Republican politicians like Ron DeSantis may rail against “woke” corporations. The reality is that when companies like Nike and Disney—no progressive angels themselves—seem to align with the left by promoting anti-racism and LGBTQ causes, they are catering to the tolerant demographic that matters most to the bottom line. It’s understandable why older conservatives would feel business has left them behind, ranting about supposed lefty strongholds like Blackrock and Disney. But there’s no top-down conspiracy of woke corporations as defined by Tucker Carlson. It’s just capitalism.
This is especially true given the Republican Party’s increasing reliance on far-right religious voters, whose cultural power is also waning rapidly despite recent judicial and legislative wins. Americans are becoming rapidly less affiliated with organized religion. Younger people are markedly less religious than their elders. In 2021, membership in religious organizations fell below majority levels for the first time, and “nones”—those who describe themselves as atheist, agnostic, or nothing specific—now account for around 30 percent of Americans, up from just 9 percent thirty years ago. White evangelical politics is the province of mostly older voters disconnected from the broader culture and economy.
The most woke thing any corporation cares about it its own bottom line. And actually Nike and Disney are smart enough to know which demographic matters most so of course they’re going to be as inclusive and anti-racism as possible (or at least put on the face of being such). And I really think today’s upcoming generations are smarter in that regard - they see the values of inclusivity, not the drawbacks. I hope people today will really help turn the tide in the coming election and show the old guard that the status quo and this catering to religious over-zealotry has no place anymore, and isn’t something most people in the world want to be around.