2,181 words
Opposition to what has been labelled “The Great Awokening”—the virulent cresting of decades of anti-white male social engineering—came to prominence around ten years ago. That year of 2016 is still sometimes referred to with mythical awe even today. It was a time in which anything seemed possible, when wider reality seemed bizarrely responsive to our perspectives and efforts. Now, we have fully entered 2026 and the social reality seems responsive to our perspective once again: this time labelled as the “vibe shift.” With the new year, I think it is time to reflect on where we have come from and, more importantly, where we are going.
The idea for this article stemmed from a period of research that involved listening to some podcasts from our side dating from 2018-19. If you can recall, this period was when the system mounted a merciless suppression of the memetic gains we had just made. In those podcasts, there was something subtly yet discernibly different in tone. From the implications and considerations constantly made by the hosts, it became clear to me that things have radically changed since those voices were thrown out into the auditory aether. Six to seven years ago there was a pervasive sense of tense anticipation: waiting for some kind of event, good or bad, that was felt to be coming but had not yet arrived. Now, it has arrived.The events of October 7th, 2023, and their many spiraling consequences jettisoned us into a new reality. But this new reality did not come apropos of nothing. Rather, it was partially consequent to the ground-work that you, I, and everyone has been slowly building in the past decade. Whether we realized it or not.
But the game is very far from finished and new challenges are arising. Something that seemed impossible even a few years ago is the partial institutional absorption, and thus attempts at redirection, of our ideas.
Here, I will catalogue some of these subtle changes in the collective mood, or “the vibe shift,” and focus on how to capitalize on them. Additionally, I will look at potential downsides we need to counter.
The Vibe Shift—4 Major Factors:
1. Room to Maneuver
Once it seemed as if merely visiting or donating to mildly dissident websites could potentially put on a list, even if the content was completely legal. It was not unheard of in the 2010s that colleagues or students would snitch on one another after finding out their rival had publicly subscribed to questionable material on their YouTube channel or even sang along to a rap song without self- censoring as a white person. An off-hand comment at the height of a major, top-down episode of mass hysteria, such as during the 2020 Black Lives Matter mania, entailed instant job loss and social shaming; those who might otherwise aid you, even friends and family, would keep quiet, lest they share your sad fate. These were not psychologically healthy times to say the least. In hindsight, a counter-attack by the system in the face of new gains was to be expected.
For now, it seems as if the intensity has been considerably toned down. What is the result? We seem to have more breathing room, at least for the moment, even if the cause of this freedom is a temporary lull while the USA and the West combat Russia, Iran, China and “global antisemitism.” Nevertheless, we should exploit the longer leash that we have been allowed as much as we can, using this valuable time to intelligently spread our message and emphasize the appearance of a growing consensus before the leash snaps back.
Issues to watch out for:
The Darwinian pressure which was placed on our side had certain benefits. True, there is still no shortage of laws that aim to curtail us. But we should not let any newfound (and temporary) permissiveness weaken the strength and creativity one shows when your back is against the wall. At the same time, even if our collective leash was expanded, we are nevertheless still not free. We must plan for if and when the leash is violently snapped back, if and when the system’s external enemies are dealt with and the guns are turned inwards against us again. Additionally we should not assist the system in cheerleading for the destruction of its enemies, even if we do not particularly care for them.
2. The Burden of Proof
In any society, one major advantage that conformists always have over dissidents is the ability to instantly pull arguments from a repository of shared assumptions and case examples that permeate the information sphere. Black on white violence may be remarkably more common, with many more shocking examples (including against children and the elderly) yet still be eclipsed by the enormous amplification of rare cases of white on black violence. The unparalleled influence of the Israel lobby was a serious faux pas until Israel’s blatant genocidal ambitions recently became a major topic across the Left/Right divide. Now the existence and commonality of these crimes appear to have finally reached public consciousness. We can sometimes casually refer to them in conversation without having to retain encyclopedic knowledge of all instances and statistical trends to counter naysayers.
To us, it seems bizarre that something so obvious has suddenly become speakable. It was just as true then as it is now. Yet this is what a “vibe shift” entails; the individual facts may stay the same yet what changes is their immediate affective impact and unconscious reception. With less affective and unconscious resistance, we no longer have an almost impossibly high bar to reach when presenting evidence for our case. The reality of these trends should therefore be further stamped into the public mind by repetition and by taking them as given and as publicly acknowledged, akin to the success of the meme that white police would just shoot black people without cause or reason. Except that we’re telling the truth.
