Was The Title A Mistake ?

This is something I've been thinking about a lot since I received those comments on Facebook. I always intended this title to be eye-catching and slightly provocative/controversial. Such a title has to be far more effective than something generic, or something that's been used by other authors a few times in the past.

It was never an issue when discussing the project with my writing pals, who know what kind of person I am and where I stand on various issues. (EDIT: Two pals reminded me that yes, they did have concerns that the title could give the wrong impression). This created a bit of a blind spot where I didn't consider what total strangers would think of the title. For some people, they will only see the phrase, "woke mind virus" and assume that this book (and me) do not share any of their views and should be considered radioactive.

Well, that's simply not true, and I probably share something like 95%+ of the views of those who'd react in this way. And that's what this story is taking aim at with the satire. It's about the left ironically dividing the left in service of the oligarchs, who revel in this civil war (mostly conducted online), as it effectively eliminates the focus on the real societal/economic/environmental issues that enable their continued accumulation of power and riches.

The message of this novel is something people on the left and center (even the right) should seriously consider. We don't want to see a version of this imagined future come to pass, where people are afraid to speak their minds on any subject and are compelled to repeat "approved" speech online and in person. And yet, in some countries, we are perilously close.

Recognizing the issues with the title now, though a bit late, I've got to adjust the marketing campaign somewhat. I am very fortunate to have a good writing pal who is very skilled in media, and they've created a couple of clips that I can use on the socials to reshape the narrative about this book. Here's one of them: