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Have We Reached Peak Woke?

by Toby Young
14 July 2022 1:30 PM

In my Spectator column today I pose the question, ‘Have we reached peak woke?’

In Hollywood, that seems to be the emerging consensus. Thanks to the box office success of Top Gun: Maverick and the disappointing performance of Pixar’s Lightyear, in which Buzz Lightyear’s commanding officer is a black lesbian, the studios think audiences may be tiring of being lectured to. The same is true of the streaming platforms, with the biggest hits of the year being shows that take the mickey out of corporate virtue-signalling (The Boys) or just celebrate old-fashioned American heroism (The Terminal List). In this context, the reaction of Netflix when some of its employees staged a walkout over Dave Chappelle’s un-PC jokes in his recent comedy special was a straw in the wind: the company told them that if they weren’t prepared to tolerate a broad range of tastes and viewpoints, maybe Netflix wasn’t the right place for them.

In the tech sector, too, a pushback against social activism seems to be under way. A sign of things to come was the 2020 memo by Brian Armstrong, CEO of cryptocurrency firm Coinbase, saying he didn’t want his company to promote political causes, such as Black Lives Matter, because it was a distraction from its “core mission” and created “internal division”. “We have people with many different backgrounds and viewpoints at Coinbase, and even if we all agree that something is a problem, we may not agree on how to actually go solve it,” he wrote. Given that the memo was sent a few months after the death of George Floyd, it caused a predictable uproar and Armstrong offered an exit package to those employees who felt they could no longer work at Coinbase. Sixty took up the offer – five per cent of the workforce – and the initial conclusion was that Armstrong’s intervention had been a mistake. But he had no difficulty filling those positions and his keep-politics-out-of-the-workplace memo now looks like an act of bold leadership.

According to a Silicon Valley entrepreneur I had breakfast with a couple of weeks ago, leading venture capital firms are abandoning their insistence that tech companies have to demonstrate what they’re doing to advance the cause of anti-racism before they’ll invest. Having progressive polices on EDI (Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) and ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) is a luxury that start-ups can no longer afford. With a global recession looming, these canny investors have jettisoned identity politics and are focusing on the bottom line. “All this woke crap will be gone within 12 months,” says the entrepreneur.

But the news is less good elsewhere.

Among the liberal metropolitan elite – particularly those who are paid by the state, whether directly or indirectly – there are few signs of a counter-revolution. On the contrary, in schools, universities, museums, galleries, arts organisations, Whitehall, quangos, the BBC, the NHS, public sector law firms, large charities etc, the long march through the institutions is complete. There are occasional successful skirmishes, such as the recent fightback within the National Trust, but the chances of a Coinbase-style revolution across the sector, with left-wing activism being ditched in favour of a return to the “core mission” (i.e., serving the public) are slim.

If we really want to take down this new priestly caste, the only solution is to reduce the size of the state radically and force them to earn a living in the real world.

Worth reading in full.

Tags: CoinbaseLightyearPeak WokeThe SpectatorThe Terminal ListTop Gun: Maverick

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6 Comments
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Mogwai
Mogwai
1 year ago

Well I am impressed with this article. It gives a very thorough and up to date overview of the situation in the Netherlands regarding the farming crisis;

”The only way out for farmers seems to be to accept the offer by the government to sell their ownings for 120 percent of the value with a restriction not to be allowed to start another farm within the EU area. Many farmers still refuse the offers made. ‘Even when they pay 400 percent of the value I won’t leave, my son is going to be the next generation farmer.’
The draft agreement does not present information on effects on farmers’ income and consumers’ behavior. The advisory report from Wageningen University and Research (WUR) writes that they cannot advise on this topic as they do not have the information. With the reduction of cattle, farming land and a transition to regenerative farming they will be able to meet the goals on climate change. However, 30,000 jobs will be lost and €6.5 billion of added value.

Dutch citizens will be financing the €28 billion climate plan by extra taxes on food prices for example on milk products, meat, compounds for vegetation protection, and fertilizers while inflation is high and purchases are expensive. 
Also, a prepared law for zero taxes on vegetables and fruits to promote healthy foods supposed to pass for January 2024 seems to make a U-turn. According to a report from SEO Economic Research it will be too complex and too expensive and it is not sure the introduction of this law will promote health. However, keeping taxes on vegetables and fruit will generate €550-950 million in income for government.”

https://brownstone.org/articles/the-future-of-traditional-farming-and-healthcare-in-the-netherlands/

28
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Freddy Boy
Freddy Boy
1 year ago
Reply to  Mogwai

Will the changes in Government help bring a halt to this madness ?

