The origins of the WOKE movement
The WOKE movement originated in the African-American community. Over the past two decades, the movement has become a significant cultural, political, and social force in the West.
The term "Woke" began as a call to awareness for struggles against social injustice, particularly racism. But it has evolved into a broad ideology encompassing issues such as gender, identity, and social justice in general.
The term "Woke" first appeared in the 30s and 40s. It was used in African-American communities as a call to wake up to injustice and racism. The term experienced a revival in the 20s. And the movement has become a significant cultural, political, and social force in the West over the past two decades. In fact, a broad ideology can be identified here that encompasses issues such as gender, identity, and social justice. Several movements and ideological sources have combined to create this social movement, which some identify with "progressivism."
Black Lives Matter
The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, founded in 2013, grew as a response to police violence against African Americans.
In 2014, after the killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, the term became a central slogan against racism. In 2020, after the killing of George Floyd by police and the riots that swept the US afterwards, the movement grew much stronger.
Recently, BLM members have expressed support for pro-Palestinian movements, including those that promote anti-Semitism.
Generation Z, microaggressions and triggers
Generation Z was born between the mid-90s and the late 2000s. It grew up in the age of social media, and terms like "microaggression" (small actions or statements perceived as offensive towards marginalized groups) and "trigger" (a factor that provokes a negative emotional response) have become central to this generation's discourse.
The term "microaggression" was coined by Harvard psychiatrist Chester M. Pierce in 1970 to describe insults he saw white Americans routinely hurling at African Americans. In the early 21st century, the term was expanded to include casual disparagement of any socially marginalized group, including LGBTQ people, the poor, and the disabled.
Safe spaces and microaggressions
Microaggressions are “brief, everyday exchanges that send demeaning messages to certain people because of their membership in a group.” Unlike aggression, which is usually intended to cause harm, people who make microaggressive comments may have good intentions but are unaware of the potential impact of their words.
University students took the idea to the extreme. They argued that they should live in "safe spaces" where they would be spared any unpleasantness. For example, lecturers were required to give warnings about disturbing content in their courses that might be "triggers," such as discussions of violence or racism. In effect, the students demanded that they be treated like spoiled little children.
Identity politics
A central component of the WOKE movement is identity politics, which is based on dividing the population into distinct groups. The argument is that experiences of oppression (such as racism, sexism, or homophobia) are unique to certain groups. Obviously, other groups are defined as "oppressive."
Accordingly, it is understandable that the "oppressed" should be given priority in political discourse and action. Groups perceived as "weak" and "oppressed" on racial, gender, etc. grounds (e.g. blacks, LGBT, Palestinians, women...) automatically deserve support and promotion. Groups perceived as stronger (whites, Jews, men...) are always the ones who exploit and deserve condemnation, and must be turned against.
A worldview that has become dangerous
This approach, which can be understood as a desire to protect the weak, has become terribly simplistic and later dangerous. At its peak, it leads to the preference of those perceived as "oppressed" over the talented who cannot be "just."
In this context, the colonial past of the "white" West, which dominated and exploited the resources of other peoples until the mid-20th century, makes the West, in the eyes of the WOKE people, the embodiment of perfect evil.
This, of course, is a reason to oppose Western culture, which brought us (alongside the undeniable injustices of colonialism) democracy, liberalism, science, art, and philosophy that have made a decisive contribution to human progress.
The "white" West is perceived as "oppressive", and hence one must oppose its values and support the "oppressed", even when they turn to terrorism and blind fundamentalism.
And where does that leave Israel?
Similar to Western power and the white man, Israel, a successful Western state, is automatically perceived as “oppressive” and the Palestinians as “oppressed.” This approach absurdly leads to support for movements like BDS and justification for violent actions by terrorist organizations like Hamas.
Thus, after the Hamas attack on October 7, student groups at American universities, such as 31 student organizations at Harvard, issued statements that blamed Israel exclusively for the violence, while ignoring atrocities committed against Israeli citizens.
What gender suits you?
The discourse of identities has also led to a dramatic expansion of gender definitions beyond male and female. Thus, on official New York State forms, under the heading "Gender," one can choose from 72 (!) different definitions.
Every person can choose the gender they are interested in, and the way they would like to be addressed (he, she, they…). Addressing a person in a manner different from the one they chose could cost the offender a fine of up to $250,000.
