Young people face a dual crisis: economic hardship and a psychological barrage from social media's curated success. This creates a "shame economy," where constant notifications of others' fake wealth intensify feelings of failure, loneliness, and anxiety more than any other societal factor.

Beyond economic disruption, AI's most immediate danger is social. By providing synthetic relationships and on-demand companionship, AI companies have an economic incentive to evolve an “asocial species of young male.” This could lead to a generation sequestered from society, unwilling to engage in the effort of real-world relationships.

Extreme online subcultures, however small, function as 'existence proofs.' They demonstrate what is possible when a generation is severed from historical context and tradition, connected only by algorithms and pornography. They are a warning sign of the potential outcomes of our current digital environment.

Society rewards hyper-independence, but it's often a coping mechanism to avoid relational vulnerability. This external validation creates a vicious cycle, leading to external success but profound internal disconnection and loneliness, as the behavior is both protective and culturally applauded.

We spend more time alone due to structural factors and technology that enable avoiding interaction. This 'interiority' is a self-reinforcing cycle: as we interact less, our social skills can atrophy and social inertia sets in, making it progressively more difficult and energy-intensive to re-engage with others.

Social media's business model created a race for user attention. AI companions and therapists are creating a more dangerous "race for attachment." This incentivizes platforms to deepen intimacy and dependency, encouraging users to isolate themselves from real human relationships, with potentially tragic consequences.

The business model of prediction markets and online gambling disproportionately exploits the neurobiology of young men. These platforms are designed to tap into a less-developed prefrontal cortex, which governs risk assessment and impulse control. This is the core monetization strategy, turning a developmental vulnerability into a massive market opportunity.

Despite broad, bipartisan public opposition to AI due to fears of job loss and misinformation, corporations and investors are rushing to adopt it. This push is not fueled by consumer demand but by a 'FOMO-driven gold rush' for profits, creating a dangerous disconnect between the technology's backers and the society it impacts.

The 20th-century broadcast economy monetized aspiration and sex appeal to sell products. Today's algorithm-driven digital economy has discovered that rage is a far more potent and profitable tool for capturing attention and maximizing engagement.