17
0
Mogwai
Mogwai
1 year ago
Reply to  Freddy Boy

Not holding my breath, Freddy. The opposition want Rutte out immediately and a caretaker PM installed until elections take place in the autumn. I’ll keep my eyes peeled for any updates in the meantime. Also hopefully JaneDoe might be able to give her insights as I don’t follow politics too closely tbh, but I expect whoever fills Rutte’s shoes to still have the Agenda 2030 requirements very much as their objective.

14
0
Freddy Boy
Freddy Boy
1 year ago
Reply to  Mogwai

Yes the WEF maniacs will take some stopping .

16
0
Myra
Myra
1 year ago

https://www.bmj.com/content/378/bmj.o1731/rr-2
This may be a game changer?
Turns out Pfizer changed it’s manufacturing process between the trial and roll-out.
Change in DNA template for the mRNA and change in LNP manufacturing.
The ‘roll-out’ vaccine was only tested on 250 people.

There is now a question about Informed Consent, as the product changed and the information was based on a different product.
Interesting times.

55
0
Myra
Myra
1 year ago
Reply to  Myra

my apologies if this is old news, I only came across this over the weekend.

8
-1
Chris P
Chris P
1 year ago
Reply to  Myra

Andrew Bridgen and Neil Oliver tried to debate the subject with a doctor on GB News. All the doctor could do was insult people. I’m glad he is not my doctor: –

https://rumble.com/v2yw4ac-andrew-bridgen-mp-and-dr-david-lloyd-discuss-the-pfizer-covid-vaccine.html

25
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Freddy Boy
Freddy Boy
1 year ago

It’s often been pointed out but just imagine a non freak person making a similar speech !!!

19
0
Jon Garvey
Jon Garvey
1 year ago

“God the Father” isn’t sexist

The sad thing is that the good bishop made a reasonable pastoral point, that in teaching that God is our Father, one has to be aware of those whose earthly fathers or stepfathers have let them down.

But that is a completely different matter from tossing words like “abusive patriarchy” around. The fact that the church of England’s bishops are a disgrace to the gospel doesn’t entail that episcopacy itself is a bad thing, but merely that earthly authority of all kinds can be abused.

Funnily enough, one seldom hears bishops taking a similarly apologetic line on abuse when 1 Peter 2:25 refers to Jesus as “the shepherd and bishop of your souls.”

19
0
soundofreason
soundofreason
1 year ago

“Mark Harper calls for review of unpopular LTNs” – Transport Secretary Mark Harper warns that low traffic neighbourhoods have set “people against each other” and risk putting voters off Net Zero, reports the Telegraph.

On the subject of LTNs:

Mr Harper fears the schemes have radicalised groups of people against cycling and risk stoking opposition to broader aims such as net zero.

– Eh, what? ‘radicalised groups of people against cycling‘? Where’d he pull that idea from? (No doubt the same place too many government (all levels) ideas are pulled from). I used to work in Southwark twenty-something years ago; some cyclists were a real danger to pedestrians then. LTNs aren’t the cause of people’s disapproval of some cyclists.

– ‘…risk stoking opposition to broader aims such as net zero‘. So, not all bad then?

22
0
TheGreenAcres
TheGreenAcres
1 year ago

Substitute ‘Terf’ for the J word (rhymes with huw) and you can see that we’ve been in this situation before. It doesn’t end well.

20
0
Roy Everett
Roy Everett
1 year ago
Reply to  TheGreenAcres

On a more general note, H L Mencken pointed out in the 1920s that pragmatic politicians inflame anxieties about *or even create a perception of imminent serious harm from) “imaginary hobgoblins”, and then claim success when the harm does not materialise. Eventually the populace realises it has lost power (by more authoritarian legislation) and money (by way of taxes needed to defeat the hobgoblin) and tries to restore the balance, possibly by armed conflict. However, the next generation repeats the process, albeit with different hobgoblins.

