In Musa al-Gharbi's new book, 'We Have Never Been Woke: The Cultural Contradictions of a New Elite,' the author explores the conflicting interests of left-leaning knowledge workers, who advocate for social justice yet benefit from systemic inequalities. Al-Gharbi coins the term 'symbolic capitalists' to describe individuals in non-physical goods sectors, such as education and media. He argues that while these individuals champion causes such as anti-racism and LGBTQ+ rights, their privileged positions often contradict their stated beliefs, leading to a complex relationship between advocacy and self-interest.
We think that our perspectives should count more than the person checking us out at Stop & Shop. We think we should have a higher standard of living than the people delivering packages to our doorsteps.
Al-Gharbi refers to a subset of Americans he calls 'symbolic capitalists,' working in fields like human resources, education, finance, law, and media.
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