This “brilliance” draws inspiration, among other things, from the postmodern feminist thought of philosopher Judith Butler. Butler also expressed support for the BDS movement and the Hamas attack on October 7. She was careful to ignore the anti-Semitic nature of the attack and the reports of sexual violence committed against Israeli women.
The effects of the movement
The WOKE movement has had a profound impact on Western culture, especially in the areas of education, media, and politics. It has brought about greater awareness of issues such as systemic racism, gender inequality, and LGBT rights. However, at one point it has become radicalized to the point of attacking Western values and their dangers.
Universities in the USA
Universities in the US have become a major focus of the WOKE movement. Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) training programs have become common, sometimes accompanied by requirements to use inclusive language or avoid terms that may be perceived as offensive.
But what started with good intentions dragged into absurdity. Lecturers who discussed "difficult" topics that included "triggers" that damaged the students' peace of mind became targets for protests and hate. Almost any topic that approached political incorrectness provoked anger and demonstrations. The faculties of social sciences and humanities over time became a mirror that reflected this mindset, dictating the face of universities, which became strongholds of WOKE.
Identity politics and the simplistic division into "oppressors" and "oppressed" have had severe costs. One result has been the appointment of people lacking management and academic qualifications to head universities.
It seems that belonging to an "oppressed" minority (blacks, women, etc.) has become a significant consideration in appointments. This identity politics ultimately brought with it the anti-Semitic rampages following October 7. Those who understood well the autoimmune effect of WOKE on Western culture were elements hostile to the West. Qatar, for example, has been funding universities with billions for years. Why does it do this? To help them go in the "right" direction – weakening the West.
This movement also has representatives in the US Congress such as Ilhan Omar, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Rashida Tlaib.
Pro-Hamas demonstrations and ignoring atrocities
After the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, mass demonstrations took place at universities in the United States. At Columbia and Harvard, in Berkeley, and throughout the United States, students expressed support for Hamas and the Palestinian struggle.
The demonstrations began even before Israel responded to the attack. Some protesters used slogans such as “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” which were seen as calls for the destruction of Israel. Moreover, some activists ignored or denied the atrocities that were committed. For them, the murder of civilians and sexual violence against Israeli women simply did not exist.
These responses reflect the radicalization of discourse in WOKE culture. The "oppressed" are always right, and the "oppressors," the "whites," etc., have honestly earned the violence. In this way, it is easy to ignore severe violence.
Cultural influence – the movie "Snow White"
And an example from recent weeks: Disney's remake of "Snow White" (2025), which cost more than $250,000,000 million to produce, has become a hotbed of controversy. The traditional plot has undergone radical changes, and the film has been adapted to the progressive values of WOKE.
The love story was scrapped and Snow White was presented as an independent character undergoing female empowerment, all while ignoring the charm of the original story and the audience that expected it. Actress Rachel Zegler, who played Snow White, was a clear WOKE representative. She added fuel to the fire by mocking the classic Snow White character from the original 1937 film (she claimed that the prince originally harassed Snow White), and declaring "Free Palestine" from every stage.
The result: a huge box office failure for Disney, and the destruction of Ziegler's career.
Israeli WOKE
When it comes to WOKE culture, Israel is an exception by any standard. "Microaggressions," "triggers," and other signs of Generation Z are seen as ridiculous issues in Israel, whose citizens are preoccupied with real existential problems.
On the other hand, the most important characteristics of WOKE thrive here - identity politics, and the division into "oppressed" versus "oppressors."
But here comes the exception:
While worldwide, WOKE and "progressiveness" are associated with the extreme left, in Israel the situation is the opposite. In Israel, surprisingly, identity politics is actually one of the central characteristics of people and parties who consider themselves "right," and call anyone who does not share their views "left" and "progressive," without understanding the irony of it.
The division into "oppressors" and "oppressed", "blacks and whites", "Mizrahi and Ashkenazim" is one of the central motifs of parties like Likud and Shas, not to mention the Ashkenazi ultra-Orthodox parties. People like Dr. Avishai Ben Haim and Aryeh Deri have built careers out of identity politics, presenting themselves as "oppressed Mizrahi" exploited by the oppressive "Ashkenazi" hegemony. Ben Haim's book "The Second Israel - The Sweet Gospel, the Bitter Oppression" is a seminal Israeli WOKE text.
