Article: Woke Washing

“In an era where digital platforms shape societal discourse, “wokeness” has now become one of the most prevalent topics amidst the war on culture. Originally a term derived from African-American-Vernacular (AAVE) denoting awareness about racial and social injustices, it has now been adopted by mainstream media and broadened to encompass a range of issues anywhere from gender equality to climate change. Yet, as wokeness permeates the digital sphere, it finds itself entangled with the very platforms that amplify its voice; platforms rooted in capitalist principles. There are recent trends that underscore this paradox such as the emergence of the “deinfluencer” and “woke washing”. These trends challenge the status quo of consumption and wealth disparity, but do they genuinely subvert the capitalist system? As more and more brands and creators scramble to jump on the woke bandwagon, has wokeness, and its ensuing trends, merely become a new marketing strategy masquerading as politically correct ideals?”

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