Kill The Computer Notes Towards A Woke 2 Ft. Gita Jackson
Mar 24, 2026
Gita Jackson, co-founder of Aftermath and writer on internet culture and activism, joins to unpack the origins of "Woke 2." They trace wokeness from Black culture to broad politics. Conversation covers performative corporate wokeness, weaponized language, and the shift toward concrete community care like mutual aid and local organizing. Also touches on tech minimalism and balancing systems critique with neighborly action.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Woke 2 Started As A Joke Turned Manifesto
- Gita traced Woke 2's origin from a joke into a planned manifesto that engaged friends and internet references.
- The idea began as a theme week at Aftermath, a Twitter joke about "Woke 2," and evolved into a serious piece after conversations with peers like Nathan and Chris Person.
Wokeness Was A Black Intra-Community Lens
- Wokeness began as intra-community Black discourse about systems and awareness, not merely internet aesthetics like hair or pronouns.
- The term moved into mainstream politics around Black Lives Matter, where Democrats and corporations adopted its aesthetics without addressing material harms.
Corporate Wokeness Prioritized Optics Over Lives
- Corporate 'wokeness' often produced symbolic gestures (removing episodes, PR stunts) instead of materially reducing harm to Black people.
- Gita called out Netflix and other companies for cosmetic changes while policing and violence remained the real issues.