So does David Amsalem, Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Israeli government. The achievement that the multi-faceted minister boasts about is the dissolution of the "directors' team." This is the dissolution of a pool intended to provide a cadre of people with proven skills for the boards of directors of government companies. From Amsalem's words, I understand that he intends to replace it with people whose main skills will be "disadvantaged," "Mizrahi," or "from the periphery."
Summary
The WOKE movement, which began as a protest against injustice, has grown to enormous proportions. However, it has gone in directions that are destructive to Western culture. Agents of chaos, such as Qatar, Iran, and Russia, have jumped on the bandwagon and are doing their best to encourage its spread with cyberattacks and the pouring of vast amounts of capital (Qatar).
There are parts of the Democratic Party in the US that identify with this dangerous movement and what it represents. The Republican Party and President Trump, as unstable and unpredictable as he is, have thrown their weight behind the other side. On this issue, at least, most of us wish them well.
Israel, as usual, surprises. In the world, the WOKE culture, with its identity politics, is identified with the progressive extreme left. In Israel, identity politics and the narrative of the "oppressed" versus the "oppressors" appear precisely on the identified "right" side of the political map.
Makes reading tiring and choppy
What is described at the end has already been dubbed Woke Right.
– Use of identity tactics and, of course, the hatred of Jews that characterizes National and International Socialism.
See James Lindsey for more details on this topic.
What a bunch of nonsense, especially at the end of the article.
In the context of the situation in Israel, below is a video that demonstrates and proves how the Israeli left fully participates in and embraces the Woke religion:
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=5110122735742312&rdid=8TuASLKUqg2F8V7A
In the video, a left-wing MK (white man), an Arab MK (woman, Muslim), and a religious Jew in the Knesset committee.
Notice how the MK from the left comes to the defense of the Arab MK who attacks and humiliates the Jew with the kippah for nothing and nothing.
It's worth checking how many times in the last two years Netanyahu and the Haredim have been mentioned in your articles, speaking of who built a career on whom...
It's always nice to hear that I have longtime readers.
To the point:
Not surprising, since these are the two greatest existential dangers lurking for Israel.
For the Haredi, the problem is not the public but the way of life that was invented here by its leaders. I actually see potential there, after the ghetto walls are torn down, because this is a large public of good people.
Regarding Netanyahu – this, unfortunately, is already hopeless.
It seems that the existential dangers that most people recognize come from politicians from the left and the extreme left, which most media outlets and journalists represent, not to mention serve, and if that weren't enough, the courts as well.
Yes, there is a place for criticism of Netanyahu if it is said neutrally or from a more right-wing perspective, but from your camp, it is political and not factual.
And don't flatter yourself. There are journalists or reporters, let's call them that, who honestly earned comments on Automat, and it's enough to read a few sample lines in the tedious article to understand where the wind is blowing... Netanyahu, the right-wing, the ultra-Orthodox.
And this is a well-known trick... writing in an extreme way to get ratings, and this extreme approach from your camp results in even more angry responses, resulting in interest and ratings.
I also bet that most politicians from the left and certainly most journalists from the left secretly vote for Netanyahu and the right for future livelihood needs. Otherwise, what would they write about and who would Gantz or Lapid be interested in?
Not to mention the politicians themselves, whose salaries are the same in the coalition or in the opposition, about 48,000 shekels a month. It's much easier to just sit in the stands and criticize in the studio than to be responsible and work or just shout two sentences at some demonstration and then go to a restaurant for fun without harassment.
Excellent article
Every word carved in stone!
Important article, up until the Israel part I agreed with everything!
The whole part about Israel is simply a lie and evil manipulation!
Probably because you belong to the left, you try to shrug off this trolling, but the truth is that this is exactly what the Israeli radical liberal left does (Meretz, come on, Yair Golan, Zehava Galon)!
Promoting a policy of inclusion and identity politics in which nothing can be said about the "oppressed" - Muslims, blacks, Latinos and women! White men (which you and I are among) are of course at the bottom of the scale, but at the very bottom are the religious and the Mizrahi!
They will always be considered oppressors, they are not allowed to say a word about LGBT people (if a religious MK says something about LGBT people, it's the end of him, as happened to Rabbi Rafi Peretz... but for Muslims like Mansour Abbas, they are allowed to say everything!).
