Awake, Not Woke

1. Woke ideology undermines the dignity of the human person

"For the woke, a person can be defined by asking two questions. The first is "What do I desire?" ... The second question that the woke use to define a person is "How have I been hurt?""

Reductionist view of humanity. Woke ideology reduces people to their desires and grievances, ignoring the complexity and inherent dignity of each human being. This perspective:

• Emphasizes victimhood over personal agency
• Defines people primarily by group identity rather than individual character
• Rejects the idea of universal human nature or shared moral standards

By contrast, a Christian anthropology sees humans as:

• Made in the image of God
• Possessing intrinsic worth regardless of circumstances
• Capable of reason, moral choice, and self-transcendence

Consequences of this worldview. When people are defined solely by desires and hurts:

• It becomes difficult to build genuine community across differences
• Personal responsibility is diminished in favor of blaming systems
• The pursuit of truth and goodness is replaced by power struggles between groups

2. Critical theory replaces critical thinking, stifling intellectual discourse

"Critical thinking, in the classical liberal tradition, relies on the reality that we are rational animals, able to use our abilities to observe the world, discern universal principles, and make normative evaluations."

Abandoning reason for ideology. Critical theory rejects the idea of objective truth or universal principles, instead viewing all knowledge through the lens of power dynamics. This approach:

• Interprets everything as oppressor vs. oppressed narratives
• Dismisses opposing viewpoints as expressions of privilege rather than engaging arguments
• Replaces the pursuit of truth with activism for social change

Consequences for education and discourse:

• Universities become echo chambers rather than places of intellectual exploration
• Disagreement is seen as a form of violence or oppression
• Complex issues are reduced to simplistic power narratives

To restore genuine critical thinking:

• Encourage steel-manning opposing arguments
• Teach logical fallacies and how to recognize them
• Expose students to diverse viewpoints and classical texts

3. The sexual revolution has destabilized families and society

"Without a deep and meaningful personal connection, without a core of love, we end up exaggerating and disfiguring the shell. A society that sees sex as meaningless obsesses over its particulars."

Unintended consequences. The sexual revolution promised freedom but has led to:

• Increased family breakdown and single parenthood
• Objectification of human beings, especially women
• Epidemic of pornography addiction and sexual dysfunction
• Confusion about gender identity and roles

Impact on children:

• Less stability and security in family life
• Earlier exposure to adult sexuality
• Increased risk of abuse and exploitation

Cultural shifts:

• Sex divorced from commitment or procreation
• Marriage redefined and devalued
• Normalization of previously taboo sexual practices

To rebuild a healthy sexual ethic:

• Reclaim the intrinsic meaning and purpose of sexuality
• Promote the ideal of committed marriage and family life
• Address the harms of pornography and hookup culture

4. Education has become a vehicle for indoctrination rather than learning

"Rather than teaching them how to think, we teach students political narratives of what to think. In effect, we teach them how to be activists."

Shift in educational philosophy. Many schools and universities now prioritize:

• Social justice activism over academic rigor
• Emotional safety over intellectual challenge
• Affirmation of identity over pursuit of truth

Consequences for students:

• Lack of critical thinking skills
• Historical ignorance and cultural illiteracy
• Inability to engage respectfully with diverse viewpoints

Ideological capture of institutions:

• Teacher training programs promote activist pedagogy
• Curriculum emphasizes grievance narratives over balanced history
• Campus culture enforces ideological conformity

To reform education:

• Refocus on academic excellence and intellectual skills
• Teach history accurately, including both triumphs and failures
• Encourage civil debate and exposure to diverse ideas

5. Grievance culture fuels division and resentment instead of unity

"Without a universal principle, "justice" becomes preference dependent on historical interpretation from a perspective that is ahistorical. It requires unjust means to achieve the desired end."

