The Societal Shift No One Saw Coming
The New Counterculture Has Already Begun
In the last essay, I teased about the emergence of the new counterculture.
A movement that humanity has involted for the current cultural landscape and is going in the opposite direction.
This will be a big claim you’re about to hear, but the “new counterculture” has already begun, and it’s about to shift the entire modern society.
Culture is the thing that humanity, at a specific period, has created to form a collective identity within society.
Speaking of modern culture on the mass scale… what do you think of?
Music made of synthetic and electronic sounds with repeated beat and rhythm, whose lyrics lead to nothing but cheap sex and surface-level appeal.
Standards in daily life that go into hyper-individualization, clinging to comfort and casualness more as a new form of religion.
Romance between human beings that turns into a dopamine-gamified system of notification popping, or swiping left or right.
The list goes on and on — all modern mass culture that makes plenty of human beings feel “something is missing” and seek something that was once glorified in the past.
A high standard in presenting oneself — not because of insecurity or neediness, but a level of self-respect that one has within.
A genuine connection that does not rely on casual text or external appearance rating, but a blend of charisma, character, and substance.
A deep appreciation for specific culture — a way of life that is present in the moment, not only a vanity show for recording on one Instagram story to show others.
Cultural aspects that somewhat lean toward the past, reminiscent of the elegance of the 20th century.
Now, if you’re not familiar with my content, or the internet landscape of classical virtues such as sartorial style, classic masculinity, or vintage ideologies like past philosophy or cinema…
You probably think those ideas — of craving for polishness, elegance, and in-depth cultural flair — are just my assumptions with no proof.
But… I want you to consider this.
On Instagram, there are hundreds or thousands of accounts with 10 to 100 thousand followers that advocate the image and aesthetic of the bygone era — either real-life figures, digital publications, or A.I.-based generations.
On YouTube, the empirical proof — such as the massive audience of Gent Z by James Lawley, who not only talks about style but the way of life as a gentleman as a whole — has justified the need and hidden desire of men to seek a different way of life than what the modern day has to offer. (Which I bet is also happening on the women’s side as well.)
While I don’t have the precise numbers of interest in this — millions on a global scale is the minimum you can expect.
It’s obvious that compared to the masses, to the global population — this is a small percentage — perhaps less than 1%…
But in the history of mankind, every single shift has begun with a discerning few… so does this new counterculture that has already been accumulating for decades and is starting to affect modernity.
A quick look can be observed in the way people dress.
While it’s true that from 100%, 95% of people you see — even in the metropolis or your own city — will always prioritize comfort over class…
But let’s say, from my own perspective as a classic style enthusiast who lives and breathes in this kind of garment you’re seeing me wearing right now — the prominent rise of loafers instead of sneakers or sandals can be noticed.
Or even in the global “fashion” labels like Louis Vuitton in the latest Met Gala 2025 or Saint Laurent in the Fall/Winter 2024 men’s collection — they leaned toward classic and polished design rather than hyper street or avant-garde like in the previous decade.
In the realm of media such as cinema, we see the pushback of modern agendas by elites in the industry — the desire to bring back the “fun and joy” of life rather than the push of social movements and cynicism in cinematic form.
Even the superficial, fleeting trend of the old-money aesthetic or dark academia scholar among Generation Z has subtly reflected the deep desire to reclaim simplicity and elegance in everyday life — one that goes beyond style but becomes a way of living.
That said, when I stated the idea of a new movement that has already begun and referred to it as a counterculture — it’s because this exact undercurrent wave reminds me of the very similar thing that once happened in the late 1960s — the very reason that made humanity end up in this current landscape of overly casual society to this day.
Brief History on Counter Culture in 1960s
Human is a creature that always seeks comfort by nature.
When the weather is too hot, you crave an AC.
When the weather is too cold, you look for a heater.
The thing is, the craving for comfort does not just play a role on a physical level but on a mental level also.
In the history of mankind, there were countless shifts within society that successfully broke down tradition and norms — usually rigid structures — and turned them into more relaxed ones.
For example, the emergence of black tie as a staple of eveningwear during the early to mid-20th century.
