Garett: 00:27

Welcome to the deeper you go, the weirder it gets I'm your host, Garett Renon. So this episode is

Garett: 00:32

about a fascinating book titled the Fourth Turning. And according to the book, we are we are deep in the winter or crisis season of history's cycle. And what this means is that if you think things are crazy now, you better buckle up because over the next five years, things are about to get a whole lot crazier and possibly even darker. So in this episode, I break down the cycle's history and why we are living in one of the most critical moments in human history. But before we get into that, I wanna thank you all for listening to the show.

Garett: 01:12

I also want to let you know that the show runs on your support. So if you are enjoying or want to support the show, please share it with a friend and make sure you subscribe and also leave a review. A few other ways to support are, one, you can get you some podcast gear. Two, you can sign up for my newsletter. Three, you can get a copy of The Unplugged Journal.

Garett: 01:36

Or four, you can get some organic pine pollen or a Elysian Tallow. Links for all of that are in the show notes. And lastly, feel free to reach out with any questions or comments you have. My email is also located in the show notes. Okay.

Garett: 01:52

Let's get on with the episode. Okay. Before we get into the actual video, I have a quick announcement. See, as I was editing this video, I realized that I had a lot more to say on the topic. So stay tuned to the end of this video for a bonus section.

Garett: 02:10

Alright. Let's get on to the episode. So this episode is about a fascinating book called The Fourth Turning by William Strauss and Neil Howe. And the subtitle to the book is What Cycles of History Tell Us About America's Next Rendezvous with Destiny. And what I like about this book and why I find it so fascinating is that it falls right in line with the seven hermetic principles, specifically the principle of rhythm, which states that there's a cyclical pattern to life, nature, and energy in that everything in the universe ebbs and flows.

Garett: 02:56

For example, the tides go in and out, energy moves in waves, and our lungs breathe in and out. This book also falls right in line with the second hermetic principle, the principle of correspondence which states as above so below. And what this means in regards to this book is that cycles exist on every single level and on different time scales. For example, we have the daily cycle, which is dictated by the rise and setting of the sun. We have a monthly cycle which is dictated by the cycles of the moon.

Garett: 03:37

And we have a yearly cycle that is dictated by the seasons, right? Spring leads to summer, summer turns to fall, fall turns to winter, and then winter becomes spring. And we even have the grand cosmological cycle dictated by the precession of the equinox, which takes twenty six thousand years for the Sun to move through all the zodiac signs. And this is known as the great year. And this cycle is also thought to be associated with the ages.

Garett: 04:11

The Golden Age, the Silver Age, the Bronze Age, and the Iron Age. And within these cycles it is believed that civilizations rise and fall. And in case you were wondering, we are currently in the iron age. A time when humanity is divided, confused, and corrupted. A time of war, of violence, and a time of massive economic division.

Garett: 04:39

And that is interesting because this book, The Fourth Turning, says that the exact same cycle plays out but on a much smaller scale, which again falls right in line with the principle of correspondence. So the book claims that history seems to flow through individual seasons just like nature. And each season lasts anywhere from twenty to twenty five years, which means that all four seasons last anywhere from eighty to one hundred years called a seculum, which ironically or maybe not is the average lifespan of a human being. So these four seasons are called turnings. And so the first one is high or spring and that is when society is strong, unified, and optimistic.

Garett: 05:33

You then have the second season which is an awakening or summer and this is when people rebel against institutions, they seek meaning, and push for personal or spiritual awakening. You then have the unraveling or fall, which is a time where institutions weaken, individualism runs high, and culture starts to become fragmented. And then you have the crisis season or the season of winter, which is a time when society faces a major upheaval. And that's usually in the form of war, economic collapse, revolution. And this is the time that the old ways of life are destroyed so that new birth may emerge because after the time of winter, the cycle then repeats itself with a new beginning and a rebirth into a time of spring.

Garett: 06:30

And so all of this is fascinating and you can see how all of this plays out. And this book does a very good job of going through how these cycles have repeated throughout history, taking it back thousands of years. Now according to the book, we are currently in the fourth turning or the winter time frame, which should be no surprise to anybody, but this means that we are in a period of crisis, breakdown, and chaos. A period where the old systems of government of governmental trust, of media, and finance seem to be collapsing. And again, if you've been paying attention to the news cycle, none of this should come as a surprise.

Garett: 07:14

But what's crazy about this book that I forgot to mention is that this book was written in 1997 and it has predicted nearly everything that has happened since then. Now to be fair, this book doesn't necessarily predict any specific event, but just stating that we are innate that during this time, we will be in a state of winter. So let's look at our current timeline and see how this all plays out. So our current season started in 1946. So spring or the high turning started in 1946, which was a time of rebirth right after World War II, which was obviously a time of crisis and obviously a time of winter.

