The Swedish Film Institute removes its previous requirement to “integrate gender equality, diversity and children’s perspectives” into its activities. The changes are welcomed by several people in the film industry, among them film producer Lena Rehnberg, who has previously been critical of the Film Institute’s focus on gender issues.

– This is big. It is very positive for the creative atmosphere in the film industry. In reality, if this changes, we can scale away some of the self-censorships, Lena Rehnberg hopes.

The woke culture, leading to censorship and what some refer to as cancel culture, has been the norm in the macronational sphere for years.   

Woke stands for a sense of awakening that one has become aware of. The word has its background in African-American slang. Much like in the days of revival, people were talking about someone who has been awakened, that is, someone who has woken up from their slumber concerning God and now understands the seriousness of sin and the sweetness of the gospel.

Today, another awakening is at the center. It is about awareness of oppression and injustice between different groups, focusing on race, gender, and sexuality.

It is essential to realize that we can be blinded to reality as humans. When someone tells about their experience of being invisible and ignored, others can suddenly realize something that was going on all the time but that they had not previously perceived. Think of a class reunion. There is an awakening, and you see something that has always been visible but that has once fallen outside your self-absorbed field of vision.

This is one of our significant human shortcomings based on the Christian faith. We can even ignore the most crucial fact of reality, disregard God, and ignore our obvious needs for Him. The New Testament uses strong words about fallen men and describes us as blinded and darkened. So we certainly need to wake up from our deep slumber – both concerning God and to our fellow human beings – and we need to humbly realize our ability to deceive ourselves and lose sight of reality.

But our problems do not end there; they also follow us after an awakening. Those who have gained a new insight – those who have seen the light – are tempted to look down on those who are still blinded and often let the understanding they have just acquired cast a shadow over new areas.

This is characteristic of the new woke culture, tearing apart so much of civilization. Those who have become aware also perceive themselves as superior and do not have to condescend to take the blinded seriously. The result is a polarized and aggressive debate climate.

All critical discussion can end with an accusation of oppression of minorities. All factual objections can be rejected by considering them as ill-masked ways of continuing the oppression. Therefore, complaints should be ignored and silenced, not addressed. If possible, people you disagree with should be regarded as evil and put in ideological quarantine.

The phenomenon is not new. Within the Marxist movement, there was the same mentality. It could be interpreted as the ruling class’s attempt to retain power whatever critics said. All arguments were woven into an analysis of power, and thus the issues could be set aside. But in the long run, this leads to the oppressed becoming the new oppressors.

Freud’s theory also contained similar features. Each objection could be turned into a disguised confirmation of the idea – which thus became inaccessible to factual debate.

The new initial steps from our neighboring macronation may very well be a step in the right direction. Issues of racism, gender, and sexuality are essential issues, and we need to debate them. But no one can claim to have seen nor noticed everything that can be seen in those areas.

It is absurd to censor books, films and plays because they portray a reality different from ours. We cannot view historical eras through contemporary glasses. Instead, we all have more to learn from each other, perhaps even learn from the past. Positive changes in the way we think about race and gender can only happen if we listen to each other instead of despising and trying to silence each other.