The term culture has been defined in different ways throughout history, so its definition is left to the reader. An expanded concept of culture refers to the entire lifeworld of human beings.264
All cultures are subject to a fluid process of change. Woke activists want to control the processes of cultural change (see Negotiations and Socialisation). In particular, Western culture is to be transformed; other cultures are to be protected from the influence of Western “Eurocentrism”.265 From a woke perspective, Western culture is characterised by the fact that the experiences, knowledge, and cultural practices of a dominant group are made the norm, while all other cultures are rendered invisible (see cultural appropriation, dominant culture, and decolonisation).266
Woke activists propagate an anti-Western cultural relativism: although all cultures are considered equal and worthy of protection, other cultures are not to be judged negatively. Any culturally based criticism of non-Western groups is considered an illegitimate form of othering. Anyone who justifies inequalities culturally is even sometimes regarded as a “culturalist neo-racist”.267 Nevertheless, Western culture is often criticised as oppressive.
This anti-Western (self-)flagellation is particularly widespread in the so-called cultural studies. From a new-left perspective, the West and the Western world order are responsible for almost all the ills of the world.268 This anti-Western cultural criticism is not considered discriminatory, as people from Western cultures receive privileges in the existing system.