A number of weeks ago a friend talked me into seeing The Little Mermaid. Not my usual movie genre. But it was surprisingly good. Anyway, during the previews of coming movies Barbie popped up. At the time I looked at the trailer and thought, who on earth would want to see that? If looked totally without substance. And, well, totally pink! Fast forward to the opening weekend of what was labeled “Barbenheimer”, the release of Barbie and Oppenheimer in the same weekend. Barbie totally demolished Oppenheimer at the box office, garnering almost twice the box office take. Don’t get me wrong, Oppenheimer had a very good take for opening weekend at $80.5 million. But Barbie garnered $155 million.
I thought, what the heck? Have we fallen so low that a fluffy, pink movie would out perform the story of what was a world altering history of the father of the atom bomb? I went to see Oppenheimer on opening weekend. It was more than just the story of J. Robert Oppenheimer’s role in creating the atom bomb. It was also the story of the attempt to ruin him by one vengeful man. It was the story of the cutthroat world of government. The three hour length wasn’t a drawback. It went by very quick, because it was a very good film.
But in the meantime I was hearing from people who had seen Barbie and loved it. Adults, not kids, because contrary to my first thought it really isn’t a children’s movie. So, I talked a friend into going to see it this weekend. It is a clever fantasy that hits at gender roles into which not just women, but men, have been pigeonholed. It’s message of the unfair advantage some people may have due to their gender in its different worlds, Barbie Land and the real world, should resonant with everyone, not just women. It’s message of how people should be able to be who they are without being judged as worthy or not reminds me of the America I believe in. While it is pink it is certainly not fluffy.
Now we have people who are complaining that it is too “woke”. Really? This seems to be a catch all term used by some people who feel threatened by the empowerment of certain segments of our society. As of this writing Barbie has grossed $1 billion, and I realized I misjudged what America was saying with its movie vote.
Both of these films have powerful messages. They just say them in different ways.
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There was an article in my paper this morning regarding the GOP and the "woke" meme. The headline implied that maybe it's starting get old. No time to read it, but will do so tonight.
Personally I am tired of hearing their use of "woke" as an excuse for anything they don't like or agree with. They are focused on culture wars rather than good governance. There was a reason our credit rating was downgraded, and it wasn't just because of our debt level. The Republicans are costing taxpayers money.
There was a Sunday article in the NewYorkTimes on that same subject.
I wonder if they both printed a common article. (Been known to happen especially with freelance writers.) You gotta link?
Be that as it may… The term "woke" was originally created amongst America's black minority sub-culture. It referred to a black person who preferentially sought out black businesses to patronize, who sought out black artisans when they needed skilled work done, etc. It referred to the type of black consumer who'd go the extra mile to find a black business to patronize. They were 'woke'. (I may have missed some of the nuance of meaning, but that's the gist of it.)
It was no coincidence that the term was developed as an epithet by racists and Republicans alike just as the shit was hittin' the fan over the death of George Floyd, and the protesters were chanting "Black Lives Matter" during their street protests. Those protests really worried the white supremacist types. The term 'woke' being not well understood by the persons attempting to appropriate it, it quickly morphed to offer blanket coverage to all things the white right-wingers despised.
But, black folks don't generally fade away before rednecks and racists anymore; they've done enough of that for long enough that they've pretty much had their fill of that sort of subservience, and they didn't change their usage just 'cause the racists and right-wingers (there is some notable overlap between the two groups) decided to try to appropriate the term for their own use. (White liberals might have faded away before that challenge, but the black folks didn't even flinch; still means for them what it meant before.)
Every time the Republican use the term as an epithet black folks heard the racist edge that was originally intended, denouncing the "Black Lives Matter" demonstrations. They hear white racists denouncing the idea that their lives matter, and denouncing their efforts to support one another or to build up wealth within the black community.
That's not the way 'dog whistles' are supposed to work in political conversation. Supposed to be your people hear the hidden meaning. Not supposed to be your opponents hear it and your people who are confused 'bout just what the Hell it actually means. They got this one backwards; outsmarted themselves with it.
So: I figured it was only a matter of time before the right-wingers gave up on that term. If they haven't give it up yet, they'll give it up soon 'nuff.
Also they already had a word that blanket covered all things they despise. That word is "liberal"; and they're already all fully familiar with it in all its myriad usages. They don't really need another jargon word that means the exact same thing.
You gotta link?
I can't find it now. It may be the same article that was in the NYTs, they do reprint other people's work. It was basically saying that many GOP voters are more interested in other issues then social ones, like border security and crime.
The term "woke" was originally created amongst America's black minority sub-culture.
One thing the article said was a lot of GOP voters aren't even sure of what "woke" is supposed to mean. Even your history of its origins doesn't match what I heard. In my case it was part of a song's lyrics that was warning about travel through one of the southern states, that the system was rigged against black people and to make sure you were aware of that, or "woke", before traveling through there. In any case, I do believe that it has morphed into exactly as you described, another derogatory term for "liberal".
That's not the way 'dog whistles' are supposed to work in political conversation. Supposed to be your people hear the hidden meaning.
Interesting that you should use that term. Last night a person running for the school board in my district stopped by my house. Apparently that election is this year, which, until she showed up, I wasn't even aware of. So I asked her what she stood for because it seemed to me so many people want to get elected to ban books or focus on something like critical race theory, which isn't even taught in lower grades. I told her I was tired of that, and she said she supported inclusivity and was concerned with low test scores in the basics, like reading. I said that was a good answer and we parted ways amicably. However, after she was gone I looked at her campaign literature and noticed this:
"I am committed to restoring excellence, freedom and fairness to our schools by working with parents to ensure our kids are protected from violence and politicized curriculum."
