Can You Be Too Woke?

If you use the “N word” at an intimate gathering of your closest friends, is it still inappropriate? When every person has known each other for years — and understands their upbringing and perspective — and realizes that context is important — should that person be banished for violating standards and practices from outside that bubble?

Language is a tricky thing. Some nationalities have laid claim to certain words, deeming them too insensitive to be uttered by anyone outside their “tribe.” Cancel culture has made people nervous about saying the wrong thing. Corporate policies make it dangerous to develop platonic relationships with coworkers of the opposite sex, or serving in higher positions of power, or with junior staff who might feel threatened or harassed by seemingly innocuous interactions.

In my high school days on Long Island, I hosted friends in my backyard for annual Fourth of July barbecues. When it got dark, we all walked to the community dock (privilege of living in a wealthy enclave) and watched multiple fireworks displays across the horizon. This tradition continued after I started attending Queens College, grandfathering in my local group with a mix of new people from the surrounding boroughs who had vastly different upbringings.