We can do better in 2026
Resolve to do better. Review what went right and what went wrong. Release resentment. Let go of regret. Renew a commitment to virtue and wisdom. When things look dark, anticipate the dawn.
That was the gist of my New Year’s column for the Fresno Bee, which was about the importance of seeking wisdom in a world that is often bleak:
A good life requires a sustained pursuit of wisdom. Wisdom begins with self-knowledge. We also need to understand the world and the way things work. Unfortunately, we can get lost in illusion or become beguiled by bull. It is easy to fall prey to wishful thinking, conspiracy theories and other malarkey.
2025 generated quite a bit of nonsense and for many of us a sense of despair. There is a lot of hogwash to wade through in order to find clarity, truth, and wisdom. An example is the “six-seven” meme that entertained kids in 2025. It is fun and meaningless. Kids love it. But it is a symbol of how stupid junk goes viral.
It is OK to “have a little fun folks.” This is especially true when the dismal darkness looms. But fun is no substitute for wisdom. And these days, many adults appear to be stuck in a juvenile doom loop. We are laughing ourselves stupid and goofing ourselves to death, as bullshit flows from high places.
Our leaders fail to inspire. True leaders should remind us of virtue. They should model intelligence. And they should demonstrate compassion. But often they don’t. The sordid mess of the Epstein files is an illustrative example of profound failure—in politics, the legal system, and our broader culture. The Epstein affair expoxes ugliness of oligarchy and crony capitalism, the filth of sexual exploitation, and a corrupt system of legalistic and political cover-ups.
It wasn’t all bad in 2025. But even the good news seemed tainted. The AI revolution made it easier than ever to learn. But as professors and teachers are now well aware, AI also makes it much easier for students avoid learning. Or consider the energy of the “no kings” rallies. It is great that people took to the streets to affirm that there should be “no kings.” But it should not be necessary to say this, as we approach the 250 anniversary of the American republic.
There is still too much evil, stupidity, and incompetence. This includes ongoing wars and extra-judicial violence. Among the worst ideas at large in the world is the idea that violence makes things better: whether this is terrorism, assassination, or state-sponsored attacks. Similarly troubling is racism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, and all kinds of other intolerance. People continue to deny science and reality. There is general contempt for expertise and experience. And corruption, nepotism, and cronyism are shamelessly on display. Worst of all is rising authoritarianism. Power has a dangerous tendency to run amok.
None of these are new problems. But in 2025, evil, stupidity, and incompetence were interwoven in ugly and mutually reinforcing ways. One commentator, Susan Glaser, has suggested that 2025 was a “golden age of awful.” What is especially worrisome is that as things get worse, some people zealously maintain that this is a new golden age, and that the world is getting better. Others simply shrug. Meanwhile suffering and injustice continue.
The way forward is to find our way back to the philosophical insight that “the unexamined life is not worth living.” And to re-affirm the Greek wisdom that says “know thyself” and “nothing in excess.” We also need to celebrate the modern world and its project of enlightenment. We can improve our lives. And we have. Modern technology has defeated diseases and delivered knowledge to the computers in our homes and in our pockets. Modern secular democracies allow us to live together in peace despite our differences. And we know now how to live happy and healthy lives—by eating well, exercising our bodies, and developing our brains. We also know that justice and compassion are necessary for well-being the body politic.
We can improve ourselves in 2026. But improvement depends upon the will to do better. We can’t simply shrug. Nor should we pretend that it is “all good.”
We already know the recipe for living well and doing better. We should moderate our appetites. We should seek the truth. We should stand up for justice and offer compassion. And we should affirm the value of science, secularism, and democracy. There should be “no kings” but also no greed, no sexual exploitation, no racism, no violence, no lies, and no more bullshit.
I concluded my Bee column with a hopeful exhortation:
In a sense, the world begins again every morning. Each day is an opportunity to grow wiser and do better. But our lives will not improve unless we choose to make them better. And they won’t improve if we wallow in malarkey.
Nor can we improve if we drown in denial or delusion. Some unwise souls blame everything on someone else. Or they put lipstick on a pig, insisting that everything is great. It is tempting to duck responsibility or to pretend that you are already wise and virtuous, but this is merely another form of ignorance.
The turn of the new year is an opportunity to take stock of what we value, to let go of bad habits and to begin again. The process of reviewing, releasing and renewing is essential for living well. May you find wisdom in the new year, along with a few moments of clarity, inspiration and joy.
Best wishes for a wiser new year.