Wokeness Inc.: The Commodification of Social Justice

Can you believe it? We live in a supposedly enlightened, globalized world, and yet discrimination, racism, and violence based on identity are still very much alive and kicking.

Take Social Dominance Orientation (SDO) for example. It basically says some people just love a good hierarchy, with themselves comfortably on top, of course (thanks for that insight, Pratto et al., 1994). Then there's institutional racism, that sneaky snake hiding in the policies and procedures of our institutions (Harris, 1993). These policies might seem neutral on the surface, but they keep tripping up marginalized groups left and right.

Neoliberalism swoops in like a knight in shining armor, promising the free market is the answer (Harvey, 2005). Just pull yourself up by your bootstraps and work hard, they say, ignoring the fact that some people are starting the race with heavy weights tied to their ankles. It's basically The Hunger Games for social justice, but with kale smoothies and inspirational TED Talks instead of spears and (you know, arrows).

So how do we slay these dragons of inequality? Well, Critical Race Theory education is a good start (Delgado & Stefancic, 2012). By learning about the history and ongoing effects of racism, we can start to understand the root of the problem. And let's not forget the institutional racism audit – basically a detective hunt for hidden bias in policies (Feagin et al., 2013). It might not be the most exciting adventure, but it's an important step towards dismantling those sneaky systems.

Cultural festivals, diversity workshops, and maybe even a mandatory semester abroad could also help (Duarte, 2019). Getting to know people from different backgrounds can break down those walls of prejudice faster than a participation trophy evaporates in the summer heat.

Finally, there's unconscious bias training (UBT) (Greenwald et al., 1998). Nobody's perfect, and we all have unconscious biases. UBT helps us identify them so they don't hold us back or influence our decisions in negative ways. It's not about self-flagellation, it's about self-improvement.

Look, solving social justice issues is a marathon, not a sprint. These solutions might not be a magic bullet, but they're a step in the right direction. Let's ditch the performative actions and focus on real change. Because true social justice isn't about trendy hashtags, it's about creating a world where everyone has a fair shot.