Why are ‘Woke 1’ and ‘Woke 2’ suddenly going viral? AOC ‘crazy’ comment sparks internet debate

When Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said that “Woke 1.0 was crazy” on ABC News, she introduced a long-used internet term to a much wider audience. Ocasio-Cortez was joking about how democratic socialist Francesca Hong, then still in the running to become Wisconsin’s democratic nominee for governor, had walked back some of the far-left stances she’d posted on social media in 2020—in the midst of so-called “Woke 1.0,” or the cultural moment of the early 2020s when Democratic politics were swinging left in a major way (or at least appeared to be). Here’s what to know about the origin and history of the term. Woke 1 WAS crazyyyy, Madame President https://t.co/pUHA2rtOQ1 pic.twitter.com/ws11dyPY1a— Chi Ossé (@OsseChi) August 9, 2026 What (and when) was Woke 1.0? Though Ocasio-Cortez attributed the idea of Woke 1.0 to New York City Councilman Chi Ossé, it’s a far more widespread concept online. To unpack Woke 1.0, you have to start with “woke” itself and its ever-evolving meanings. “Woke” originated as a slang term in the Black community dating back a century, meaning to be politically aware, especially about systemic discrimination. But as the term beca…