Actually I’m not personally afraid of ‘woke people’ but I am afraid of their likely impact on Western Civilization for reasons that relate entirely to the title of this post.

You see, a Canadian gentleman of the “outrageous queen” persuasion called Sky Gilbert wrote a blogpost with the same title. He has now discovered that he was quite right to be afraid of the ‘woke people’ because they did the usual twitter mob thing and got him ousted from the theatre company he founded as well as making sure he is now “persona non grata” in the sort of artistic circles that he used to frequent. So what did he write that was so unacceptable?

I’m afraid of ‘Woke People’ because they divide humanity into either ‘us’ or ‘them.’

I’m afraid of “Woke People’ because they taught me to fear being gay. It was something that I worked very hard to be proud of, and now — once again — I am ashamed.

When I go to a theatre event or a sexuality conference, I am careful not to dress in a sexual way, because I know that for many ‘Woke People’ it fits an evil gay stereotype.

When I go online I brace myself for the postings about how politically insensitive, hyper-sexual and super-rich gay men are.

I’m afraid of ‘Woke People because they can’t see that I’m gay, but only that I’m a man.

When I send ‘Woke People’ emails, I have to go out of my way not to appear too gay, too sexual, or too irreverent. I do not want to offend them.

I’m afraid of ‘Woke People’ because if I mistakenly use the wrong pronoun to describe them, they may become furious and never forgive me.

I’m afraid of ‘Woke People’ because, for them, good intentions are not enough.

When I dress in drag, I fear I will be ‘dressed down’ by a “Woke Person,’ screamed at for enjoying appropriated music, for making fun of trans people, and for my camp sense of humour.

I’m afraid of ‘Woke People’ because when I appeal to them for generosity and kindness they see it as trying to make them weak.

I’m afraid of ‘Woke People’ because I am worried they will measure my lack of privilege against theirs, and find it wanting.

I’m afraid of ‘Woke People’ because they have said to me ‘your time is up.’

When I see a group of ‘Woke People’ laughing and tittering in a corner, I can’t help but imagine they are laughing about me.

I’m afraid of ‘Woke People’ because my intersectionality does not have enough intersections.

I’m afraid of ‘Woke People’ because our very human imaginations may not be able to survive the rigorous scrutiny of social justice.

I’m afraid of ‘Woke People’ because I’m afraid they will kill art.

You see I believe (gulp!) that we should try and love everyone, even (gulp!) the people who hate us.

I’m afraid of ‘Woke People,’ because — I’m sorry. Because I’m sorry I exist.

I believe that the reason this caused such a response was in large part because it is true – particularly that first line

I’m afraid of ‘Woke People’ because they divide humanity into either ‘us’ or ‘them.’

From what little I have read by/about Sky Gilbert (e.g. this quillette article) I suspect he and I have very little in common. If we met I’m sure we’d disagree about all sorts of things, but so far as I can tell we have one thing in common: neither of us want the other to be silenced. ‘Woke people’ on the other hand do want people they disagree with silenced and if you don’t let them have their way they’ll quite possibly attack you physically as well as online.

‘Woke people’ are a dangerous trend.

If you think democracy is a good idea then ‘woke people’ should worry you because they seem to agree with the EU leadership (and the leadership in places like Turkey and Russia) that democracy is fine as long as the people vote they way they are supposed to. Voting for Trump, or Brexit, or any number of other politicians or ideas that are not ‘woke’ means you are *ist *phobic etc. and thus deserve to be disenfranchised.

‘Woke people’ are keen on science, research and the like, as long as science gives the right answers. If your scientific research gives the wrong answer then it is to be erased from existence.

And so on. God forbid that you mention God or say something like “women have vaginas, men have penises” or even have a billboard with the dictionary definition of ‘woman’. That’s ‘hate speech’ and must be stopped.

‘Woke people’ get their underwear in a twist if you quote or play a recording of someone they disagree with unless you immediately make clear that what you have just quoted/played is badthink – and probably even then you’ll be in trouble if you failed to provide trigger warnings and safe spaces in advance.

‘Woke people’ remind me of the Puritans or of the worst excesses of the French revolution when the revolutionaries turned on each other.

This is a Bad Thing™ because the philosophical underpinning of everything we have developed is “thesis, antithesis, synthesis”. If it is impossible to state a thesis (or counter one with an antithesis) then we won’t get to the improved synthesis and the resulting better knowledge of the universe.