound. But, just as a check, the Chicago (super liberal city run by super liberal everything) public library system does have "Woke Racism" available. As does the Austin system. High School libraries are more limited, so they're obviously not going to have every book, and I'm sure gaps exist for any ideological/partisan view.
on “A Texas School District Banned My Book. Then Things Got Ugly” ↗The author thinks 'the hard left' think Universities are racist, and they are wrong to think that. Then he wrote a book called "Woke Racism: How a New Religion Has Betrayed Black America". So, they were right after all?
on “Adversarial Collaboration” ↗