Edgar Samuel Paxson, Battle of Little Bighorn, 1911.

1,622 words

American history was always taught to me in a way that shamed and vilified white people. Despite all the efforts and propaganda to make me feel sorry for the Native Americans, I always resented them for their attacks on the European colonists and settlers. (more…)

Vincenzo Camuccini, The Death of Caesar 1804-1805.

1,573 words

March 15 is known as the Ides of March, the day when Julius Caesar was betrayed and assassinated by the Roman Senate. March 15 also marks the date for other betrayals, from the murder of Odoacer to the overthrow of Empress Theodora by her son. (more…)

Gustave Moreau, Hesiod and the Muse, 1891.

1,553 words

As another birthday arrives, I find myself getting closer to the dreaded age of 40. Although I still feel young, I have started to reflect on the meaning of my life and my own mortality. Some people would call this a “midlife crisis.” Yet the real crisis comes from the disenfranchisement of white men in our culture and society. For every white man with a stable career and a family, an unemployed white man is living in his mom’s basement playing video games all day. Regardless of age, the wisdom of Hesiod reminds us that one man’s crisis can be another man’s opportunity. (more…)

Arnold Friberg, Lehi and His People Arrive in the Promised Land, 1952-1955.

1,658 words

My views on faith and spirituality have matured as I have gotten older. But when I was a teenager, heavy metal was my life and my religion. Unfortunately, this led to conflicts with my father as he returned to the Mormon Church. Despite rebelling against my father and the Mormon Church, I gained some important insights on human nature, self-reliance, and perseverance. These lessons can help the Dissident Right build communities across religious lines while still maintaining our personal views and beliefs. (more…)

Ludwig Sigismund Ruhl, Arthur Schopenhauer, 1815.

1,532 words

Whether attending a birthday party or a social event, people have sometimes referred to me as being “the life of the party.” There have also been times where I found myself excluded from my social circle and community. Recently, I found myself not being invited to a birthday party that some of my other friends were invited to. Although I always try to stay positive and optimistic, I couldn’t help but feel ignored and forgotten. (more…)

Joseph Benoît Suvée, Milo of Croton, 1763.

1,440 words

I often find myself rooting for villains. 

Villains always seemed more interesting — they discussed certain truths about life that heroes could not accept or admit. Tony “Ludvig Borga” Halme was a wrestler who played one of these villains that got me interested in wrestling in the 90s. Halme lived an exciting but inevitably tragic life — but his memory lives on and continues to inspire those willing to play the role of the outsider, the rebel, and the dissident. (more…)

Alphonse Legros, Cupid and Psyche, 1867.

1,634 words

Valentine’s Day has always been a fun holiday for me. If I had a girlfriend at the time, Valentine’s Day gave us an excuse to go out to dinner and exchange gifts. If I did not have a girlfriend or could not find a date, I would use the holiday as an excuse to play video games all night. (more…)

Emanuel de Witte, The Amsterdam Stock Exchange, 1653.

1,568 words

Like many people in the Dissident Right, I have been following the GameStop short squeeze with feelings of excitement and enthusiasm. I haven’t felt this excited about current events since Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. While I have always enjoyed movies about the stock market, I never thought that a bunch of gamers would be able to beat the financial elite at their own game. (more…)

Ernest Henri Griset’s cover illustration for Michel Rodange’s Reynard the Fox, 1869.

1,517 words

When I took the garbage out earlier this week, I saw a fox crossing the street. We stared at each other for a prolonged moment before it ran off. During that encounter, I felt a strange connection with this wild animal. As much as I related to wolves in the past, I think that modern dissidents share some characteristics with foxes. Just as every fox looks after its own tail, each person in our community can outfox our enemies and adapt to our changing environments. (more…)

Jan Žižka leading his troops, from the Jena Codex, 1490-1510.

1,404 words

I have always wanted to visit and explore Prague’s medieval sites and classic breweries, but with ongoing COVID-19 restrictions and lockdowns, it seems that travel is becoming another freedom that we are slowly losing. Nevertheless, there have been many Czech dissidents in history that risked everything to stand up for what they believed in. Their perseverance reminds me that our journeys in life are just as important as the destinations we are trying to reach.  (more…)

Detail, Luca Giordano, Aeneas’s defeat of Turnus, 1688.

1,611 words

For most of my life, I have never really felt patriotic about America or being an American. The only time I felt a strong connection to America was during Donald Trump’s presidential campaign of 2016. I would drive hundreds of miles just to attend his campaign rallies and meet other Trump supporters. As the fallout of the Capitol occupation (more…)

Max Brückner, Valhalla in Flames, 1894.

1,638 words

I have made a lot of mistakes in my life. Although most of these mistakes have merely led to embarrassing moments and memories, I am starting to notice the consequences of my lifestyle choices. To put it bluntly, I have wasted a lot of time pursuing the wrong women, friendships, and careers. (more…)

Ivan Bilbin, Igor’s Campaign, 1941.

1,520 words

It is often said that a new year can be the start of a new life. Along with my own year-end traditions, I have always spent New Year’s Eve reflecting on the past while looking forward to each new year. Due to the events of 2020, it is difficult for many of us to have a positive outlook for the future. After reading The Tale of Igor’s Campaign this week, I was reminded that our ancestors have also faced difficult times and uncertain futures. (more…)

Ferdinand Lindner, Altnordisches Julfest, from Die Gartenlaube magazine. 1880.

