As many others do, I look out over our society. I see plenty of things I like, but I also see plenty of things going wrong. I see us not living up to our full potential.

I’ve thought about some of the patterns of thinking and conduct that hold us back. The causes of some of our issues. And I’ve thought about, if I could indulge in a colossal wish, what lessons I would instill the youth of today.

But these maxims I’ve hammered out aren’t just for the young. They’re for the young at heart. They’re for the people whose hearts haven’t hardened. They’re for the people still willing to look at the world in new ways. And if you have the right spirit, that outlook will last you your entire life.

Nothing here is new. Practically every point here has been beaten to death by prophets, philosophers, preachers, motivational speakers, and folk singers. But they’re every bit as true and essential now as they’ve ever been.

Over the course of 2025, I intend to come back to the points on this list. I want to elaborate on the points and defend why they’re important.

I’ve been working on this list for a while, adding things, removing things, editing things. I finally hit 33 entries and decided it was a good stopping point. The list can’t possibly include everything. Plus 33 is the number of years Jesus walked the earth. It’s a good number and seemed fortuitous.

Instead of trying to find some profound ordering, I decided to order them by length. Shortest to longest. Once I tried sorting it that way, I was surprised how nicely it turned out.

So, without further ado, here are the 33 maxims:

1. Don’t be a tool. (Link)
2. Don’t be a slave to fear. (Link)
3. You’re not a victim. You’re a hero! (Link)
4. Don’t let cynics and naysayers make their failures yours. (Link)
5. Normal is just a word, and being “different” isn’t a flaw. (Link)
6. Don’t let anybody rob you of the dignity and nobility God gave you.
7. Don’t let the government and the media decide who your enemies are supposed to be.
8. Never wait on others to fix problems. It’s the fastest way to ensure nothing gets fixed.
9. Hold fast to your God-given identity. Don’t let it be trampled by mobs, movements, “causes”, political parties, etc.
10. Whenever someone tries to convince you of something using the words “common sense”, they’re trying to manipulate you.
11. Take responsibility for your actions. In particular, mind how your actions affect others, both directly and indirectly.
12. Beware of idolatry and hero worship. It’s okay to admire people, but be careful when it crosses the line into adoration.
13. When you’re wrong, admit it. There’s no shame in being wrong. There’s plenty of shame in being wrong and in total denial about it.
14. It takes a lot of courage to acknowledge the truth when others refuse to do so. It’s essential to seize that courage and do exactly that.
15. Respect your elders, but don’t blindly follow them. Seek to benefit from their wisdom but don’t be afraid to recognize when they’re wrong.
16. Jealously is a surprisingly pervasive driver of a lot of our thoughts. Take time to question whether your opinions might be colored by jealousy.
17. It’s only in the hard times, when friendships face actual tests, that we find out who our real friends are. The untested friendship is of unknown quality.
18. Be smart about the politicians, groups, and causes you associate with. Don’t be surprised if, rightly or wrongly, others blame you for those parties’ misdeeds.
19. The true measure of a person’s kindness is seldom shown in how they treat you. Instead, it’s reflected in their behavior towards the person they’re the lousiest to.
20. Do not gossip or spread rumors, especially online. It’s cowardly, virtually impossible to take back, and deprives the subject of any right to refute the accusations.
21. You are defined by what you’re willing to stand for, and what you’re willing to stand against. If you’re unwilling to stand for anything, do you even have a definition?
22. To fight communism, fascists will push you to embrace fascism. To fight fascism, communists will push you to embrace communism. Shun both, because they both embrace evil.
23. Taking an unpopular position is only as noble at the position itself. To be contrary and correct is a virtue. To be contrary and wrong is to simply be wrong in smaller company.
24. Be dependable. When you say you’re going to do something, make every effort to follow through and do it. If people come to see you as unreliable, that’s a hard reputation to shake. (Link)
25. Community is something we all build and must never be taken for granted. If we all fail to participate in it, it ceases to exist. We depend on community and community depends on us. (Link)
26. Don’t let the older generations enslave you with their wars, their feuds, their hatred, their bitterness. Even now, they seek to manipulate you and make you a pawn in their sick games.
27. Remember the Golden Rule. Treat others as you would like to be treated. It’s the most fundamental building block of human relationships. Though it’s short and simple, it takes a lifetime to master.
28. A truly great amount of suffering, resentment, and violence comes from one party trying to force its will onto another party. Never seek to impose your will on others, and demand that others respect your own freedom.
29. Stand against ALL terrorists and war criminals, particularly the ones that politicians and the media try to paint as “allies”. The definition of a war crime or terrorist act is in the act itself, not who committed it.
30. Loyalty is only a virtue when assigned to the right party. Loyalty to God is sublime. Loyalty to your fellow human beings and country is wonderful. Loyalty to friends and family is great. Loyalty to an individual or corporation is incredibly dubious, at best.
31. People truly opposed to tyranny oppose it at all levels and from all sources. Opposing federal tyranny but welcoming it at the state or local level is pure hypocrisy. That goes double for people who rail against government tyranny but turn around and support corporate tyranny.
32. Don’t ever let anybody dictate to you what it means to be a “patriot” or to love your country. Few of these elitist pseudo-patriots have ever sacrificed a damned thing for the country. When someone refers to themself as a “patriot”, question their grounds for declaring themselves worthy of the term.
33. Censorship is an inherently oppressive act. Even when used with the best of intentions, it very seldom brings about good results. Its use carries with it a tacit fear that the ideas we would silence are stronger than our own. Other than the protection of human life, there are very few legitimate uses, if any.