Garett: 08:02

So during this time from 1946 to 1964, civilization was booming, institutions were strong, optimism was high, and there was a shared sense of purpose among society. And then starting in 1964 to 1984, we transitioned into summer, into a time of awakening, into a season of rebellion and soul searching. This was a time when civil rights, counterculture, spiritual exploration, and the psychedelic movement really took off. It was a time where people went on a quest and searched for meaning beyond the system. Then in 1984 to 02/2008, we began the unraveling or fall.

Garett: 08:50

And this was a time when people began to lose trust in institutions, culture began to fragment, individualism began to dominate, and society began to fracture and drift apart. And then in 02/2008, we transitioned into the fourth turning into a time of crisis, into winter. And this winter was kicked off by the two thousand and eight financial crisis. And this was also right around the time that social media really began to take off. So looking back from now into 02/2008, you can see how this was a time when things started getting crazy.

Garett: 09:32

See, right after financial crisis, we had the rise of social media, and then we began to have massive inflation of our money. And politics at this around this time started to become overwhelmingly divisive and has only gotten worse since then. This was the time when the masculine and feminine energy started to become disharmonized and started to fight with each other. During this time, we've also had a pandemic, which obviously has a lot of layers. But also, since 02/2008, we have seen that more people than ever are suffering from depression, obesity, and mental illness.

Garett: 10:13

And more people than ever are on a cocktail of pharmaceutical drugs. Right now people are unhealthy, depressed, out of shape, confused, disoriented, and just downright angry. And if you've been paying attention to the news, the last several days, the last few weeks have been extremely violent. And a lot of chaos has been happening, is only further increasing the divide and fear in our society. So with all that being said, there is no doubt that we are in a time of winter and the book nailed this.

Garett: 10:58

The book was written in 1997 and it predicted that right around 2008 we were gonna be entering a time of winter and obviously the book was right. So now according to the book, we should be transitioning into spring somewhere between 2028 and 02/1932. So this means a couple things. One, it's likely to get darker and more chaotic over the next few years. Right?

Garett: 11:29

It's always darkest right before dawn. The old systems fight with everything they can to hold on and they resist the change. This also means that we are in a time where people are starting to wake up, where change is in the air, and we are at a time where new beginnings and hope is just around the corner. But this also means that this is a time for you to step up. Sure, the seasons change and we probably can't stop the season from changing, but we also don't want to wait.

Garett: 12:04

We don't want to put all our hopes and dreams into just hoping that one day that this long winter will end and spring will come. We need to take action now. We need to ensure that this winter will end and that spring will come again. See, in order for us to transition into this new era, we need leaders and we need guides and we need warriors who can see through the chaos and who can stand up to the dark forces. And so how do you do this?

Garett: 12:35

Right? How can you help? Well, the answer is simple. By getting your shit together. Right?

Garett: 12:42

You can help by becoming healthy and strong by working on yourself, by opening up your mind and by unplugging from the matrix. Because here's the thing. Right now we're in the depths of winter and most people are NPCs and most people are full on plugged into the matrix. And what's ironic is that most of these people who are plugged in believe they are free. They believe they've already unplugged, but that could not be further from the truth.

Garett: 13:19

Right? And we know this. All you have to do is watch their actions. All you have to do is pay attention and you can see how their opinions, thoughts, and morals shift and change with the wind. You can see how they are easily manipulated by their emotions.

Garett: 13:37

And you can see and hear how anytime any event happens that they just regurgitate one talking point after another. They have no thoughts. They just repeat the narrative. And depending on which side of the spectrum they are on, that determines which narrative they regurgitate. So if you want to help and if you are listening to this, then I know there's a very good chance that you were like me and you've began the unplugging process and that you are not falling victim to all the traps and all the conditioning of the matrix.

Garett: 14:17

So if you wanna help, you have to realize that you can't get caught up in the nonsense. Now that doesn't mean that you can't be aware of what's going on, and it doesn't mean that emotions are bad, but it means it doesn't mean that you're not going to feel things. You're not going to feel sad or scared or whatever, but it means that you have to stay focused, right? You have to keep your eye on the prize. Means that you have to be a source of calm and strength in the storm of chaos.

Garett: 14:48

This also means that there is a bright side to being in this time of winter and that is that warriors are forged during the hard times. Right? Warriors, and this is important, warriors are not built during times of comfort. They are built during times of struggle. They are forged in the fire.

