VIDEO: Obama sends blistering message to 'woke,' 'judgmental,' college students
He also criticized the need to be “judgmental” and “woke."
Speaking at his foundation’s summit, former President Obama slammed cancel culture found on college campuses.
At the Obama Foundation Summit in Chicago, former President Barack Obama slammed the “cancel culture” at colleges and on social media.
According to Macmillan Dictionary, cancel culture is “the practice of no longer supporting people, especially celebrities, or products that are regarded as unacceptable or problematic.”
“One danger I see among young people, particularly on college campuses...I do get a sense sometimes now among certain young people—and this is accelerated by social media—there is this sense sometimes of the way of me making change is to be as judgmental as possible about other people and that’s enough,” Obama said.
Obama also commented on virtue-signaling behavior, which he suggested has contributed to the cancel culture.
WATCH:
”That’s not activism. That’s not bringing about change. If all you’re doing is casting stones, you’re probably not going to get that far.”
Former Pres. Obama calls out “woke” social media users who are “as judgmental as possible about other people.” https://t.co/t5C4xsmDra pic.twitter.com/mMv6L5yMo7— ABC News (@ABC) October 30, 2019
“Like, if I tweet or hashtag about how you didn’t do something right, or use the wrong verb, then I can sit back and feel pretty good about myself,” Obama added. “‘Cuz man, did you see how woke I was? I called you out!’...That’s not activism.”
[RELATED: Higher ed’s Chick-fil-A bans and boycotts are no match for fast food chain’s sales]
He also told the audience that there are “ambiguities,” and criticized the idea of “purity” in the public sphere.
“This idea of purity, that you’re never compromised and you’re always politically woke...you should get over that quickly,” Obama argued. “The world is messy. There are ambiguities. People who do really good stuff have flaws.”
[RELATED: Cornell dorm display encourages students to ‘stay woke’]
Commentators and celebrities from across the political spectrum praised Obama for his remarks.
He’s right. Good for him. https://t.co/NBMXZFxeFK
— Brit Hume (@brithume) October 30, 2019
Good for Obama. (Not sarcastic!) https://t.co/cwq5mcDc7V
— Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) October 30, 2019
I love this. pic.twitter.com/VzqWVhMAYd
— James Corden (@JKCorden) October 30, 2019
This. Very much this:https://t.co/EmMpvsWxiT
— Sarah Silverman (@SarahKSilverman) October 30, 2019
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