Issues to watch out for:
We have seen how fickle the masses are and how shockingly easy it is to direct popular sentiment completely independent of empirical reality. We should be aware of another pendulum swing that will again demonize our position from enforced ignorance of the facts. Be wary about what you share and double-check the veracity of the stories and statistics that you promote. It is not always possible to be a walking encyclopedia, but do not give into the temptation to distort or exaggerate the truth.
3. The Temporality of Woke
When an ideological system dies in the present, so does its hegemonic interpretation of the past and future. The generic shitlib or feral Antifa, both having being acculturated by the system, had a very clear image of the past and future that justified their actions. They had been taught that history, was defined solely by slavery, colonialism, and the Holocaust. Occasionally, history threw up saint-like figures such as Martin Luther King who directed society back towards the Good that white men had made reality deviate from. White people are a unique scourge upon the Earth, the male and straight members of it even more so. The Good Guys always win, just like in Hollywood movies—so, by adopting the system’s characterization of Good (e.g., harming the interests of White people, promoting the interests of Jewish people) one could be guaranteed a good outcome in life. This sentiment is captured in the two once-popular phrases of “we’re on the right side of history” and “it is [current year].” Both phrases were routinely mocked even before 2016, especially the latter. But what they indicated was the firm belief that history had definite good and bad guys and a definite arc—that history corresponded to a kind of metaphysical will, even if they would ostensibly deny the metaphysics of such a viewpoint.
Thus, if Wokeness has indeed been destroyed or suppressed in the present, it is very important to lessen its monopoly on the past and future. One instance of this happening spontaneously is various instances of World War 2 revisionism in the youth. Even if this does not result in sympathy for the Axis powers, society matures out of the binary “Absolute Good vs. Absolute Evil” narrative that has haunted all political discourse for the past 80 years to the detriment of mature analysis. Even Israeli aggression against children in Gaza was framed this way, as was the supposed inevitability of Israeli victory.[1] Even our side still struggles to free ourselves from the prior indoctrination that tells us that we are destined to lose for opposing the Will of history. Consequently, we have ceased to dream about what a future Western society could look like socially, economically, spiritually, and materially—one that uses our great past as a launching pad towards a future, just as our ancestors once did. In reclaiming our present from the Woke view of reality, we also simultaneously reclaim our past and future.
Issues to watch out for:
Believing that one is impervious to misfortune because one has history on one’s side has been the downfall for countless people. That includes our enemies. If we do take back our temporality, we should be wary of relying too much on the vibe shift lasting. This point is amplified when considering that the Trump administration is only indirectly on our side, if at all. We should therefore not rush to fully “step inside” the future before it actually arrives; the future is something we have to progressively build. This struggle will be a slow but ultimately worthwhile process.
4. AI, Democracy, and Technology
The extent to which technology enables individuals to bypass elite systems of censorship and gate- keeping is the same extent to which we will impact discourse and power. Ironically, for a system that prides itself (and justifies its violence) on its supposed democracy and freedom, its moral legitimacy and epistemic authority struggles immensely wherever conversations and ideas are freely discussed. If new ideas are indeed discussed without fear of reprisal, many new directions for our society suddenly become open for exploration. We have already seen how the internet, despite its issues, smashed through the opinion manufacturing of the media and education. AI promises to further democratize media and the creative industries. We are already seeing our side display an enormous talent in producing AI-generated art, including entire animated series, as well as music that reacts in an instant to topical news and memes. This means that we can use our creativity, humor, and intelligence to outpace our adversaries’ increasingly stale and rigid appeals to old dogmas and the diminishing returns of the propaganda efforts found in the media monopolies.
Issues to watch out for:
I remember how it once seemed laughably impossible to imagine the commercialization of the internet in the 1990s and 00s. The internet was free. Indeed, the establishment struggled to find a way to do this on scale until around the mid-2010s. While AI currently seems too multi-formed and dispersed to reign in under establishment control, it is actually easier to do so due to the fewer companies that produce AI and the ability to embed censorship directly in its functioning. Bypassing censorship in AI is therefore a major hurdle to overcome in the following years. We cannot lose out on this new frontier in information. Understanding this new technology and anticipating its future trajectory is an important factor for our side to consider.
What’s Next?