1,818 words

Christmas is my favorite time of the year. From Christmas decorations to Christmas songs, I always get into the holiday spirit wherever my travels and adventures take me. Although I prefer spending Christmas with friends and family, I have spent a few holidays by myself in various countries. While I was never one to question (more…)

J. C. Leyendecker, Cú Chulainn Riding His Chariot into Battle, 1911.

1,705 words

If you were to ask the average American about Irish culture, they might talk about leprechauns, shamrocks, Guinness, and St. Patrick’s Day. While these might be silly tropes and marketing gimmicks, they sparked my interest in Irish mythology and folklore. From Táin Bó Cúailnge to the Annals of Ulster, there are many stories of Irish heroes who protected their land from invaders. As I walked along the Ulster coast this week, I thought about those heroes. (more…)

Hal Foster’s Prince Valiant, June 19, 1937, page 2.

1,576 words

I always enjoyed reading newspaper comics as a kid. Whether I was learning to read or developing my appreciation for surreal humor, I looked forward to each week’s new strips. Some series even sparked my interest in European literature and history. Just as history repeats itself, I have started taking an interest in comic strips again. From brave princes to humorous frogs, the Dissident Right can use comic artwork to promote our history, culture, and identity. (more…)

Simon Marmion, The Eight Phases of the Song of Roland, ca. 15th century.

1,863 words

I sold my car before moving to Europe a few years ago. I had this car for several years and took it on various road trips across the US. During a few of these trips, I thought about The Song of Roland, the French poem from the 11th century. From tales of tragedy to stories of heroism, this epic poem has given me a lot to think about during the various road trips of my life. (more…)

Michael Drolling, The Wrath of Achilles, 1819.

1,636 words

Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays. Along with eating turkey and pumpkin pie, it is a day where I reflect on all the things that I am thankful for in my life. As our governments take advantage of the COVID lockdowns to impose draconian measures and the Great Reset, I found myself feeling more angry than thankful (more…)

Canaletto, The Return of the Bucentaur to the Molo on Ascension Day, 1730.

1,648 words

On the train ride home this weekend, I ended up talking with a drunk woman about the concept of happiness. Although brief, the conversation reminded me of Giacomo Casanova’s memoir The Story of My Life. As I have gotten older, this memoir has reminded me not to let certain vices ruin my life. While each person (more…)

William Hogarth, Canvassing for Votes, from The Humours of an Election, 1755.

1,881 words

Since the last US presidential election, my life has been a tangled web of travels and adventures. I was fortunate enough to experience Trump’s historic election night in 2016 while living in a small town in Texas. This year, I spent the election night in a small British town near Tamworth Castle. Like everyone else, I stayed up late both nights (more…)

1,614 words

While traveling the past few weeks, I kept thinking about the upcoming 2020 US presidential election. More precisely, I kept wondering whether this election would be the final straw that breaks the camel’s back. (more…)

Harald of Norway with Halfdan the Black, from Flateyjarbok.

1,880 words

My recent adventure took me to the Northern Isles of Shetland and Orkney. During my trip, I visited the Neolithic village of Skara Brae, the Bronze Age settlement of Jarlshof, and the Viking Age sites described in the Orkneyinga Saga. As I visited these locations, I was reminded of all the hours (more…)

John Varley I, Bamborough Castle from the Northeast with Holy Island in the Distance, 1827.

1,704 words

I recently traveled to Northumberland to visit the Holy Island of Lindisfarne and Bamburgh Castle. Before visiting these sites, I woke up early each morning to take a walk along the beach at sunrise. During my walks, I thought about my life and all things I want out of life. As I look back on my time in Northumberland, I realize that we must always say what we want before we can achieve the things we want. (more…)

Lucas van Valckenborch, View of Antwerp with the frozen Scheldt, 1590.

1,761 words

As I have gotten older, I find myself thinking about the fleeting nature of time. I often ask myself whether I have wasted too much time playing video games, reading fantasy books, or attending heavy metal concerts. Yet without these hobbies, I would have never visited Antwerp (more…)

1,868 words

I have always wanted to visit Transylvania and Bran Castle, known throughout the world as Dracula’s Castle. Although having little connection to Vlad the Impaler or Bram Stoker’s Dracula, the myths behind the castle have inspired countless horror films and heavy metal songs. (more…)

Vlaho Bukovac, Gundulić’s Dream, 1894.

1,888 words

While I was living in Eastern Europe, I traveled to Dubrovnik, Croatia to go on some Game of Thrones walking tours. (more…)

W. Trentsensky, Cavalry skirmish during the Battle of Komárom, 1849.

1,777 words

When I was living in Hungary, I took my girlfriend on a day trip to the border town of Komárno, Slovakia. Despite having a nice meal and a scenic walk around the town, I ended up complaining and arguing about trivial matters. Near the end of the day, we saw a memorial to Mór Jókai, the famous Hungarian writer (more…)

Antoni Piotrowski, The Batak Massacre, 1889.

1,784 words

I spent a long summer in Sofia, Bulgaria to explore the area and attend a few heavy metal concerts. During my time there, I took daily walks through the city center where I passed by stray dogs, ancient ruins, and historic monuments. Many of these monuments were dedicated to the countless individuals that lost their lives (more…)

Lāčplēsis

1,918 words

On my way to a heavy metal concert last year, I had a layover at the Riga Airport. While having a beer and a shot of Black Balsam at the airport bar, I was talking online to a Latvian woman that also liked heavy metal. I told her that I had always wanted to visit Riga (more…)

Juliusz Kossak, Kmita’s Companions on a Ride, 1885.

1,763 words

When I first moved to Eastern Europe, I did not have any friends in the region. Thus, I spent the winter of 2017 in solitude. To avoid any feelings of loneliness, I set a goal to finally read Henryk Sienkiewicz’s trilogy of historical novels. I also set a goal to go for a walk each evening. Whether I was in Lviv, Rzeszów, or Minsk, (more…)