The Hamster Wheel

Every few months a new crisis lands, dominates everything. The issue always eventually quiets down after some time. The anger fades, people move on, and whatever felt urgent last year kind of solves itself. And right on cue the next issue arrives.

 

Your Outrage Rewind

2016-2019

  • Trump election / left vs right explosion
  • Me Too Movement
  • Cancel culture begins
  • Brexit chaos, Climate change / Greta Thunberg, Hong Kong protests

2020-2021

  • Covid, Vaccine wars, Lockdown protests
  • BLM global wave
  • Election fraud narrative

2022-2023

  • Russia/Ukraine War - Resources Crisis
  • Trans rights peak
  • Cost of living crisis (briefly)
  • Elon buys Twitter / free speech debate
  • AI fear/hype cycle begins
  • Inflation consequences

2024-2025

  • Gaza/Israel war
  • Immigration everywhere (US, Europe)
  • AI taking jobs narrative
  • US election cycle
  • Gender war peak (Andrew Tate etc)
  • Trade wars, China threat escalation

 

The Outrage Economy

Every tweet, every protest, every viral moment of collective anger feeds the machine. Politicians rode the waves, built their brand on it, got elected on it. Companies made money being on either side of it. Power vacuums were filled. Platforms got the engagement.

The outrage produced power for everyone at the top of the cycle while the people fighting for it get nothing back. Just burned energy dancing for an audience of strangers and moved on to the next thing. The individual was a pawn the entire time, convinced they were part of something meaningful. Roleplaying as knights fighting holy wars while only the nobles benefit from it.

 

The Special Olympics 2026

We've got some juicers building up for the coming years to keep everyone further occupied.

  • The Epstein Files
  • Surveillance and Digital ID
  • Iran war / Middle East escalation + Oil Price Crisis
  • AI drama and Hardware/chip shortage (already building)
  • Housing crisis rising
  • China war escalation narrative
  • All the consequences from declining fertility rates since 1950 (gonna be a big one)

 

Conclusion

It's an infinite cycle. Focus on yourself.