Introduction:
Doubt comes when you care, real people doubt when they are unsure to take right or left. This is what I found most resonating in 2022, do not try to eliminate doubt but live with the anxiousness and excitement it brings.
1. Democracy, Climate Change & Political strife
Optimism that next year (2023) will be better than the current year (2022) has fallen from 77% to 65% and is at a 10-year low. 45% of people believe that a major disaster will hit their city in 2023, fear of disaster happening is led heavily by climate events we experienced in recent years including a hotter planet that has led to drought in some places these are the result of data conducted by Ipsos.
The UN is predicting famine in some parts of Africa. The war in Ukraine by Russia has contributed to further grain shortages globally.
We saw the fast decline of individual brilliance and a slow build of the idea of communal knowledge, and the importance of the institution. Voters went out in the United States and restore democratic governance by splitting their tickets
2. Diversity & Inclusion
The four largest cities (NYC, LA, Chicago, & Houston) are led by Black mayors! More importantly, take a minute and recognize the progress we made. More people of color moved into the position of governance, and the most recognizable was the Supreme court nomination and confirmation of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson.
The Respect for Marriage Act, signed by President Biden, further increased the protection of LGBTQ inclusion in the United States.
3. Future forecast
What is the value of memorizing anything when machines have become the support to our brain for storing information? In middle and high school, I didn’t have internet. I remember school then was meant to help me build a large memory and a collection of information I can process to make decisions.
Now, we gather data on almost every data point of our lives, google search, when we post on social media, how much we contribute monthly to social security checks, and if we have retirement savings or can afford a vacation. What if we could use those points to flag people struggling and support them before they fall through the crack to homelessness?
4. What I learn in 2022
In 2022, I learned I don’t have to be expectational in every area of my life because setting an expectation to be good at everything I do makes normal not good enough. Statistically, there are more normal days in our life span than exceptional days. So, if I set my expectation to find only those sparkling moments, I will suffer more than I enjoy.
5. My hope for 2023
I hope we prioritize community over individual brilliance. We lost more artists, entertainment, and sports figure to suicide in the last three years than any other time reported on artistry and suicide. More people are struggling due to isolation from pro-long Covid19, and all I mentioned at the beginning. How do we make it less alone for others in turn making our world friendlier, both in person and online?
With globalization, I hope we are less tribal (only agreeing with people that look like us, dress like us, and talk like us.), mixing with people who don’t look like us, and understanding how we can relate with others and work together. As an assignment, try to invite me to your community. I love meeting and speaking with new and old communities.