2021 Was Better Than 2020

Not every year is the worst year ever, it turns out.

Way back in December 2014, back when Donald Trump was in fevered negotiations about whether or not to return as the host of the television program “The Apprentice,” I wrote, for Medium, a short column called “Every Year Is The Worst Year Ever.” The premise was simple: At the end of every year, people complain about how terrible the year was and how much better they hope the next year will be, and they will do this at the end of year as long as there are years. As silly as it is that we humans do this, there’s also something charming, even optimistic about it.

This is actually charming, I’d argue, and even hopeful. To look back and fret and mourn is to look forward and believe the future holds something different. It doesn’t, of course. But bless our hearts for thinking otherwise! It takes a certain sort of courage to believe that this year of heartbreak was unique, to be kicked in the face by humanity’s worst instincts over and over and over and think it’s just a blip, a bug rather than a feature. It’s how we move on; it’s how we deal with all of it. So here’s to 2014: May its miseries ultimately be washed away by future miseries! Cheers!

I have continued to feel this way since I wrote that piece, and I’d argue a key piece of evidence for it is that I honestly…