I despise the phenomenon of CEO virtue-signaling.
It often feels insincere and leads to negative consequences.
However, under the current circumstances, with Israel facing potential annihilation following a horrific terrorist attack, it may be a suitable time for such displays, even if they are performative.
In an odd twist, corporate America has been unusually reserved in publicly condemning the attack.
One may wonder why this is the case.
Based on my observations, it appears that the pervasive influence of “wokeness” in the business community has made the executive class hesitant to speak out.
Recall the events of 2020 when CEOs like JPMorgan’s Jamie Dimon, Goldman Sachs’ David Solomon, and Bank of America’s Brian Moynihan were quick to express their outrage following the death of George Floyd, flooding various channels with their condemnations. Moynihan even told Barron’s, “The protests are about not having the equivalent opportunity, criminal justice treatment by authorities.”
These displays were sickening because they implied that isolated incidents of police brutality proved that America was inherently racist and deprived its diverse population of opportunities.
Furthermore, they validated the claims of the revolutionaries who engaged in destructive behavior and attacked the values upon which America was founded.
These CEOs then went on to amplify their anti-American sentiments by allocating billions of dollars in shareholder funds towards race-based lending programs as a form of reparations.
Many of them signed petitions opposing Georgia’s voter ID law, which merely required identification to vote and made no mention of condoning criminal behavior.
They even posted black squares on social media platforms to express solidarity with the radical, anti-Israel Black Lives Matter movement, which has received substantial corporate donations.
One could argue that these woke CEOs contributed to the current situation where calls to defund the police have led to a surge in crime rates in inner cities and a breakdown of societal norms.
It is a stark contrast to their carefully measured responses to the brutality inflicted by Hamas upon the Israeli people.
Most CEOs seem content with issuing generic internal memos calling for an end to the violence, expressing their concern for the people of Israel, and perhaps raising funds for humanitarian aid.
Humanitarian aid is undoubtedly crucial, but a stronger display of outrage and virtue-signaling could also make a positive impact.
It could rally support from around the world for an ally facing an existential threat from determined terrorists.
And how difficult would that be?
Hamas has beheaded infants and paraded half-naked women through the streets, captured on video to further their distorted cause.
In fact, hedge fund manager Bill Ackman has contacted Harvard, requesting information regarding students who recently applauded Hamas.
According to Ackman, he is working with 50 CEOs who pledge not to hire these individuals.
However, the identities of these CEOs remain elusive.
No names have been revealed aside from Ackman’s (I have reached out for more information, but at the time of writing this column, I have yet to receive a response).
A Dangerous Precedent
In my upcoming book, “Go Woke, Go Broke,” I delve into the rise of progressive counterculture in boardrooms, the factors that contributed to it, and how its embrace is eroding our shared national culture.
One cannot ignore the influence of “wokeness” in the near-silence surrounding this systemic barbarism.
It sets a dangerous precedent when evil goes uncondemned, contradicting progressive orthodoxy that portrays Israel as an evil occupier. Despite the fact that Israel has returned captured lands to the Arabs and Palestinians throughout its military victories, including Gaza, the source of the current tragedy.
Yet, according to the left’s ideological hierarchy, Israel is predominantly comprised of white individuals and is automatically deemed the oppressor.
Its enemies, the terrorists, are labeled “people of color” and are automatically accorded victimhood, no matter how many Israeli babies they behead.
I’m not suggesting that corporate leaders genuinely believe in this nonsense. In fact, I am confident that the vast majority do not.
However, they have accepted “wokeness” as a necessary evil in the business world, driven by fear of social media boycotts and the desire to maintain a favourable ESG rating.
That is how this toxic ideology infiltrated workplaces in the first place.
Its manifestations include endless Pride celebrations, racially-driven hiring quotas to meet diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) standards, the use of transgender women to advertise products, and the relative silence regarding the situation in Israel, lest it upset the social activist groups that have been pressuring businesses for years.
The average American is now standing up against the left-leaning propaganda propagated by corporate America.
Bud Light sales have still not recovered since featuring a transgender influencer in a viral social media beer ad.
Similar dips in support were observed following the woke initiatives of Target and Disney.
Nevertheless, corporate wokeness remains a potent force in the C-suite, as evidenced by their near-silence regarding the tragedy in Gaza.
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