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Book Note: "Left is not Woke"




Susan Neiman seems to think that the real left is universalist, not tribalist. 

What she sees as the "woke" left takes the view that humans are divided up into tribes, and that if a person in one tribe wants to assist with another tribe's troubles, that may be a good thing, BUT that person ought to consider him/herself an "ally," and allies ought to be respectful and even discreet.

This is the view that annoys Neiman.  In an interview apparently as part of her book tour she said, "tribalism is a luxury they [oppressed people of all types] can't afford because all marginalized peoples or people who have been oppressed in the past need deep solidarity with other people."

Why socialist Susan Neiman says 'woke-ism' is not leftist | CBC Radio

Her views are akin to those of Brian Leiter, who has favorably mentioned her book in his blog. 

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  1. HenrySeptember 6, 2023 at 8:34 AM

    I suggest that we abandon the word "woke" and let it be Ron DeSantis's meaningless epithet.

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