Woke Mind Virus
Woke mind virus, sometimes shortened to WMV, is a term used to refer to anything which is perceived to be closely connected to "wokeness" and left-wing politics with particular emphasis on actions or ideas that encourage the suppression of freedom of speech and anti-meritocratic ideals.[1][2]
Woke mind virus is a neologism which has gained widespread use among politically right leaning or conservative pundits and audiences, most especially in the United States and after the early 2020s.
Overview
Woke Mind Virus as a term has been widely used by politicians such as Ron DeSantis, entrepreneurs such as Elon Musk, and talk show hosts like Bill Maher.[3] WMV as a term has been criticized as a politically charged or pejorative term that according to The New York Times, "...Is eating away at Republicans' brains..."[4] The term is used mostly by right leaning, conservative, Republican, libertarian, or sources other than politically left leaning sources.
Terms such as "structural racism", "patriarchy", "white privilege", "systemic racism", and "intersectionality" are all reported buzz words that signal subscription to a "woke mind virus" concept.[5]
Usage
Elon Musk
The Woke Mind Virus term was first majorly popularized when used by Elon Musk on the X app (formerly Twitter) in December 2021.[6] Musk has been a heavy and frequent user of the term since, including statements such as:
Unless it is stopped, the woke mind virus will destroy civilization and humanity will never reach Mars.[7]
Musk has stated that he believed also that Yale University is a "...epicenter of the woke mind virus attempting to destroy civilization."[8] Musk has also attributed the homeless problem of San Francisco to the woke mind virus.[9] The Washington Post reported that Musk partly bought Twitter to "rid [the app] of 'woke mind virus'"[10] Other commentators such as Bill Maher have used the WMV term[7][11] as a derisive term used to describe a perceived widespread lack of critical thinking and easy or ready acceptance, primarily among youth, of far-left or progressive political ideas (at the sacrifice of humanity primacy considerations). In an April 2023 interview between Maher and Musk, Maher asked Musk, "You have talked about this woke mind virus in really apocalyptic terms. You should explain why you don’t think it’s hyperbole to say things like it’s pushing civilization toward suicide. First of all, what is the woke mind virus?", to which Musk responded:
I think we need to be very cautious about anything that is anti-meritocratic and anything that results in the suppression of free speech. So, those are two of the aspects of the woke mind virus that I think are very dangerous—that it’s often very anti-meritocratic and you can’t question things. Even the questioning is bad. So, you know, another way to … almost synonymous would be cancel culture...[12]
The Atlantic reported Musk and X with the label of far-right in association with the use of the WMV term.[13] Other sources have also stated that the term is a far-right term though Musk, a major proponent of the term, denies that he is either far-right or far-left, and that the term is not either.[14] Musk also reportedly bought X in part as a reaction to his daughter's transition as a transgender person and Musk's interpretation of her far-left political beliefs being "infected with the woke mind virus."[15][16] After being booed by the audience of standup comedian Dave Chappelle in 2022, Musk reupped his rhetoric stating, "The Woke Mind Virus Is Either Defeated Or Nothing Else Matters."[17][18][19]
On the Lex Fridman podcast Musk called the WMV a "civilizational threat".[20]
Other uses
Florida Governor and former presidential candidate, Ron DeSantis has frequently used the term.[21]
Vanity Fair has a story under the "Woke Mind Virus" label.[22] USA Today said that the term "woke" had been "co-opted by GOP activists"[23] Left-wing economist Paul Krugman has stated defended wind energy farms saying that, "...the bigger picture, I’d argue, is that renewable energy has become a victim of the anti-woke mind virus."[24]
Some sources have argued that "red America" has "declared war on Corporate America" as a result of "wokeness" and the "woke mind virus."[25]
Critics of Netflix streaming service claimed that "woke mind virus" concerns around left-wing political agendas being woven into the plot of various programs was hurting the service's reach and viewership.[26][27]
See also
- Collective narcissism
- Echo chamber (media)
- Emotional contagion
- Filter bubble
- Go woke, go broke
- Groupthink
- Herd behaviour
- Indoctrination
- System justification
- Tone policing
- Viruses of the Mind
References
- ↑ Franklin, Ellise Shafer, McKinley; Shafer, Ellise; Franklin, McKinley (2023-04-29). "Elon Musk Talks Twitter, Censorship and the 'Woke Mind Virus' on 'Real Time With Bill Maher'". Variety. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
- ↑ Schwartz, Ian (April 29, 2023). "Elon Musk Defines The Woke Mind Virus: Anything Anti-Meritocratic And That Results In The Suppression Of Free Speech". www.realclearpolitics.com. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
- ↑ "Elon Musk Tells Bill Maher 'Woke Mind Virus' Is Dangerous On 'Real Time'". Retrieved 2024-04-24.
