Future historians of this troubling decade will make good use of the neologism “Woke 1.0” – a term that has come to describe the political and moral extremities of 2020-2023, or “peak woke”. You know, when lives were destroyed at the altar of cancel culture and ordinary citizens were faced with constant accusations of racism – some fair, most probably not; when Americans called for police abolition and “non-progressive” academics were practically chased off campus. From the vantage point of 2026 it all looks ridiculous, erratic, swivel-eyed and cruel.

So of course the movement’s architects and propagators are distancing themselves now. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, also known as AOC, is a Democratic congresswoman and member of the Democratic Socialists of America. She appeared on ABC at the weekend and was asked what she thought of Democratic midterm candidate Francesca Hong’s old comments – that Thanksgiving be cancelled (because it’s racist, or colonialist, or whatever-ist) and the police be abolished. “Woke 1.0 was crazy,” AOC said with a laugh.

Yes, that does all sound crazy and I am not particularly forgiving of AOC, or anyone who suggested the world would be better off without law enforcement, or those who........

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