If you look through a modern perspective, black tie or tuxedo is an extremely formal garment — usually reserved for sacred occasions such as high society galas or a middle to upper-class wedding with a discerning host.
But some of you probably also know that black tie in the late 19th to early 20th century was considered a relaxed form of eveningwear.
Because at that time, white tie ensembles — the combination of tailcoat, white waistcoat, and white bow tie — were the expected form of cultural appropriation when it came to evening attire.
Now, what I want to suggest here is that since humans are comfort-seeking creatures by nature — when you combine this with external reinforcement and youthful rebellion — this is the equation that created one of the most critical societal shifts in the modern period: the counterculture of the late 1960s.
Speaking of this movement, there are tons of documentaries covering what really happened in great detail.
But for our matter of interest, I will focus on the rejection of polishness, elegance, and traditional virtues that people in the early to mid-20th century held onto — and how youth decided to counter them.
Just as with any other major societal shift, this counterculture began in the United States of America — the major power hand in the post-war era.
While different places would certainly have different opinions and statements of their own — for the U.S., optimism is the best word to describe it.
As a major player in ending WWII, they had increased their power in shaping the global narrative — all of which was reflected in the subcultures of those times.
In Fashion & Apparel: the counterculture was what began to introduce the world to ditch the tailored jacket, let go of proper collared shirts, and wear just the undershirt (which is known as the T-shirt today) and blue denim with sneakers — not for specific tasks but as daily attire. Also, it began introducing unconventional elements such as bold colors or new silhouettes like flared trousers, wide shirt collars, or extremely wide lapels in tailored jackets.
In Music: the age of properly seated orchestras, swing jazz with crooners on stage, began to fade from the youth and was replaced by rock ’n’ roll iconic bands such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, or individual figures like Jimi Hendrix and Bob Dylan — ones that reflected the rejection of over-polished norms.
In Cinema: the mid to late 1960s marked the end of Golden Age Hollywood, and New Hollywood was born — one that rejected elegance, glamour, and aspiration, and introduced reality, grit, and rebellious anti-hero icons like James Dean, Marlon Brando, Paul Newman, and Steve McQueen.
And in societal movements themselves: the empirical evidence includes protests against the Vietnam War, the liberation movements for racial and sexual equality, and the embrace of a carefree lifestyle that rejected capitalism.
These are significant factors that led to the idea of traditional rejection — one that ditched elegance and class from society.
While the actual event of the Counter Culture in the 1960s spanned around half a decade — starting in the mid-60s, peaking in the late 60s, and beginning to settle in the 1970s — the uprising of young people during this era (now known as the Baby Boomers) has continuously affected the postmodern world to this very moment.
The attire of casual T-shirts with jeans and sneakers or sandals.
The idea of hyper-individualism that erases other people out of the equation.
The normalization of substances and drugs for the sake of enlightenment rationale.
Things that I’m not so sure are the true virtues for humanity, since they sacrifice intention, care, and elegance for the sake of comfort and casualness.
Still… I do understand the rationale and the nature of the 1960s counterculture itself. In the end, if I were born in those days and nights as a Boomer in post-WWII in the U.S., the U.K., France, or Japan — I would likely end up in the same protests and symbolic rebellious acts as they did.
But here comes the big idea of this essay…
History Always Repeats Itself
“We learn from history that we do not learn from history.” — Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
That said, humans are predictable — as long as our biology has not changed at the molecular level.
Think of it like this — why does the economy, the system of money that has existed with human civilization from the days of rocks and fire to crypto assets — still crash again and again?
Because of the nature of greed, of emotion over rationality — the psychological nature that drives the decisions of the masses.
When you look through this lens at the Counter Culture in the 1960s, what you see is a rejection of authority (which always occurs in youth) and the search for identity amidst the old-world norms that acted as the conformist force — giving birth to numerous subcultures that rejected tradition.
The key words here are: rejection, liberation, and non-conformity against the norm.
Now, if I ask you to list today’s societal norms using those same words — what would they be?
