Depends on who you ask. Generally speaking it is a pejorative and an umbrella term for a constellation of ideas relating to identity and social justice. More broadly it has to do with progressive ideas or ideology. It is similar to SJW, Politically Correct, or identity politics.
In the context of media it is:
1) The obsession with, and glorification of, identity, diversity, inclusion,
and equity to the point of absurdity.
2) Pandering to minorities.
3) Excessive veneration of LGBTQ people and minorities and denigration of white cis heterosexual males.
Woke people (The Wokerati) tend to be authoritarian, sanctimonious, hyper-moralizing, virtue-signaling, tribalistic, cultish and generally off-putting/repulsive to all normal human beings.
If you look and sound like you spend all your time in the racial/gender studies department of academia you are most likely woke.
In the context of media it is:
1) The obsession with, and glorification of, identity, diversity, inclusion,
and equity to the point of absurdity.
2) Pandering to minorities.
3) Excessive veneration of LGBTQ people and minorities and denigration of white cis heterosexual males.
Woke people (The Wokerati) tend to be authoritarian, sanctimonious, hyper-moralizing, virtue-signaling, tribalistic, cultish and generally off-putting/repulsive to all normal human beings.
If you look and sound like you spend all your time in the racial/gender studies department of academia you are most likely woke.
"I used to respect her, but now she's just another one of those 'woke' activists who can't stop virtue signaling on social media."
by ɨռզʊɨʀɨռɢ ʍɨռɖ February 18, 2023
Having a pretentious belief in your moral superiority on racial and social justice issues; used to fight an imaginary white privilege by the decimation of traditional western culture; specifically the preponderance of biologically white men.
by Urban Emperor March 17, 2023
Getting woke is like being in the Matrix and taking the red pill. You get a sudden understanding of what's really going on and find out you were wrong about much of what you understood to be truth.
by MathPolice January 26, 2017
(adj) being aware of current social issues. the words meaning comes from being the past tense of wake (I need to wake up/I just woke up). The phrase "Wake up!" used in politics, means that the interpreter is asleep or unaware about the reality of things. Woke, therefore, means that you are "awake" to the reality of certain issues. However, the word is associated with political correctness, cancel culture, and left leaning bias. It is politically correct to be woke, and if you are woke, you are politically correct. The words meaning is often described as being "enlightened", but enlightenment means being well informed, and being woke is often not being well informed, but being biased, and being ill informed because facts are hard to find in current events because things can be taken out of context easily and media sources can be biased.
I talked to jimmy today, he is so woke!
Did you see what happened to Laura? She got bashed on twitter because she wasn't woke enough.
Did you see what happened to Laura? She got bashed on twitter because she wasn't woke enough.
by Benito Macaroni December 1, 2020
A label for someone who's uber-current, especially on socio/political issues. This is still new enough jargon that it's being used both positively and negatively. Some seem to openly admire those who are "Woke", some are using it to brand someone whose become pompous with their arsenal of in-the-know names, trends and jargon - especially acronyms.
Positively: All those DC staffers are too woke for me, I can't keep up.
Negatively: After her summer internship at Time, Mary became too woke to tolerate with all her in-the-know tediousness.
Negatively: After her summer internship at Time, Mary became too woke to tolerate with all her in-the-know tediousness.
by Sam JuaS February 26, 2019
When big companies like Disney and Marvel or Netflix insert politics usually relating to an individuals race, sexuality or gender into any form of entertainment in a non subtle often preachy tone in order to get more people to consume the entertainment in question or push a political agenda.
by A random black dude May 20, 2022
I believe it is an evolving word that dances about on its slang usages, and has somewhat different nuanced meanings depending on the context.
From the running social zeitgeist, it would described it as modern hipsters referring to a person being described has been enlightened or having just discovered some politically Progressive 'truth' about society or the oppression and class status of marginalized people, and the obligation to treat them as extra-special/revered in society.
And understand that it is almost always used non-ironically/seriously only by political Progressives, so when Conservatives or Libertarians use it it mostly to poke fun at the others' usage of it.
From the running social zeitgeist, it would described it as modern hipsters referring to a person being described has been enlightened or having just discovered some politically Progressive 'truth' about society or the oppression and class status of marginalized people, and the obligation to treat them as extra-special/revered in society.
And understand that it is almost always used non-ironically/seriously only by political Progressives, so when Conservatives or Libertarians use it it mostly to poke fun at the others' usage of it.
After having taking classes in Minority Studies, and seen the hidden oppressions of African American, he became woke to the seriousness of their plight, and dedicated himself to be aware of it and understand they live in a different world than White people.
by GTrieste March 12, 2018