025: Buzzwords & Battle Lines: The Internet's War on Words

In this episode of Two Millennials and Mom, we’re unpacking some of the most controversial (and confusing) buzzwords in modern discourse: “woke,” the “manosphere,” and the whole red pill vs. blue pill rabbit hole. Where did these terms come from, how have they evolved and why do they spark so much debate and division?

 

In one of our more…spirited(!) and thought-provoking episodes, we dig into the history, co-opting and weaponization of language—while also questioning the media narratives that pit us against each other. And don’t worry, we’re still bringing the laughs and plenty of the side-eye. Plus, our good news story features a little Jurassic Park flair: dire wolves are (sort of) back!

 

10,000-Foot View of this Episode:

• What does “woke” even mean anymore? We explore the term’s origins in Black communities as a call for awareness and justice, how it was co-opted during the civil rights movement and the dramatic shift as it became a political lightning rod. Callie breaks down the timeline of how “woke” evolved from a vigilant mindset to an insult, while Mecca and Cole weigh in on why it’s now so polarizing—and why some choose not to use it at all.
• The “woke mind virus” and polarized thinking: Cole introduces the idea of the “woke mind virus,” explaining how echo chambers can create ideological rigidity and intolerance. The group digs into how this absolutist mindset shows up on both sides of the political spectrum (with no room for nuance) and how it further feeds division rather than understanding.
• The Manosphere: masculinity or misogyny? Mecca shares how a Reddit rabbit hole led her to research the manosphere—a tangled online world of men’s rights activists, incels and “men going their own way.” We talk about the reactionary roots of the manosphere, its hatred of feminism and how overgeneralizing men or women leads to harmful stereotypes and fractured connection.
• Who’s wins in a culture war? We tackle the metaphor of “teams” (red vs. blue) and how media narratives fuel conflict for profit. Cole points out that most Americans aren’t on either extreme but get dragged into cheering for sides that are more about profit than progress. Callie introduces the raccoon metaphor—how we latch onto one belief so tightly that we can’t pull our hand (or brain) out of the jar. We discuss how holding onto single-issue identities or ideas keeps us from seeing the bigger picture or growing.
• Red pill, blue pill... neither? Cole breaks down the original Matrix reference and how “red-pilled” has become a stand-in for being “awake” to hidden truths, often weaponized by the political right. But like “woke,” it’s evolved into a slippery, overgeneralized label. We discuss why these binary identities are too rigid to be useful and how they fail to capture real human complexity.
• Weird Thoughts on Epistemicide: the death of knowledge Cole introduces a new word—epistemicide—and explains how the flood of information, misinformation and opinion on the internet is drowning truth itself. It’s not just censorship—it’s dilution and it’s changing how we engage with facts, nuance and each other.
• Dating across party lines? We dissect a viral text exchange where a potential date goes off the rails after a political question. Who dodged the bullet? Who failed the test? What happens when politics becomes the first filter in relationships? And is respectful disagreement even possible in dating anymore?
• Why respectful conversation still matters. Despite some heat in this episode, we circle back to the mission of the show: fostering dialogue across generational and ideological lines. We may not change the world, but we can make space for conversations that challenge, educate, and grow us—and that’s the first step toward change.
• Good news: Dire wolves are back! Kind of. In our feel-good closer, Cole shares a story about geneticists reviving a species of dire wolves through DNA research. Whether it’s a scientific marvel or the start of a real-life Jurassic Park, it’s a wild reminder of what humans are capable of—for better or worse.

 

Memorable Quotes:

• "If your beliefs are driving animosity towards other people, maybe you need to go and reevaluate your beliefs and your values a little bit." – Cole
• “You can't look in history and NOT identify black people that have contributed significantly to society.” – Mecca
• “If something is important to you or has impact on you, I think that it is wise for you to go and educate yourself and do the hard work, do the heavy lifting. But we as a society have decided that we're just going to stick with lies and emotions and call those facts and that's good enough. And that's wrong.” – Callie
• "There are so many voices talking to us all of the time that we are systemically annihilating knowledge by diluting it." – Cole
• “Without putting my head in the sand, I think that I'm going to try to eliminate some of these words. Also, when they are used around me, try to say, 'Explain. Tell me what you mean.'” – Mecca
• “Whether or not you read it from the New York Times or Fox News, I don't give a shit. Go verify it with other sources, other kinds of factual-based data, statistics, accurate places.” – Callie
• "Am I advocating for bringing T-Rexes back? Probably not." – Cole
• “I am forever grateful that when we hurt each other's feelings or we disagree, that we can still come to the table and have a conversation and love each other.” – Mecca

 

Resources Mentioned:

• Jefferson Fisher's 'The Next Conversation', (He's an attorney known for sharing respectful communication tips)
• Dean Withers' Instagram Reel about "spewing facts"
• Dr. Dana Crawford breaking down the definition of epistemicide
• The Matrix Red pill/Blue pill scene (in case you've been living under a rock)
• TIME's 'The Return of the Dire Wolf'

 

If you’re using a word like “woke,” “red pill” or “manosphere”—pause and ask yourself (or the person you’re talking to): What does that really mean to you? Definitions matter. Understanding matters. And conversation? It’s the only way forward.