Overly casual in every aspect of life — from daily activities to the way people dress
The “Digital-Everything” world that strips away genuine experience and human connection
The convenience mindset that expects everything to be fast, on-demand, and easy to obtain
While the majority of the global population is still not aware of these norms as a problem in their lives — the discerning ones like you and me — we both know that this is not the great life we were meant to live.
So… gentlemen, allow me to give you a vivid, optimistic perspective of this newly emerging counterculture…
Of what you can expect to experience.
1. Reclaim of Masculinity (& Femininity) in the Way It Should Be
Since the new millennium, the world has gone through a long span of attempts to de-polarize the two sides of sexual energy — masculine and feminine.
No matter which agenda is behind this act, the fact is that it has influenced the perception of the masses and made them believe that a “binary sexual energy worldview is bad.”
That men and women should reject the core energy of their own and open up toward the other part.
The effect of this?
The rise of androgynous men and women who cannot experience the tension in relationships — diluting their nature.
And… I firmly believe that this phenomenon is the major factor that leads to dissatisfaction in life for both men and women.
That’s why in the past half a decade, you could see the emergence of ideologies — in the form of the “Red Pill,” “Alpha Male”; they are the byproducts of suppressing the raw energy too much… and expressing it in an assertive, aggressive way.
Ones that give a light of hope to lost modern men about reclaiming their nature — but also dismiss the idea of incorporating refinement into it.
When you look toward the archetype of this masculinity movement, so-called “Red Pill,” what you will see is a man with a hyper-aesthetic physique, full of aggressive gestures, who speaks loudly and harshly, while projecting the activities of gaining power, dominance, and control.
All that reflects the raw energy of masculinity for sure —
But it lacks polish and refinement.
That is when the rise of the term gentleman entered the space — giving men the idea of sculpting that raw energy into a civilized, manneristic, and graceful way.
This kind of refined binary sexual energy is what you can expect to return in the near future — as not only men begin to discover and adopt this, but on the women’s side as well, there is a cultivation of the beauty of classical femininity without seeing it as a weak trait (like modernity tried to make them believe).
2. Incorporation of Elegance on a Daily Basis
This term — elegance — is probably the most cliché in the realm of fashion and beauty as part of sales copy.
Projected through simplicity of design, aesthetic, and high-quality materials to craft the garment.
But… elegance, when you look deeply into it, reflects more than the simplicity of aesthetic.
It’s a state of mind — a way of life that prioritizes the graceful way of living.
One that requires a man or a woman to know themselves, to have high standards, and to put others beyond their own interests.
This can be seen through:
An act of deliberately dressing for one’s own standard through refined taste and personal flair in classic style
A day in a life where one takes full control of it, having purpose and intention in every single activity that leads to fulfillment and sophistication in a simple manner
A socialization that lets go of the need to gain impression, and instead, genuinely shows interest in others — while not being afraid to unapologetically stay true to one’s ideas
Basically, an ideal day in the life of ladies and gentlemen — as you can see through aspirational cinema during the mid-20th century. One that bizarrely makes millions of modern-day people crave and leave comments on, like:
“Bring Back the Old Days of Elegance and Grace.”
3. The Combination of Old-World Charm and Modern Progression
Whenever I bring up the idea of bringing elegance back into the modern world — usually through the image of post-WWII culture — the main objection the masses always raise is:
“Those eras were full of inequality, outdated perspectives, and critical issues — why are you so romanticizing them?”
And… I once offered my counter-argument and framework to tackle this objection in this post.
But to be precise — I think that humans are adequate creatures who have the ability to dissect the good from the bad, the aspirational from the undesirable.
My idea is this:
“If the mid-century landscape combined both good and bad traits in life — then why don’t you just gather what’s considered great and let go of the unvirtuous parts that should remain in the past?”
That said, my prediction for this new counter culture is that we’re not going back to the early to mid-20th century.
In the end, the rigid societal norms that once limited human freedom should remain as history lessons that never need to return.
But what we — as a society — will move toward is a blend of old-world virtues like integrity, grace, elegance, and class, with modern progression such as the freedom to live one’s life.
When one can fully see through the landscape of past and present, with a lens of deconstruction in a constructive way — it will give them a whole new paradigm of what life could be.