- ↑ Bouie, Jamelle (2023-05-02). "Opinion | The 'Woke Mind Virus' Is Eating Away at Republicans' Brains". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
- ↑ Staff, Fox News (2022-05-29). "The real cure for the 'woke mind virus' is in colleges and universities: Steve Hilton". Fox News. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
- ↑ Liles, Jordan (2023-01-29). "Did Elon Musk Warn that 'Woke Mind Virus' Is Destroying Civilization?". Snopes. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Klee, Miles (2023-04-29). "Elon Musk and Bill Maher Warn Against the 'Woke Mind Virus,' a.k.a. Historical Fact". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
- ↑ Teh, Cheryl. "Elon Musk says he's wading into politics to stop the 'woke mind virus' from destroying civilization". Business Insider. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
- ↑ "Elon Musk called downtown San Francisco — where Twitter is headquartered — a 'derelict zombie apocalypse' amid its huge homelessness and drug issues". Business Insider. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
- ↑ Will, Will; Dwoskin, Elizabeth; Ellison, Sarah; Merrill, Jeremy B. (October 27, 2023). "A year later, Musk's X is tilting right. And sinking". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
- ↑ Wulfsohn, Joseph (2023-04-28). "Bill Maher, Elon Musk discuss 'woke mind virus,' Twitter takeover, AI during 'Real Time' interview". Fox News. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
- ↑ "Elon Musk Explains Why 'Woke Mind Virus' Is Pushing Civilizational Suicide". NTD. 2023-05-01. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
- ↑ Warzel, Charlie (2023-05-23). "Twitter Is a Far-Right Social Network". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
- ↑ Chantler-Hicks, Lydia (2022-11-25). "Elon Musk says 'woke mind virus' is 'pushing civilisation toward suicide'". Evening Standard. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
- ↑ Coen, Susie; Millward, David (2023-09-01). "Elon Musk reveals Twitter takeover driven by 'woke mind virus' that infected his trans daughter". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
- ↑ "Elon Musk blames school for rift with daughter: 'She doesn't want to spend time with me'". TODAY.com. 2023-09-02. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
- ↑ "Elon Musk Tweets "The Woke Mind Virus Is Either Defeated Or Nothing Else Matters" After Being Booed At A Dave Chappelle Show". Yahoo Entertainment. 2022-12-12. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
- ↑ O'Brien, Cortney (2022-12-13). "Twitter erupts after being asked to 'define woke': 'Marxist oppression narratives'". Fox News. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
- ↑ "People started serving themselves alcohol after plane delayed by 5 hours | indy100". www.indy100.com. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
- ↑ Gentile, Luke (2023-11-10). "Elon Musk slams 'woke mind virus' as 'civilizational threat' - Washington Examiner". Retrieved 2024-04-24.
- ↑ Goldberg, Michelle (2023-05-25). "Opinion | Ron DeSantis vs. the 'Woke Mind Virus'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
- ↑ Nast, Condé (2023-08-06). "Have Republican Voters Put the Idea of "Woke" to Bed?". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
- ↑ Guynn, Jessica. "'Woke mind virus'? 'Corporate wokeness'? Why red America has declared war on corporate America". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
- ↑ "How the wind became woke | Paul Krugman". The Seattle Times. 2023-05-31. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
- ↑ "'Woke mind virus'? 'Corporate wokeness'? Why red America has declared war on corporate America". Yahoo Life. 2023-01-05. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
- ↑ Flood, Brian (2022-04-20). "Netflix: Critics agree with Elon Musk's assessment that 'woke mind virus' is hurting streaming service". Fox News. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
- ↑ Flood, Brian (2022-05-19). "Netflix seemingly pivots away from liberal agenda, but bottom line remains streaming giant's chief focus". Fox News. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
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