Our Society Reimagined 2023 – Are We Too Woke, or Not Woke Enough?
Our Society Reimagined is a four-week series that provides an opportunity to explore the domestic issues that have shaped our modern society, as well as a chance to gain perspective on the underlying values and ideas that we hold as individuals and as a society, and how these tenets shape our lives.
The 2023 series will take place in person on our Aspen Meadows campus from 6:00-8:00 pm MT on four consecutive Wednesdays, October 18-November 8. Tom Morrison and Clint Kinney will return to moderate the series.
Fee: $195, includes all sessions, refreshments, and reading materials.
The 2023 series is now at capacity. If you’d like to add your name to the waitlist, please email Zoë Brown at zoe.brown@aspeninstitute.org.
Wednesday, November 1
Are We Too Woke, or Not Woke Enough?
At its best, being woke can mean an awareness of systematic social injustice and inequalities. At its worst, wokeism can be a form of intolerant, outrageous liberalism that makes important topics more difficult to discuss. As a society, how much diversity of thought should we accept? Is wokeism causing more arguments or allowing more people to be themselves? Looking forward, how do we ensure fairness in competition for trans athletes? Looking back, how do we ensure justice as we rectify past evils such as slavery? Affirmative action is no longer allowed in college admissions, and teaching complex topics such as critical race theory is being limited. As we reimagine our society, how best should we guide difficult discussions where there is so much diversity of thought? Are difficult conversations around diversity, equity, and inclusion simply right versus wrong, or can discussion and its answers be nuanced? Does everyone need to agree, or is there room for diversity of thought?