Ten years ago, in 2016, there was what we may call Vibe Shift 1.0. It was very short-lived. This new one may have already outlasted it. Making sure that its consequences are long-lasting is vital for our people. In this essay, I have outlined four ways that we may better achieve this by recognizing unspoken aspects of the vibe shift. This compendium is certainly not exhaustive and we should reflect on how to make the most of this finite window that we’ve been afforded, no matter what happens next.
The Great Awokening of ten years ago was a serious miscalculation on the part of the system. Now, this miscalculation runs parallel to serious external challenges that it also faces. Ten years after the period that many of us first came onboard, I note exhaustion on the part of many long-time commentators. There is a cruel irony in that this exhaustion has arrived just as things begin to turn around; every day we are greeted with news that would have elated us ten years ago, even if some victories often conceal a poison pill. Our individual exhaustion should not blind us to the fact that we have an enormous opportunity at the present time. Poison pills can be found and removed. In 2036, we want to be in a much better position to offset our smaller share of our domestic and global population. The foundations may well have been built. Next comes the house.
[1] Of course, an interesting parallel to this is Leftist opposition to Israel. Israel’s brutal treatment of the Palestinians would be judged by history, and thus one had to learn from the past (i.e., Nazism) and oppose Zionism in the present.
16 comments
Great article! How come each factor has the number 1. beside it, shouldn’t it be: 1., 2., 3., and 4? 🙃
I believe that Democrats are on track to win the upcoming midterms and the presidency in 2028, because of the state of the economy.
Despair serves no strategic purpose. As Napoleon Hill emphasized, faith must be translated into deliberate action, while fear and worry must be avoided as it only will serve us for our own peace of mind.
What actually matters is organizing, showing up, and building real power together. If you care about where this country is heading, get involved with an organization that reflects pro-white values like National Alliance, American Freedom Party, etc.
And of course share Counter Currents articles with your family and friends!
As a WN movement, I think we need a unified plan for action. I would greatly appreciate it if any of the editors of Counter Currents could give commentary on this. Here is some ideas that I have:
Power isn’t lost because of ideas; it’s lost through poor timing, weak leverage, and lack of narrative control.
Avoid head-on confrontation with dominant forces; treat existing power structures as terrain to navigate, not walls to charge. In this case, I encourage any/all WN’s to join your local GOP. Just talk to people in real life and commit to least one volunteer event strategically so you aren’t wasting your time.
Shift focus from symbolic wins to power accumulation: narrative adoption, media framing, policy language, and coalition dependence.
Don’t force ideological unity—coordinate timing and messaging instead. Unity of action matters more than unity of belief.
Control the narrative battlefield: short, repeatable frames beat long arguments. Whoever defines language sets the limits of debate. I should note that I think that until we have the resources that Charlie Kirk had, we should address arguments in content but not directly debate our worst opponents head on. We need to develop a mentality of a sniper; pick off arguments without any congeniality to our enemies. No mercy, no congneialty. I believe that engaging in moderated debates that allow for each person to speak one at a time is the exception to this rule, with no interrupting.
Think in political cycles, not election windows. Victories create fractures—be positioned before they appear.
Act economically: one consistent, high-leverage output (analysis, talking points, or concise media) beats constant reaction.
Bottom line:
We don’t need immediate victory. We need to be embedded, credible, and unavoidable when conditions shift.
For an off-the-cuff list of agenda items at this phase:
Continue public outreach. We’re making headway, but much work remains.
Keep pushing back on censorship.
Do what we can to break down the mainstream conservative firewall. (Leftists don’t have an artificial barrier between radicals and moderates; neither should we.) We’ve made some headway, but the job isn’t finished.
Demoralize the left. This might turn out to be easier than we expect. We don’t need to crush dissent, but rather to make them think twice about doing anything outrageous.
Begin the Long March Through the Institutions. It worked for the other side; now it’s our turn. This opens the door to many further possibilities.
I am not sure what you mean here: “Power isn’t lost because of ideas; it’s lost through poor timing, weak leverage, and lack of narrative control.”
I see two responses here-thank you very much Beau Albrecht and Dr. Johnson for reaching back out!
Beau-dually noted, I will apply this in my own life. I will keep it on hand when talking politics with friends, family, and as I gear up for the local election season in my area!
Dr. Johnson-thanks of giving me the opportunity to clarify. That idea comes from The 48 Laws of Power. My takeaway is that ideas succeed or fail largely based on timing, leverage, and narrative control rather than merit alone. Does that match your understanding, or would you frame it another way? I think we are gaining even more headway with the framing especially with what’s going in Minneapolis, UK, etc. I guess what I would ask is how can we attain further power so as to apply our policies, and is there anything we must avoid right now to garner the best social/political outcomes?