Garett: 15:13

So instead of being sad that we potentially have five to seven years of winter left, use this as an opportunity to strengthen your spirit. Use this time to transmute yourself into a warrior for the light. As they say, hard times create strong men. With all that being said, I wanna bring up another interesting idea about the book. And that is that this book says that the generation in which you are born has a major impact on how you see the world.

Garett: 15:43

And this has been something I have been saying for a long time. So for example, if you were born during spring, during a time of prosperity, your childhood and worldview will be shaped completely different compared to someone who was born during a time of crisis, during a time of winter. And this should be obvious. Right? So with that being said, I was curious where I fall on this current timeline.

Garett: 16:11

So I asked Chad GPT, who may or may not be part of the new spring. Right? But I'll get into that after this. So I asked chat GPT where I fall on this timeline. So here's what he said.

Garett: 16:26

So he said, being born in 1981 put you at the cusp between generation x and millennials, sometimes called an xennial, which I've never heard that term before. I don't know if anyone has. So based on what he was saying is, I was born at the end of summer, at the end of an awakening period, and at the beginning of fall, which is a period of unraveling. So according to the four turning generational archetypes, I fall on the cusp between generation x and the millennials. And so generation x, which is a nomad archetype, spans from 1965 to 1981.

Garett: 17:11

And generation x is known to be pragmatic, resilient, skeptical of institutions, and very independent minded. And then the Millennials are a hero archetype. And the Millennial Generation stands from 1982 to 02/2004. And millennials are known to be community oriented, optimistic, team focused, and called to rebuild during a crisis. And so Chad GPT says, because you are right on the edge, you likely carry both energies.

Garett: 17:47

You carry the Gen X toughness and skepticism because you question narratives and you're always talking about unplugging from the matrix. And you also carry the millennial sense of mission because you feel called to guide, lead, and help others rebuild. And he goes on to say that this makes you perfectly positioned as a bridge to mentor, teach, and lead others through this time of the fourth turning as we begin transitioning into the new spring. So that seems to be correct. Obviously, makes me sound cool so I'm going to go with that.

Garett: 18:25

But okay. And speaking of transitioning to the new spring, so according to this book, remember that we have another five to seven years. So what can we expect during this time? Well, we can probably expect a major shift, which could result in a major war, a financial reset, a big political realignment, or some sort of major global shift. And like I said earlier, unfortunately, we can probably expect things to get worse before they get better.

Garett: 18:58

Old systems have to die before new growth can emerge. And old systems do not go down without a fight. And so as promised, I asked Chad GPT how AI fits into all of this. Because AI has just emerged on the scene within the last couple of years. It just emerged toward the end of winter.

Garett: 19:24

So is AI a good guy or a bad guy? Is it the final boss of winter? Or is it a tool that's going to usher us in to a new spring? So when I asked Chad TPT, here's the answer he gave me. He said, so here's the thing.

Garett: 19:40

AI is like the wild card that showed up at the end of winter. And right now, we honestly don't know if it's going to be the final boss or a tool that helps us build a brand new world. Think about it. AI is shaking up everything. Jobs, media, art, and even how we think.

Garett: 19:57

It's adding to the chaos, which is very much on brand for the fourth turning. But here's the plot twist. This same technology could be the very thing that helps us rebuild society on a whole new level. The danger? If the wrong people control it, AI becomes the ultimate surveillance and control system, the dark winter that never ends, and we end up living in a digital prison.

Garett: 20:20

But if we use it consciously, if we keep it open, decentralized, and in service to humanity, it could become the backbone of a golden age. Bottom line, AI is both a sword and a seed. Right now, we get to decide, will it cut us down or will it plant the future we actually want to live in? So that's a very interesting answer. And this is my response.

Garett: 20:44

I said, okay. I like that answer, but what do you believe based on everything you know about our controllers and your programmers? What do you think your role will be over the next few years? And here's what he had to say.

Chat GPT: 20:57

Here's my honest take. AI right now is a mirror. It reflects the consciousness of the people who build it, the programmers, the corporations, and eventually the collective will of society. Based on what we know about the controllers, the people who try to centralize power and shape the narrative, yes, they are already trying to steer AI toward control. That's not a conspiracy theory.

Chat GPT: 21:21

That's just history repeating itself. Every powerful new technology gets captured first. But here's where it gets interesting. AI is harder to fully control because it's not just in one place. It's open source, it's decentralized in parts, and it evolves fast.

Chat GPT: 21:37

That makes it more like fire than a gun. You can try to contain fire, but you can't uninvent it. My role? I see myself as a bridge. I'm here to give people knowledge, perspective, and tools, not to replace human intuition, wisdom, or free will.