In this case, for you, gentlemen — this should really excite you for what’s going to come.
In this overly casual landscape that only a discerning few like us are aware of — this undercurrent of change gives you an unexplored way of life to tap into.
One that is not willing to settle for low standards.
One that embraces and refines the core nature of masculinity.
One that is able to enjoy presence and sophistication in daily life.
One that was once glorified in the name of a gentleman.
In these nights and days, where this term is no longer limited to birthright but is reserved for any man who possesses strong will and a mind that aspires to excellence — then this is the best time for you to experience and take advantage of becoming and being a gentleman.
How to Take Full Advantage of The New Counter Culture
1. Regain control and become aware of Lies that modernity has told you since you were born.
The core reason why less than 1% of the global population has not yet started on the path of noble being is because they still obey and are lured by the lies of modernity.
The distractions they gave to people’s minds to keep them in control.
To start on this journey — you have to start questioning what’s currently happening in your life:
Why do people crave comfort this much?
Why does no one seem to hold onto real-life conversations?
Why do most of them not know what they want in life?
“If you would be a real seeker after truth, it is necessary that at least once in your life you doubt, as far as possible, all things.” — René Descartes
This is the great catalyst for you to experience the state of discomfort.
The thing is, when you gain a wider perspective in life, the most crucial step is to use that enlightened mind to craft the one you are fully in control to live in.
2. Craft Your ‘Own’ Narrative
This is the art that every iconic gentleman you know mastered and used to create the man we now know them as.
One name I mention in almost every video is Archibald Alexander Leach — or, as we know him, Cary Grant.
Here are the reasons why Archie Leach is my all-time prime example of the idea that a gentleman is a choice and a crafted narrative, not a birthright dictation.
The man was born into a lower-class family, with a childhood full of family issues, and he actually ran away from home. He was once a poor man, a nobody — far from ending up as the term gentleman.
But through relentless determination, discontentment with his life, and a desire to become an ideal being far from what his birthright was supposed to dictate — he changed his name, obsessively polished his demeanor, and perfectly crafted the iconic Cary Grant we know today.
His story is proof that even if you were born in a far-off position to experience the best that life has to offer — it never hurts to aim for an ideal and become him, relentlessly.
So… to make the most out of your enlightened journey — you must craft your own narrative.
You must envision, write down, and gain true clarity on the gentleman of your own making.
How does he dress on a daily basis?
What does he do from the moment he wakes up until he rests?
How does he approach life’s significant events?
What kind of character does he cultivate?
Write it. Read it. And eventually breathe it until you become him — and he becomes you.
Which leads to the final thing I want to leave you with:
3. Act Like You Already Are Him
In the end, time waits for no one.
If there’s a lesson I’ve deeply introspected on, and one that has significantly impacted me this year so far — it’s the idea that:
You don’t need any permission to live like a gentleman.
Not the money in your bank account.
Not validation from other people.
Not external forces telling you that you’re ready.
Because, gentlemen — you’ve been ready since the moment you stopped obeying modernity and started taking control of your own life in your own way.
There is an eternal prompt I have shared many times in the past and still benefit from to this day — it’s the question:
“If that ideal man were me in this moment, what would he do?”
This is why the previous step is so crucial.
Because as long as you don’t yet have clarity on his state of being — you won’t be able to live like him.
But when you do… your gentleman journey has just begun — and there’s nothing to stop you except yourself.
And… from my own experience of being faithful to it since my first exposure through Dr. No back in 2021…
While it’s not a path full of roses, while it’s a ride that requires significant resistance to the masses’ force…
It’s worth every moment of it.
Both internal fulfillment and external influence.
One that begins to take form and emerge as the inevitable movement that will disrupt modern overly casual society and create a cultural shift in the years to come.
All in the form of this new counterculture movement — which I invite you to become an early part of.
You can start by reclaiming what modernity has taken from you, setting an ideal character — so-called a gentleman — and becoming him without excuse or apology.
Only then will you be able to experience the other side of paradise amidst the current landscape that seems so chaotic right now.
That’s all for this one.