2
0
BurlingtonBertie
BurlingtonBertie
1 year ago

Interesting MD4CE meeting yesterday evening, exploring how to disrupt the narrative, presented by Jonathan Engler of HART.
He made some interesting observations about how some individuals on this side of the situation are inadvertently still supporting the narrative. He use Dr McCullough’s ongoing support for the need for pandemic preparedness as an example & some ATL articles on this site. Plus that articles written to counter what was published ATL re no flu in 2020 were denied publication. There were a lot of comments BTL regarding supporting the official limited hangout agenda.

Worth a watch: https://rumble.com/user/cbkovess

4
-1
Dinger64
Dinger64
1 year ago

“The left’s war on correct grammer has betrayed the poor”

This excerpt is from the CEO of Coca-Cola,
talk about a grammatical word salad! this even has rocket and cold potato thrown in!

“We are keeping consumers at the centre of our innovation and marketing investments, while also leveraging our expertise in revenue growth management and execution.
“Our growth culture is leading to new approaches, more experimentation, and improved agility to drive growth and value for our stakeholders.”

And the translation of all that shyte is as follows:

Mr Quincey added: “There will be price increases across the world in 2023.

Well why didn’t you just say that?

9
0
Dinger64
Dinger64
1 year ago
Reply to  Dinger64

I bet this guy could describe the inside of a ping pong ball using no less than a thousand words!

4
0
soundofreason
soundofreason
1 year ago
Reply to  Dinger64

With pictures.

2
0
Dinger64
Dinger64
1 year ago
Reply to  soundofreason

🤣🤣🤣
Here’s the picture, look in-between the next set of brackets!
(

)

Last edited 1 year ago by Dinger64
0
0
soundofreason
soundofreason
1 year ago
Reply to  Dinger64

Wow that’s realistic!

Don’t ask me how I know.

1
0
Dinger64
Dinger64
1 year ago

“If you see a TERF, punch them in the f——— face!”

Said Hitler in drag!

13
0
Dinger64
Dinger64
1 year ago
Reply to  Dinger64

And right there is hate speech!!!
The police reaction???
(Tumbleweed blows past, crickets chirp in the distance!)

19
0
huxleypiggles
huxleypiggles
1 year ago
Reply to  Dinger64

This is also incitement to violence. The Home Sec needs to get chief plod in for a severe talking to.

18
0
BurlingtonBertie
BurlingtonBertie
1 year ago

Ooops! Who’d have thunk that the BBC would stoop so low??? Good to see that they’re being called out on this.

(Major sarc alert)

https://insiderpaper.com/syria-revokes-bbc-accreditation-ministry/

2
0
Dinger64
Dinger64
1 year ago
Reply to  BurlingtonBertie

So now the BBC is not even honest enough for a country like Syria? Wow, that is low

6
0
soundofreason
soundofreason
1 year ago

From today, 10 Jul 2023. File under N.S.S.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world

Johannesburg has seen its first snowfall since 2012, as cold weather is sweeping across much of the country. Residents are being advised to take extra precautions to stay warm and farmers to provide shelter for livestock.

South Africa’s weather service said snow has also been reported in Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga.

“The public is advised to keep warm during these conditions,” said the South African Weather Service (Saws) in a statement.

3
0
huxleypiggles
huxleypiggles
1 year ago

https://www.conservativewoman.co.uk/woke-before-wicket/

Cricket – the defining sport of this country, the very essence of Englishness being set up for bastardisation and collapse.

They cannot destroy the country without destroying cricket. Of course the ECB will oblige.

3
-1
huxleypiggles
huxleypiggles
1 year ago

https://off-guardian.org/2023/07/10/the-bbc-nonce-the-acceptable-face-of-pedophelia/

I don’t know who the ‘nonce’ is but Kit Knightly rips into the MSM in a satisfying style.

3
-2
Dinger64
Dinger64
1 year ago
Reply to  huxleypiggles

Well the BBC do have a nonce statue as the main emblem on the front of broadcasting House so what should we expect?

2
-2
Dinger64
Dinger64
1 year ago

“Hottest days ever? Don’t believe it”

I dont! This record temperature was measured half way up the tailpipe of a F35 jet!

Last edited 1 year ago by Dinger64
7
-1

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