As the debate around diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace heats up, an aspiring chili chef has launched his own “war on woke” in the kitchen, much to the annoyance of his family. The dude believes that "woke things are the end of the world." He will not touch, use, associate with, or go near anything that is considered woke.
So when his cousin told him the word on the street was that "beans in chili are so woke," the gullible guy immediately started boycotting his favorite dish. Beans were banned from the house, and the chili returned to being plain. When he found out it was a prank, he got hot under the collar. What was supposed to be a funny wake-up call has blown up into a huge drama. The prankster is now wondering if he took it too far. But the whole saga has the internet in stitches.
This guy puts a lot of love and effort into his special chili bean dish, going as far as making his own "secret recipe" flakes
Image credits: Fellipe Ditadi (not the actual photo)
But when his cousin told him, "beans in chili are woke," he couldn't take the heat
Image credits: laura adai (not the actual photo)
Image source: WokeBeans
If you’ve been asleep for the past few years and haven’t yet heard the term “woke,” it basically means to be aware.
“It refers to a state of heightened awareness and consciousness. It implies being actively informed about and sensitive to issues such as racism, sexism, discrimination, and other forms of social injustice,” explains Cheryl Carty, Inclusion & Diversity Consultant at Inclusive Employers.
“It involves recognizing and challenging the existing power structures and working towards creating a more equitable and inclusive society,” she adds.
According to Forbes, people have been using versions of "woke” for around 100 years. Jamaican activist Marcus Garvey wrote, “Wake up Ethiopia! Wake up Africa!” as a call for Black liberation in 1923.
The idea of staying woke gained momentum in the early 2010s as the Black Lives Matter Movement grew. But it's been bandied about in political circles recently, with conservatives redefining it to have a negative connotation and launching a "war on woke."
“Woke" is now best known as a negative political buzzword, reported Forbes, adding that it's "used to describe anything deemed too liberal or progressive—like brands that support Pride Month, The Little Mermaid live-action film and teaching about race in schools."
The word took center stage in the U.S. election campaign. And Google Trends show that searches for “woke” hit an all-time high in March 2023.
Carty says there are various reasons why some folk may be "anti-woke." Perhaps they see their "woke" counterparts as overly sensitive or extreme. For others, being "woke" doesn't align with their political values or beliefs. The term is often associated with progressive or left-leaning groups.
"Because of this association, there are those with fear and distrust towards those with different political beliefs who view the word ‘woke’ as representative of ideologies they disagree with," writes the inclusion and diversity expert.
"He went full snowflake over the woke chili, nice.": netizens loved the prank, with many finding it hilarious
Others saw the humor in it but felt the prank went too far
