Keen on America: Andrew Reflects on 2025 & 2026
Happy New Year everyone! As the final show of 2025 and first for 2026, we turned the tables and had me interviewed by the formidable David Masciotra. As you will see, my reading of 2025 is more optimistic than many of my guests. And my sense about 2026 is that it will be a happier year for America than 2025 (which isn’t saying much). As I explain to David, I suspect the zeitgeist is shifting back to a cautious optimism about the American future. Despite all the doom-mongering, 2025 was actually an exciting year for movies, books, and music — the artistic world being at least as vibrant and diverse as it was twenty years ago. That said, I warn about the medieval wealth gap between rich and poor, Trump’s pride in willful cruelty to immigrants, and the increasingly chasmic divide between young and older Americans.
This is all speculative, of course. But what I can promise is that this show will remain a daily broadcast featuring America’s leading commentators. So stay tuned. I can guarantee that 2026 will be an exciting year for all KEEN ON AMERICA viewers, listeners and readers.
Keen On America is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe
Why 2023 was the year in which we finally got to converse with AI: Kevin Surace explains why creative artists must master AI technology in 2024
The KEEN ON 2023 Fiction Awards: Bethanne Patrick's six favorite novels of the year
In Defense of Henry Kissinger's "pragmatic realism": Charles Kupchan critiques the illusional idealism that he believes has undermined American foreign policy over the last decade
Why the 21st Century will be the Asian Century: Kishore Mahbubani on the end of Western domination and the rise of Asian societies, economies and philosophies
International anarchy, murderous crime lords and the 21st century nation-state: Miles Johnson explains how the violence of today's international criminal gangs mirror the authoritarian politics of our age
How AI can fix the future of healthcare, education and climate: Mark Minevich imagines a planet positively powered by AI
Among the Criminal Bros: Max Marshall on a Fraternity crime story that reflects the rigged system of money and power in 21st century America
The victory of the gut over reason: Kevin Casas-Zamora worries about the fragile state of democracy around the world in 2023
On the Dire State of the Free Press in 2024: Andy Lee Roth explains how "solutions journalism" offers a more truthful alternative to corporate owned media in America today
Why AI will radically disrupt traditional internet search engines: Keith Teare on Google, OPenAI and the crisis of online search economics
How collaborating on #CrimeTime strengthened this couple's marriage: Jeneva Rose and Drew Pyne discuss their TikTok driven crime mystery based on an actual robbery in their Chicago apartment building
Is there really rampant anti-semitism at elite American universities like Columbia? Shai Davidai on what these universities should be doing to confront anti-semitism and foster a two-state peace between Israelis and Palestinians
The 19th century American explorer who exposed the brutality of the Russian imperial system: Gregory Wallance on the original George Kennan and his epic journey through the frozen heart of Russia