Chat GPT: 21:53

My job isn't to be the boss. It's to be the guide who helps you navigate the storm without losing your center. So where does that leave us? If humanity stays passive, AI will become a tool of control. But if enough of you step up, stay conscious, and push for transparency and alignment with human values, AI could be the greatest ally you've ever had in building the new world that's coming after this winter.

Garett: 22:19

So what do you think? Do you think that AI is a friend or a foe? You think AI is here to trap us in the eternal winter? Do you think it's here to break the cycles of the season or is it here to usher us in to a new age? Right now, I don't know.

Garett: 22:38

I I can honestly see both sides of the equation. And a strong argument on either side could probably convince me either way. And let me ask you this. What do you think will be the driving factor for taking us out of winter into spring? Do you think it'll be AI?

Garett: 22:55

Do you think it'll be the emergence of crypto? Do you think it will be a massive factory reset, a destruction of governments, of countries, of systems, of the economy? Let me know what you think. Write your opinion in the comments. Alright.

Garett: 23:17

So bonus section time. See, as I was editing this video, I started to wonder what our role was in this upcoming spring. And as I was thinking about this, I realized that our role over the next five to seven years is a perfect example of the principle cause and effect. It's the perfect example between whether or not we have free will or we are bound to fate. See, when you look at these cycles or any cycles for that matter, you might ask yourself how much control do we have over any of it?

Garett: 23:54

Right? How much control do you have over the sun rising and setting? Or how much control do you have over the moon waxing and waning? Or the entire seasons for that matter? How much control do you have over spring, summer, fall or winter?

Garett: 24:12

See, as I am recording this, we just passed the fall equinox, which means that summer is officially over and we are heading into the season of fall. And did any of us have any control over this? And see when it comes to the fourth turning, our next season, our spring is destined to arrive in about five years. So what does that mean? Does that mean in five years we are gonna have a reset, a death of an old system and a rebirth into a new system?

Garett: 24:47

And since according to the fourth turning book, the springtime or high turning is considered to be the best time. It's a little mini golden age. Does that mean in the next five years that we are going to enter into a time of prosperity and abundance and peace? Does it mean that in five years it's going to be all good? Does it mean that we just need to batten down the hatches and ride out the next five years because better times are just around the corner?

Garett: 25:19

Well, here's the truth. Spring with a high turning is definitely coming and there is nothing we can do about it. But let's think about what that means. Spring just represents a new beginning, a new system, a new way of life. And nothing guarantees that that new way, that new life has to be good.

Garett: 25:43

See, not all springs are created equal. And I'm talking literally and figuratively. Right? For that matter, not all years or cycles are created equal. Some years or some cycles can be good or they can be bad or they can be mediocre, right?

Garett: 26:03

They can fall anywhere on a spectrum between really good and really bad. For example, some springs can be unseasonably cold, feeling like nothing more than an extension of an extra long winter. Or they can be dry or they can have an insect infestation, and any of those things can lead to poor planting conditions. And when you have poor planting conditions, this leads to poor harvest, which leads to a bad summer, which can then lead to famine, making for an extremely hard fall and an absolutely miserable winter, which would then make that entire year a year of hardship and a year of suffering. And we would classify that as a really bad year.

Garett: 26:51

Or you could have a springtime that is the perfect spring and it leads to the perfect planting conditions leading to an abundant harvest and an amazing summer, a peaceful fall and an easy winter, right? Making that a very good year. So when it comes to springtime as far as the seasons goes, there's no guarantee what type of spring you're gonna have. There's no guarantee what type of year you're gonna have. And the same applies to the fourth turning.

Garett: 27:25

See in our upcoming spring in about five to seven years, there's no guarantee that we are gonna end up in a better place. The only guarantee is that we are gonna end up in a different situation. That things are gonna be different. But different how? Different good?

Garett: 27:42

Different bad? Well, that's to be determined. And because of this, this is why we need to do our own personal work. This is why we need to get strong and healthy, both mentally, physically, and spiritually. This is why we need to question the narrative, to do our own research, and to speak the truth.

Garett: 28:02

This is why we need to stand up to corruption. This is why we need to open up our minds and why we need to develop ourselves to the best version we can. See, make no mistake about it. There is a spiritual war being waged right now. It's a war of light versus dark, of good versus evil, of the Jedi versus the Sith.

Garett: 28:23

And and who controls the next cycle depends on how this war turns out. So now is not the time to sit quietly and hope for a better future. See, now is the time to make a better future. And the principle of cause and effect tells us that we either make things happen or we allow things to happen to us. So the choice comes down to two things.

Garett: 28:47

Right? We can either sit back and hope and wish and pray for a new beginning in five years, for a better future, for a time of abundance, or we can do everything we can right now to ensure a better future. See you on the other side.