Opinion

A revolution is coming. It is already here, and we find ourselves at a crossroads. We will either trade tit for tat with those who would take our rights from us in the inevitable switching of political parties, or we can embrace this revolution and relegate our opponents to the dustbin of history through complete and total dominance. A choice lies before us, and the key to our success is adoption. Every major problem that we face as an industry can and will be solved as we embrace this new revolution. New demographics, ages, economic strata, etc. This is our key. We simply cannot afford to miss the opportunity and developing tools that sit in front of us in a pending revolution that most don’t recognize yet.

In this op-ed, I am going to show you the revolution that is coming as I see it. We will explore lessons from the last major revolution of this scope, the Industrial Revolution. Finally, we will explore the similarities that I see and how we can follow the guide of history to further not only our Second Amendment but bring new blood and demographics into our fold to continue the fight in a way that has never been possible.

We in the 2A space are no strangers to being pushed out of the conversation. The media, Hollywood, and politicians have pushed us out to such an extreme that we have formed our own distribution networks. As an industry, we have developed written distribution through articles, editorials, and investigative journalism. We have an entire YouTube infrastructure (of which I am a part of with my channel Langley Outdoors Academy) built around testing, new product releases, experimentation, legal analysis, breaking news and activism.

One could truly say that the gun rights advocates no longer need any legacy organization for support, as we have built our own ecosystem. 

We must get in front of the next leg of distribution that is on the horizon. There is a revolution coming, only mirrored by the industrial revolution of the 1800s in scope and scale. We must seize this opportunity and harness the power of this new revolution, which has already started and guarantees generational change.

The revolution that is coming is the AI revolution.

It will change everything in our world: content creation, legal research, grassroots organizing, etc. While it is currently in the novelty phase, it is no doubt coming whether we like it or not.

As we progress through this idea, I would like to highlight a few pieces of historical data that will put the revolution in front of us in perspective. For reference, the Industrial Revolution is considered between the years of 1760 – 1870. This time frame would be considered the “second” industrial revolution, but it will be the focus of my article. Here is a look at “before” and “after” of the Industrial Revolution.

Before the Industrial Revolution (1760s-1820s):

• The US economy was primarily agricultural, with about 90% of the population engaged in farming and subsistence production.
• Manufacturing was largely artisanal and small-scale, conducted in homes or small workshops using hand tools and basic machinery.
• GDP per capita grew slowly at approximately 0.5-1% annually, with total GDP estimated at around $12-15 billion in 1800 (in 2012 dollars).
• Production was limited by human and animal power, seasonal constraints, and local market access due to poor transportation infrastructure.

After the Industrial Revolution (1820s-1870s):

• Manufacturing output increased dramatically, with textile production alone growing by over 1000% between 1820-1860.
• Railroad mileage expanded from virtually zero in 1830 to over 30,000 miles by 1860, revolutionizing transportation and market access.
• GDP per capita growth accelerated to 1.5-2% annually, with total GDP reaching approximately $98 billion by 1870 (in 2012 dollars).
• Steel production increased from negligible amounts in 1850 to over 1 million tons by 1880, enabling massive infrastructure development/
• The workforce shifted significantly, with manufacturing and services growing from 10% to nearly 40% of employment by 1870.

As you can see from the data above, the growth that occurred during and after the Industrial Revolution was staggering. When the Industrial Revolution hit, manufacturing wasn’t just improved—it was transformed. Textile production alone grew by over 1000% between 1820 and 1860. This wasn’t a gradual change; it was an exponential disruption.

The same exponential potential exists with AI tools for our community… In the areas of content creation, legal research, grassroots organizing, etc., everything will adapt. One thing that I want to specifically highlight is the amount of movement in people, jobs, and their approach to their lives. This is where the power of the coming AI Revolution will shine for the 2A community. The shifting of people and expertise that will come from the changes in design, administration, creation, etc., in our space is going to be significant.

This is where a word of caution must be introduced. History shows us what happens when transformative technology meets early adopters. During the Industrial Revolution, GDP per capita growth doubled from 1% to 2% annually. Railroad infrastructure exploded from zero to 30,000 miles in just 30 years. If we apply this pattern to AI adoption in the 2A space, we could see unprecedented growth in new products, models, demographics, market penetration, message penetration, and activism engagement. However, if we ignore or resist this, we will harm our industry, population, and movement. It is imperative that we adopt these new tools and position ourselves in front of our opposition.

In fact, the similarities between the Industrial Revolution and AI Revolution are much closer than you’d think. Here are just a few examples; you can judge for yourself if you see any common themes.

• Initial resistance and skepticism from established industries and workers who fear displacement mirror current concerns about AI replacing jobs.
• Labor markets experience significant upheaval, with some jobs disappearing while new categories of work emerge that require different skill sets.
• Early adoption creates significant competitive advantages for businesses and nations that embrace the new technologies first.

We certainly have the initial resistance and skepticism down pat. Humans in general are resistant to change; that is not necessarily a bad thing. However, there are times when we can overcome that resistance to outmaneuver our opponents on the left. Upheaval is not a theory; it is a guarantee. There will be jobs and services that will be lost, but we will gain new and more efficient means of furthering our industry. I liken this to a wildfire that clears out a forest, makes fertilizer for all future generations to draw from, and makes way for green shoots and new trees that wouldn’t have a chance without the necessary destruction and resources provided.

This last bullet point is the best one. Early adoption is the key to success. If we are the first to race to the forefront, we will beat our opponents there and put them on the backside of a generational revolution, which they are not even beginning to observe.

In closing, I don’t see this addition of tools and technology as an option, but a must. We simply must embrace the changes that are coming that will 100% be a part of the future. This is not a hypothesis; this is a guarantee. We have seen it before in the Industrial Revolution, and now it is our time to take a front seat in our generation’s revolution. Rather than be a passenger on this grand experiment of our country, let’s grab the wheel and harness the power of new possibilities. Together, we will drive our Rights forward, infuse new generations in our Rights fight, and position ourselves well beyond our opponents. The question really boils down to, will you?

About Braden Langley

Braden Langley is a Christian, husband, father, and American-born patriot. The worst nightmare of the left is a bible carrying, gun-toting, rush baby. Braden has carved a name for himself in the 2A Gun Rights / News / political analysis gun space on YouTube through his channel Langley Outdoors Academy. With over 200 million views, 3400+ videos and almost 600k subscribers, Braden focuses multiple times daily on 2A updates, the politics that surround it, and the inevitable march to the reclamation of our Rights. “I will never give up, I will never stop fighting for our Rights and I know that there are millions of patriots out there who feel the exact same way. We will fight for our country and take it back together”.