Since we don’t have the power to determine things like timing, leverage (meaning what, exactly?), and narrative control, the best we can do is just be more truthful, with the hope that truth will win out in the end.
As the great Bobby Knight said, about his days as a hotshot young coach, “You know I was probably like every young guy. I thought I was smarter than I was.”
Like the author here suggested, many of us who went through those heady days of ca. 2016 have learned a thing or two. We saw how Charlottesville was a well-meaning disaster. We already knew how vicious the anti-whites were, but we also learned how willingly the Biden admin helped them with oppression. We were disappointed at how Trump wasn’t the God Emperor. But we’ve also seen how he has probably been the best president we could expect in these times, despite his faults. And we know how the ballot box won’t solve all our problems, although it can buy time.
I believe that the “Darwinian pressure” which the author mentioned has helped in rooting out some of the scoundrels who claimed to be pro-white, but who caused more harm than good. And we can now see who some of the more effective, wise leaders are, who have more integrity.
Lots of food for thought in your essay, Mr. Sinica. Thank you.
Your second paragraph is why many would hurl a chair across the court but unexpected developments do happen across history. Such as the dumpster fire that was IU football going 16-0 and winning it all, perhaps we could as well.
Ha! Yes, good old Bobby. He seemed like a good guy despite his temper. He was asked in an interview about the chair and he showed a good sense of humor about it. And unlike a lot of big-level college coaches he required his kids to go to class, and he specifically made them always bring a book with them to read on trips. Maybe you already knew all that.
Peter Brimelow was asked recently about the future, and he replied that miracles sometimes happen in politics. Just like you said–unexpected developments. In the meantime we should keep doing what we can, and be prudent, as George Washington recommended. We’ll get our chances for another Trenton and Princeton, so to speak.
I think the last point is a critical one. Despair builds because of the clock running against us as the majority as well as the reality that we are stateless in our own homelands.
This is where the positive vision and non-political gains are important. We must have a vision that even as a minority we will be the plurality and that we can still reclaim our birthrites and our destiny. I issue a challenge to all who cross the line from acknowledging the reality, which can be bleak, into despair and black pilling and not cross into cope. They should spend as much time imagining winning and how to win and publish as much on that as they do on the forces moving against us and our position/situation.
A positive vision for Our people is our responsibility to cultivate and offer. That can be bolstered as the in-gathering efforts and local political victories bear fruits. All is not lost.
AI does have promise. I may be dreaming, but it would be nice to have a politically unfiltered version, perhaps even ours. Even with the filtered ones, I’ve been able to out-logic it to seeing reason. One nice thing is that a machine isn’t emotionally wedded to bad ideology the way liberal NPCs are. However, if you hit a programmed restraining bolt, it’s pretty much a brick wall.
I’ve got an idea for the White House pipeline:
It’s easier to spread nursing home care across 5 kids then it is to do so across 3, so give a tax break for each contributor towards elderly care for you and your spouse.
Future oriented, rewards big families, filters out high time preference.
To be clear:
The kids paying for the elderly care get the tax break
Not the parent receiving the care
Of note: a random Jewish writer named Jacob Savage recently donned whiteface and penned an arcticle titled “The Lost Generation” in Compact to lament the exclusion of white men from American cultural production where he, wait for it, also falsely blames white men for the exclusion. True to tribe, he wrote a similiar article two years earlier (The Vanishing: The erasure of Jews from American life) for a Jewish online publication focusing on the loss of Jewish influence in culture, showing his true concern: his personal loss of preferential access as a Jew to the fields of cultural production controlled by Jews. Boo hoo.
Demoralization is now affecting our adversaries, as we enjoy the vibe shift and our views are ascendant. Regardless, we need to create our own cultural institutions and media, as the existing system remain hostile to us while crying crocodile tears and trying to dodge blame.
Read a full critique of Savage’s whining duplicity here:
https://www.culturecritique.com/archive-1/culture/the-vanishing-jewish-writer-in-whiteface/
Wow. Yeah I thought Savage’s swipe at older white males was wrong and very damaging. I didn’t know his (((background)))! That surely explains some things. No wonder the Compact item got so much exposure. I suppose the older white males he was complaining about were actually (((older males))).
Looking forward to reading the item you linked to.
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