Are you "WOKE"?

Are you "Woke"?

What is being woke? Being woke is an adjective and new age modern word. From what I've garnered from media and culture it describes a person who is extremely socially conscious on multiple levels.

For example, a "woke" person would not only be participating in the midterm vote but would research all of the races from the top of the ticket down to the municipal quirky ballot bonds.

A "woke" person could be described as being overtly environmentally conscious. For example, recently, certain stores and restaurants have commenced a "no straws" policy. This entirety removal of the straws, in a similar fashion to the "no bag" policy, I assume is an attempt to be environmentally aware. The hope and goals are to prevent plastics and unnecessary trash from polluting our ocean and the natural world. An honorable cause.

Another woke real-life example is gender neutral bathrooms. Businesses open to the public masses have now created public relations friendly gender-neutral bathrooms and store signage. The business stores are hoping their open-mindedness to transgender people will be viewed as welcoming, and business patron friendly. Let's admit it, gender-neutral bathrooms are woke.

Another example of a "woke"' outlook on life, would be the equal pay movement. I, personally agree with this ongoing movement as well. The equal pay movement which is strongly voiced in the Hollywood atmosphere urges companies and business to provide equal pay for equal work in regards to both men and women. Studies have previously shown that men, for some intrinsic reason are supposedly given higher paying salaries than their female counterparts on the corporate ladder. The unjustly higher paid male executive or even entry-level worker harkens back to the "Mad Men" business style of the 1950's. Mad Men was a popular television show starring John Hamm as Don Draper. The TV show covered a 1950's era Advertising Office agency. A true Mid Century depiction type of show. Mad Men was interesting, scandalous and realistic. The acting characters on the AMC TV show were filmed smoking cigarettes inside of office corporate meetings, and also broadcasted drinking whiskey during mid-afternoon co-worker sessions. Back on topic, a "woke" person today would be flabbergasted and detest that type of work atmosphere. In addition, sexual harassment in the workplace is not acceptable anymore and has recently caused the firings of numerous high figure national personalities and business executives. For example, Charlie Rose of CBS News, Matt Lauer of NBC News, Leslie Moonves CEO of CBS and even Bill O'Reilly and the deceased Roger Ailes of conservative and Republican Fox News.

What can you and I learn from this? When it comes to business interactions and dealings, keep it lighthearted and stick to business. There is a phrase called, "don't shit where you eat." A similar phrase is to "know where your bread is buttered." Both of these decades-old phrases reinforce the needed cordialness of business life in America.  A woke mindest worker would stay within the lines and remain gainfully employed. 

Renewable energy users and advocates can be described as being woke. These folks privately purchase Tesla and Hybrid Electric Cars. These people are perhaps anti-fossil fuel industry. They perhaps may be anti-underground gas pipeline creation. These work renewable electric car drives are making a conscious consumer decision to not feed the war machine of oil, gas, and fossil fuels. These woke environmentally conscious citizens may also possess solar panels on their homes. These wok citizens would champion wind energy and other scientific and planet-friendly energy source.

Paperless abstinence and digital advocates are practicing a tree-saving woke mindset. I know this woke practice firsthand. Previously in real estate sales transaction with uses boatloads or paper, printing and faxing. Nowadays, almost all of our leasing, sales and promulgated paperwork is signed by participating people via DocuSign. Docusign is an entirely digital and email software for acquiring digital signatures. Even while out and about showing a property, instead of printing our the property sheets, fellow agents are encouraged to access property information via the MLS on the GO APP. Does your city encourage the preservation of Trees? Our future Pro MLS- Soccer team the Austin FC's mascot is a green, tall, sprawling tree.  Does your city promote new tree planting or the replacement of trees? Is hard copy paper still sometimes required and helpful....yes? But woke citizens try to abstain from the "PRINT" button as much as possible.

Our current president, Donald J. Trump is the exact OPPOSITE of being woke. His persona, mean-spirited media appearances and Twitter tweets are overtly raw, unfiltered and often cruel. Some people may view his outlook as authentic, while over half of the U.S.A population of America, would kick him out from the dinner table immediately.

So, fellow reader, how do you feel about the adjective woke? Do care enough to be woke? People of all ages from millennials to adults to the AARP crowd be described as woke. It is a wide-ranging adjective. Do you not care at all? Do you keep up with the news and current events? Or, are you focused on more important matters in your actual life?

It's tough, sometimes the news is pertinent and sometimes it is just entertaining filler. It takes an intelligent, wise, and savvy sole to successfully decipher the importance or waste of content that news can carry.

In a more basic viewpoint, whether you are WOKE or NOT, may circle back to your personality type. Do you care about other people? Do you volunteer? Are you socially conscious? Or, are you selfish and simply motivated to take care of yourself as number 1? I am often guilty of a selfish lifestyle. I mainly just care about me. Am I going to make money? Does this choice make my life more difficult? Is this event worth me leaving my loft and bed for?

So, George Vance, are you a "WOKE" person? My answer is yes, but on a case by case basis.