Tyler Cowen: Wokeness Has Peaked. What Followed Is Worse.
Tyler Cowen argues that the peak of wokeism occurred around 2022, a claim that faced skepticism at the time. By 2026, he observes a shift in political dynamics, with a notable increase in political violence and a retreat from progressive policies in universities. The media landscape has also shifted rightward, reflecting broader changes in societal attitudes.
- ▪Cowen suggested in early 2022 that wokeism had peaked, which was met with skepticism.
- ▪As of May 2026, he believes his prediction holds true, with a Republican trifecta in government.
- ▪Universities have retreated from cancel culture and DEI initiatives since the peak of wokeism.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Tyler Cowen: Wokeness Has Peaked. What Followed Is Worse.(Illustration by The Free Press; images via Getty)Today’s wave of political violence reveals how much of the left has shifted from shaming its opponents to taking more overt action.By Tyler Cowen05.18.26 — U.S. PoliticsFOLLOW COLUMN --:----:--Upgrade to Listen5 minsProduced by ElevenLabs using AI narration22Early in 2022, I argued that wokeism had peaked. At the time, that suggestion was met with a mix of skepticism and hostility, as wokeism still seemed to be rising to many people. Corporate boards were still adopting racial equity audits, for example, and young employees were pressuring companies to adopt progressive stances.But if we fast-forward to May 2026, my prediction seems pretty good.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Free Press (Substack).
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