An extinction burst
An extinction burst is a psychological phenomenon that occurs when a previously reinforced behavior suddenly stops receiving reinforcement. Instead of fading away immediately, the behavior often intensifies dramatically before it eventually decreases or disappears. This concept comes from behavioral psychology, particularly in operant conditioning, and is often observed in everything from personal habits (like quitting smoking) to broader social movements.
How This Applies to the Dark Enlightenment, MAGA, Techno-Fascists, and White Supremacy
1. Loss of Dominance and Status Anxiety
• Many far-right ideologies, including neo-reactionary (Dark Enlightenment) movements and white supremacist groups, thrive on a vision of hierarchical control—often with white, male, and traditionally Western values at the top.
• As society becomes more diverse and previously dominant groups lose cultural, economic, and political power, some react with an extinction burst—a desperate, aggressive push to restore their perceived past dominance.
2. Trumpism and the MAGA Movement
• The Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement can be seen as an attempt to “reinforce” a nostalgic vision of America that no longer aligns with demographic, political, and technological realities.
• The violent January 6th insurrection was an extinction burst: a sudden, extreme, and desperate reaction to the loss of power after Trump’s defeat.
• The ongoing election denialism and increasing authoritarian rhetoric within the movement are also signs of a group refusing to accept change and escalating their tactics.
3. Techno-Fascism and Dark Enlightenment
• The Dark Enlightenment, promoted by figures like Curtis Yarvin, pushes for an end to democracy and a return to hierarchical rule, often through tech-based governance.
• Many in the Silicon Valley techno-elite have embraced forms of techno-fascism, seeing democracy as inefficient and preferring authoritarian models.
• The rise of AI-driven control systems, surveillance states, and billionaire-led politics fits into this framework as an “elite-controlled society” fighting against the chaos of democratic pluralism.
4. The Heritage Foundation and Policy Manipulation
• The Heritage Foundation, a major conservative think tank, has shifted even further toward far-right nationalism, embracing ideas that align with Christian nationalism, anti-immigrant policies, and anti-democratic strategies.
• Their Project 2025, for example, lays out a roadmap for dismantling federal agencies, consolidating executive power, and aggressively pushing nationalist policies—a structured, policy-based extinction burst against progressive change.
5. The Rise of White Supremacist Violence
• From the Charlottesville “Unite the Right” rally (2017) to the Buffalo supermarket shooting (2022), there has been an increase in white supremacist terror attacks as a reaction to social progress.
• Groups like the Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, and Patriot Front are intensifying their activities because they see the window for white nationalist revival closing.
The Broader Implication: A Dangerous Threshold
Extinction bursts are often short-lived, but they can be extremely destructive before they fade. In political and ideological movements, they can result in violence, authoritarian takeovers, or long-term insurgencies.
The key question is whether these reactionary movements will fade into irrelevance or successfully entrench themselves in systems of power before their momentum runs out. If history is any guide, these periods of reactionary extremism are dangerous but not necessarily permanent—unless they manage to institutionalize themselves into law and governance.
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