Older generations need to understand something uncomfortable: America’s youngest adults are not only trending in a new political direction — they’re doing so for reasons that most people over 30 haven’t even begun to diagnose. And if we don’t figure out why this is happening, we will not be able to offer any solution. The next generation will pay the price.
This article isn’t a justification for Gen Z’s political trajectory, nor is it an endorsement. Think of it as reconnaissance. This is a trip into the mindset of a generation that feels betrayed — and into the ideologues who have successfully captured that frustration and weaponized it. The enemy isn’t Gen Z. The enemy is the movement that has taken advantage of them.
This isn’t an exhaustive list of every factor, but these are the major ones driving the rise of the so-called “woke right.”
First, where is Gen Z actually going?
On the surface, Gen Z looks like it’s drifting “right.” Polling suggests they’re more skeptical of progressive nonsense than Millennials were at their age (particularly young men). Online, they share Bible verses, post Crusader memes, and roast Left-wing ideas with the confidence of people twice their age.
But don’t confuse right-wing aesthetic with conservatism.
And don’t confuse Christian branding with Christian belief.
For many, “Christian” and “right-wing” have become the new version of counterculture rebellion — the same way sex, drugs, and rock & roll defined the 1960s. This is Christianity as attitude, not faith. A thin veneer of religiosity, not repentance. A “screw you” to the system, not submission to Christ.
That’s why you see far more enthusiasm for medieval Crusader imagery, “Bronze Age” masculinity, and authoritarian strongmen like Franco — and even, disturbingly, Hitler — than for evangelism, missions, family, marriage, or serving the lost. Christianity is a tool. Conservatism is a costume. Read more»
Mikale Olson | “Why The Woke Right Is Winning Gen Z: A Look Inside The Machine” | The Christian Post | December 15, 2025
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