Here we are in 2024. To me, it seems last year flew by in record time. There are lots of ‘new years resolutions’ themed articles floating around, and I don’t want to bore you with another take on goal setting. Instead, here is a top ten list which should compel you to feel some type of emotion. Whether it be anger, disgust, fear or happiness is another story for another day.
People will look back on 2023 as the dawn of a new era in the west, if not in the world. While several movies did predict the moronic, woke surveillance state we are currently living in, at times its challenging to accept how far we’ve fallen and how sharply our behavior has changed.
Some of the dramatic societal changes sparked by covid lockdowns started to take true form last year. As a strong man of purpose, it’s crucial for you to maintain awareness of your environment. While some of these trends may not apply to your day to day life, make note of what’s changing around you. The more you observe, the easier it is to recognize patterns and trends ahead of everyone else. It all goes back to having that detached, 30,000 foot view of things.
Without further ado, here’s the top 10 ways America changed in 2023:
Money and Machines
1. Lighter Wallets.
Everything became more expensive. Inflation soared, alongside interest rates. Food prices in August 2023 increased 4.3% from the same time in 2022. The housing market basically stalled, with very little inventory changing hands. When the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate hit 8% for the first time since 2000, it meant a typical monthly mortgage payment went from $1,581 to $2,866 (according to Redfin) — an all-time high. If you want to buy a house, you’ll need to start saving more than ever.
2. American Hustle.
With money on their minds, more people than ever have a “side hustle”. 39% of working Americans report having a side hustle. That amounts to as many as 80 million people. An additional 35 million (roughly 17% of the working-age population) plan to start to a business in 2024. The American hustle is alive and well, partly thanks to the accessibility high speed internet and new technology brings to the average person.
3. Rise of the Machines.
AI (artificial intelligence) became a household term, marking the dawn of a new technological era. Google and Microsoft have rolled out their own competing tools to make everyone’s lives “easier,” and the AI industry is poised to grow to an estimated $126 billion by 2025. Over the next decade we will see groundbreaking advancements in industry, medicine, and science thanks to the automation, big data analysis and new ideas it’ll bring to humanity.
Idiocracy
4. Idiocracy – Men vs. Women.
Computers are getting smarter, but it seems some people are not. Look, there’s a reason why men and women have separate divisions in sports: men are biologically bigger, faster and stronger. They have a tremendous competitive advantage, and are more likely to physically injure a smaller, weaker female opponent. Yet, in 2023 delusional people were taken seriously when openly denying these facts. In many situations, biological men, who identify as women, were allowed to compete in, and dominate, many women’s sports. See Lia Thomas the college swimmer, who was below average in the men’s division, but dominated the female division.
There was even an incident where a 200 pound trans woman, Alice McPike, competed against 135 pound BJJ expert Taelor Moore. While the 135 pound woman won this match, it sets a dangerous precedent. It seems some logic has prevailed, though. In a recent consensus statement, the Association of Ringside Physicians (ARP) declared they don’t support transgender athlete competition against ‘cisgender’ athletes in combat sports. Pro jiu jitsu league has also banned trans women from competing against naturally born females. Shockingly, in it’s 2024 rule book, USA Boxing has permitted male boxers who transition to compete in the female category. The idiocracy continues …
5. Idiocracy – Open Borders.
In August 2023, the US reached a point where more illegal immigrants entered the country than Americans born. While I am pro immigration, one has to wonder who will be paying for all of these folks to be here. Housing, transport, and healthcare are subsidized by the US taxpayer, as if we don’t have enough bills to pay. The makeup of our big cities is changing right before our eyes, but nobody has the power to stop these horrible policies the federal government has put into place.
6. Year of the Boycott.
In 2023, the people learned to fight back with their wallets. Bud Light, Disney / Marvel, Target and others suffered major financial blows due to boycotts. After the Dylan Mulvaney controversy, Bud Light’s parent company Anheuser-Busch InBev lost $27 billion in market value. In July, the company announced it would lay off 350 employees. Their CMO quit, and the brewer reported a 13.5% decline in revenue per 100 liters, which is the best measure of beer sales. To further emphasize the power of the boycott, moviegoers grew tired of the “woke” agenda being force-fed to audiences in television and cinema, and many decided to skip the most recent installments of Marvel. As such, Disney lost a ton of money due to movie flops and streaming losses.
Media Meltdown
7. Big Brother Finally Exposed.
X, formerly known as Twitter, exposed that social media platforms and the federal government definitely do collaboratively engage in censorship. “The Twitter files” release, led by journalists Matt Taibbi and Bari Weiss, blew the lid off some of the dirty secrets. If you had a sneaking suspicion you were “shadow banned” but couldn’t definitively say why, now you can. Recognize that it was not just Twitter engaged in this anti-American behavior.
8. Tik tock, tick tock … the clock runs out for Google search?
For Gen Z-ers, TikTok quickly gained ground on Google for information gathering, a.k.a. “search”. Gen Z finds TikTok information to be more personalized and more “real and valuable” than Google. In fact, 51% of Gen Z women prefer TikTok, not Google, for Search. This is pretty alarming, considering many believe TikTok is a data gathering spy application for the Chinese government.
9. Death of Traditional Media Channels.
In 2023, the critical thinker gravitated towards podcasts over the traditional news networks. Joe Rogan, Tucker Carlson, Russell Brand, Patrick Bet-David, Jocko Willink and others saw massive audience growth. They attracted high level guests, and they freely discussed controversial topics. Over 82 million Americans listened to podcasts in 2021! Incredibly, this number is estimated to rise to over 100 million listeners in 2024. Viewers dropped traditional TV in favor of streaming, and for the first time, cable/broadcast makes up less than half of TV viewing. The shift is on.
10. Male Life Expectancy Declined (Again).
We know life’s a crapshoot, but it feels like the dice are loaded against dudes when it comes to how long we get to live. A recent study painted a grim picture: American men’s life expectancy is dropping faster than a fumble on fourth down. And here’s the kicker: the gap between men and women’s life expectancy is widening fast. Male life expectancy is now 73.2 years, compared with women’s 79.1. Our healthcare system is too focused on being reactive instead of taking preventative measures to keep us healthy in the first place.
So, what can we do, fellas? Time to ditch the “suck it up” mentality and prioritize our well-being. Work out, swap the beer for salad, and talk to someone you trust about what’s going on in your head. Remember, taking care of ourselves isn’t just about vanity, it’s about living longer, fuller lives. Let’s rewrite the narrative, one healthy choice at a time.Here’s to a happy and healthy 2024.
-Your Big Bro