What counts as popular is extremely relativistic, subjective and context dependant, but I think being pretty common knowledge amongst a majority of a major minority in this country for decades should count here. Before this racism popped off it was indeed a semi common word in everyday vernacular. “Stay woke” *dap*, could be a greeting, goodbye, etc. Subtle meaning and feeling of comradery and shared understanding of cultural history in a simple and sleek package. This would be a semi common occurrence in many metropolitan areas in the US. Like not 50% or even 5% of all greetings, but certainly understood by most who to whom it applies.
You are right in one sense, what counts as popular is extremely relativistic, subjective and context-dependent. That’s the entire point of my observation. The context was popular culture, and they are the ones who brought it there.
The hard disagree is on how popular it was before, which you wouldn’t have to rationalize with the “a majority of a major minority” word juggling definition. Outside of those bubbles, significant as the slang may have been within them, it was not popular, and it shouldn’t be hard to see why: one was slang limited to use within certain social groups, and the other arose from attempting to mock anything they couldn’t openly do so under prejudice which essentially forced it onto popular use and awareness onto the rest of society.
Not sure why people get so vent out of shape about recognition what is and what isn’t popular in popular culture, as if that were somehow some sort of personal or moral value judgement.
What counts as popular is extremely relativistic, subjective and context dependant, but I think being pretty common knowledge amongst a majority of a major minority in this country for decades should count here. Before this racism popped off it was indeed a semi common word in everyday vernacular. “Stay woke” *dap*, could be a greeting, goodbye, etc. Subtle meaning and feeling of comradery and shared understanding of cultural history in a simple and sleek package. This would be a semi common occurrence in many metropolitan areas in the US. Like not 50% or even 5% of all greetings, but certainly understood by most who to whom it applies.
Hard disagree.
You are right in one sense, what counts as popular is extremely relativistic, subjective and context-dependent. That’s the entire point of my observation. The context was popular culture, and they are the ones who brought it there.
The hard disagree is on how popular it was before, which you wouldn’t have to rationalize with the “a majority of a major minority” word juggling definition. Outside of those bubbles, significant as the slang may have been within them, it was not popular, and it shouldn’t be hard to see why: one was slang limited to use within certain social groups, and the other arose from attempting to mock anything they couldn’t openly do so under prejudice which essentially forced it onto popular use and awareness onto the rest of society.
Not sure why people get so vent out of shape about recognition what is and what isn’t popular in popular culture, as if that were somehow some sort of personal or moral value judgement.