They are not allowed to say anything about women's rights (for example, if they oppose women serving in tanks, then they are dark, primitive...),
The thing is, the liberal, inclusive, and educated Israeli left, the full partner of the Woke movements, received a slap in the face after 7.10/XNUMX from their "friends" abroad.
They expected that because they have the same values of inclusion, acceptance of others, and support for liberal movements such as BLM and MeToo, they would identify with us after a Hamas attack that of course included rape and murder, but they received exactly the opposite – when it came to Israel and Jews, it was permissible to murder us and it was permissible to rape our women.
Therefore, the liberal white men in Israel have no choice but to shift the blame to the right and the religious in particular... (and surrender to the Woke values that are also screwing them over)
The liberal left wants to bring all this progressive nonsense here, and that's why, with great sophistication, you're trying to blame it on the right. (A distinctly Woyka strategy, by the way)
exactly!
The writer is a typical Vukist. He himself acts aggressively ("the minister of something"). And deletes comments that he doesn't like (the culture of silencing and deleting Vuk), while Amsalem asks for equal treatment for everyone but does not silence and delete the other.
Surprisingly, we accept that Amsalem is much more enlightened in essence than this self-deceptive writer.
Decide, are you a bibist or a high-techist…
The article is excellent, although I think you failed miserably in your analysis of the Israeli reality.
In Israel, the left justifies Arab terrorism against Israel and blames the "occupation," without mentioning the Arabs' responsibility for the current situation. While the "Nakba" occurred almost 80 years ago (and it also happened because of their refusal to partition) and we are talking about a third generation of "refugees," they still have not reestablished themselves (a unique example in Western history), which is precisely the ideology of the Wak movement - the oppressed are right.
On the right, the complaint is that there is an elite that does not allow promotion based on qualifications, but rather on political affiliation (see the Red Book entry). This is still happening today, even in the Supreme Court (see the Aharon Barak and Ruth Gavinson entry), where complete integrity in appointments is expected (which, to any reasonable person, is clear to be nonexistent).
Thank you. Exactly. Obviously, it's the other way around with us!
The cannibals
Great article. Unfortunately, there is sick racism in Israel and identity politics even on the left – the Bibiists/Arab Moroccans/Palestinian terrorists/the most terrorists. For example, resistance to the occupation is seen as terrorism, with only a few willing to admit it outright – of course they will oppose. In my opinion, both sides cooperate to maintain mass oppression, the right so that people will vote for them blindly, the left to maintain its economic share of the “undesirables”. I wish we were a little more woke, maybe they would support genocide less.
Sorry, Yoram. You're wrong. Minister Amsalem doesn't want people who are "disadvantaged, Mizrahi or from the periphery." This is just a fig leaf for appointing incompetent cronies. See the firing of the talented postal chairman, Mishael Vaknin. Judging by his name, it doesn't seem to me that he is from Poland...
He's just not close enough.
Excellent article about the woke movement.
Only the conclusion regarding Israel is demagogic and misleading.
Yoram Shalom
I enjoyed reading your analysis of the woke movement.
Until the part where you saw fit to attack right-wingers and call them woke due to their struggle to integrate into the country and into senior and junior positions without exclusion.
If you were to bring in the unforgivable Progress Movement of the Israeli left and try to create symmetry, fine. If the whole article about the woke is ultimately to bash Amsalem and Avishai Ben Haim, you missed the point.
Hello Ronnie,
I enjoyed reading the first line of your response.
I liked the rest less, and not because I disagree with your right to criticize. It's fine to criticize, but you have to give reasons for the criticism to be constructive.
* Maybe you didn't notice, but a sentence like "calling them woke because of their struggle to integrate into the country and into senior and junior positions without exclusion..." – is a classic sentence of identity politics.
Of course, everyone – right-wing, left-wing, religious, secular, Arab – deserves to take their rightful place. But they must do so based on their qualifications and not on their political or ethnic identity.
Unfortunately, you fell into the trap of dividing "oppressors" into "oppressed", and what you wrote is strictly WOKE. Which, by the way, is exactly what Ben Haim, Amsalem, Deri and Co. are doing.
* Regarding the "unforgivable progressive movement of the Israeli left" - what do you mean?
* The intention of the article was to describe the WOKE movement mainly internationally, but also in Israel.
President, Chief of Staff, and more.
Not disadvantaged.
Enough crying.
Who has been in power for years?
Who is depriving whom?