We are living through a quiet power transition — not from one institution to another, but from one way of knowing to another.

Data no longer needs to be right. It needs to resonate. AI doesn’t win by proving itself correct, but by feeling aligned. Executives don’t ask for dashboards; they ask what customers are “vibing with.” Even burnout is no longer framed as failure, but as the body rejecting a story it no longer believes.

In a world where meaning is contested, narrative has become infrastructure. And power now accrues less to those who are correct — and more to those who can shape what feels right.

“High-flying growth with shaky roots” defines today’s economy: soaring Mag7 valuations mask the decay on Main Street, while private equity avoids facing losses in a new rate regime. Value is eclipsed by price, optionality always carries cost, and defaults—set quietly by tech and politics—shape the rules of engagement. True capitalism thrives when it disrupts, not when it entrenches.