Perpetual victimhood mentality. Grievance culture:

• Encourages people to see themselves primarily as victims
• Fosters resentment and blame rather than personal responsibility
• Creates ever-expanding categories of oppression and microaggressions

Social consequences:

• Increased racial and social tensions
• Breakdown of civic friendship and common purpose
• Difficulty in addressing real injustices due to cry-wolf effect

Political ramifications:

• Demand for censorship and punishment of "oppressors"
• Policy focused on equality of outcome rather than opportunity
• Rejection of meritocracy and individual achievement

To build genuine unity:

• Acknowledge past and present injustices without defining people by them
• Promote personal agency and resilience
• Foster cross-cultural friendships and shared experiences

6. Restoring the family is key to countering woke ideology

"Family privilege is something each human deserves and is a duty incumbent on every parent. It conveys a natural and good order to human persons and a harmony that finds the common good of the whole as bound up with the good of the individuals."

Centrality of family. Strong families provide:

• Stability and security for children
• Transmission of values and cultural heritage
• Buffer against state overreach and ideological indoctrination

Benefits of family structure:

• Higher economic mobility for children
• Lower rates of crime and social dysfunction
• Stronger communities and social fabric

Attacks on the family:

• Redefinition of marriage and parenthood
• Government policies that disincentivize family formation
• Cultural messages devaluing traditional family roles

To strengthen families:

• Promote the ideal of committed marriage and responsible parenthood
• Support policies that make family formation economically viable
• Celebrate the unique contributions of mothers and fathers

7. Self-knowledge and personal responsibility are antidotes to victimhood mentality

"To know oneself is, above all, to know what one lacks. It is to measure oneself against Truth, and not the other way around. The first product of self-knowledge is humility."

Importance of self-reflection. Genuine self-knowledge:

• Reveals our flaws and need for growth
• Fosters humility and empathy for others
• Empowers us to take responsibility for our lives

Contrast with victimhood mindset:

• Blaming others for personal problems
• Seeking external validation and affirmation
• Avoiding difficult truths about oneself

Practices for cultivating self-knowledge:

• Regular self-examination and moral inventory
• Seeking honest feedback from trusted others
• Studying wisdom literature and philosophy

To promote personal responsibility:

• Teach the link between choices and consequences
• Celebrate examples of overcoming adversity through effort
• Encourage goal-setting and self-improvement

8. True diversity and inclusion require respecting differences, not enforcing conformity

"Diversity is the stated goal, uniformity and power are the actual goals. You are only important insofar as you further the agenda."

Redefining diversity. Woke ideology claims to promote diversity but actually demands:

• Ideological conformity on social and political issues
• Suppression of dissenting viewpoints, especially traditional or conservative ones
• Tokenism based on immutable characteristics rather than genuine pluralism

Consequences of false diversity:

• Stifling of intellectual and cultural exchange
• Increased polarization and tribalism
• Loss of nuance and complexity in addressing social issues

Genuine inclusion means:

• Respecting differing viewpoints and beliefs
• Allowing space for cultural and religious distinctives
• Judging ideas on their merits rather than the identity of the speaker

To foster true diversity:

• Encourage civil dialogue across ideological divides
• Protect freedom of conscience and religious liberty
• Celebrate shared humanity while acknowledging differences

9. Reclaiming objective truth and moral standards is essential for societal health

"Without firmly facing our sins, we lose the ability to combat them and the possibility of redemption."

Rejection of moral absolutes. Woke ideology promotes:

• Moral relativism and subjectivism
• Rejection of traditional ethical frameworks
• Emphasis on power dynamics over universal principles

Consequences of moral relativism:

• Inability to condemn genuine evils
• Loss of shared ethical vocabulary
• Breakdown of social trust and cohesion

Importance of objective standards:

• Provide a basis for justice and human rights
• Allow for moral progress and reform
• Give meaning and direction to individual lives

To rebuild a moral foundation:

• Recover the natural law tradition in ethics and politics
• Teach virtue ethics and character formation
• Promote the pursuit of truth, goodness, and beauty as worthy ends

Last updated: November 7, 2024