A cyclic theory of subcultures

David Chapman's account of subculture decline, which describes takeovers by sociopaths, does not match the author's experience, who instead describes a gradual decline in asabiyyah among well-meaning participants. Adapting Peter Turchin's civilizational cycles, the author outlines phases: a growth phase where a new movement offers open status to early joiners, a stagflation phase where the frontier closes, and an involution phase marked by fragmentation, counterelites and criticism. The movement may then institutionalize or return to a low-growth state, and the author says EA is not yet in full involution.