And this:
"PARENTAL RIGHTS
Provide clear and timely information on school curriculum and activities so parents can partner with schools for the wellbeing of their children."
Now I'm all for parents being involved in their children's education, but the phrase "politicized curriculum" sounds a bit like a "dog whistle" to me, and not necessarily the kind I want to hear. So I will have to try to look more deeply at this candidate before I give her my vote. I well remember the fellow running for our state House of Representatives who seemed very nice and normal, so I voted for him the first time. The second time around after he praised the stopping of our "woke" agenda after the overturning of Roe vs Wade I did not.
Word is that the Ukrainians have crossed the Dnipro river at Kozachi Laheri, which is close to a main supply road for Russian forces. The Russian mobilized soldiers who were there retreated.
"In my case it was part of a song's lyrics that was warning
about travel through one of the southern states…"
I believe you are referring to Leadbelly's prose 'afterword' to his song Scottsboro Boys (Scottsboro, Alabama). He didn't coin the phrase though; he already knew it. As with racists and right-wingers, there is some significant overlap between what's been pompously called "African-American Vernacular English" and black music. Leadbelly'd already heard the word before he wrote the song and the afterword.
I think we're just talkin' 'bout different places on the time-line from before to today.
The term got some wider exposure (in an act of evolution, leaning towards Leadbelly's usage) during the protests of the police shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri (2014), but the right-wingers and racists didn't seem to pick up on it 'til it raised its head again after the 2020 murder of George Floyd. That one spooked 'em considerably more than the earlier protests. And, for some reason, they tried to steal the word this time, but it got away from them.
(Interesting to remember that Trump successfully stole the term 'fake news' in 2016, and appropriated it to his own uses. But I don't really think that had much effect on the attempted appropriation of 'woke' in 2020.)
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"However, after she was gone I looked at her campaign
literature…"
Yeah, I've taken up that habit as well. Interesting to note that the Democrats 'round here most often don't even identify themselves as Democrats in their handouts, and when they do it's almost always small print way in the back at the bottom.
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"Kozachi Laheri"
I looked it up on a map. It's a significant location, more so if it can control traffic in the area. But, first readings I'm seeing say the Ukrainians had only penetrated the "first line of defense", more to go. And the morning news calls the entire story into question.
I just finished reading "Putin's Forever War" that you posted in the last comments section. A good article, if a little pessimistic in tone. I have noticed the resemblance to North Korea that Russia is starting to exhibit in its crackdown on dissent and its isolation. But I think it really is difficult to get a good reading on what Russian's really think, because I have noticed an increasing inclination on their part, in interviews, to be very cautious about what they say. This implies that there may be more opposition to Putin than one would think. Or maybe I am being too optimistic.
Gorbachev's comment at the end shows that he was a far greater leader than Putin.
But, first readings I'm seeing say the Ukrainians had only penetrated the "first line of defense", more to go.
That is what I heard. There is some word that it was special forces and that they took Russian prisoners, including possibly the commanding officer in charge of that region. Time will tell if this is accurate.
There was a rather large explosion at a factory near Moscow. The Russians said it was some kind of pyrotechnic accident. Other people say it was something else.
"I have noticed the resemblance to North Korea that Russia is
starting to exhibit…."
Indeed. I've been noticing that as well.
"This implies that there may be more opposition to Putin than
one would think."
At the very least there's a definite lack of passion for Putin's continued rule. Can't forget the free pass Prigozhin got as he launched his march to Moscow. Nobody tried to stop him. (Although the military support he was apparently hoping for didn't materialize either.) We ended up watching two guys staring each other down and nobody rushing in to back up either of them. Thus left to their own devises, with no apparent support rushing in to back them up, they both faded back from making actual contact. Wasn't exactly a convincing display of confidence or bravery by either one of them.
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Speaking of Prigozhin… I've been reading about the Wagner Group's build up in Belarus, and have started to wonder…. S'pose Prigozhin might consider installing himself as ruler of Belarus? (Sort of a consolation prize after his failure to dislodge Shoigu and Gerasimov.)
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"Other people say it was something else."
I've been reading up on that. I'm currently goin' with "something else".
Wasn't exactly a convincing display of confidence or bravery by either one of them.
No, it wasn't. Neither one really wanted to put it totally on the line.
I'm currently goin' with "something else".
It does seem a little suspicious. There have been an awful lot of fires and explosions in Russia, even for sloppy maintenance or errant smoking to account for.
I have been to Lahaina on Maui. It was a beautiful town. Very sad day.
I don't recall hearing of wildfires running rampant on Maui before now, burning clear down to the waterline, takin' out beach front towns and such as that. That seems to be a new development for Hawaii.
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"Ukrainian forces have recaptured the heights over Bakhmut
and are successfully encircling Russian troops in the city, a
defence minister in Kyiv has said.
"Hanna Maliar also warned of a “nightmare” situation farther
north after 12,000 civilians in the Kharkiv region were ordered
to evacuate.
"In an interview with the Guardian, Maliar said Russian
soldiers could no longer move around Bakhmut in the eastern
Donetsk region and progress was being made in outflanking
enemy forces after months of deadly battle."
TheGuardian
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