Wit & Wisdom with Tom Greene

As we get on in age, we often tend to spend time thinking about legacy. About what things we leave behind for others. But that's not the right way to think about legacy. We shouldn't be thinking about the stuff that matters to us. We should be thinking about the traits we pass on. The ones that tend to live on long after we are pushing up daises. 

Today's conversation started with a simple observation during an ordinary drive. It made me think about how we handle mistakes, detours and the quiet adjustments we are forced to make in life. Those adjustments that often and color and richness to our lives. 

The older I get the more I realize that wisdom and growth isn't always about adding. It's about subtracting; letting go. Because the life you envisioned isn't always the life you actually want. 

If you're reading this summary then you likely survived dry January. The time when 1/3 of Americans give up booze for 30 days. Or at least try. It's a nice idea and your liver needs it. Alcohol consumption is down in the US already, way down. But what are the unforeseen consequences of all this sobriety. You'll have to listen to find out. 

The loudest voices, the angriest voices, seem to have taken over the stage. We are naturally empathetic people but only to a point. We used to be able to have a conversation and disagree without being disagreeable. We could have empathy and still disagree. Today empathy is hijacked by movements and you either agree on you're wrong and immoral. How did we get here? 

Parents today have pulled out all the stops for this kids. During a period of unprecedented prosperity today's kids have enjoyed the finest schools, clothes, neighborhoods, cars, etc. All in an effort to give kids the good life. But what if all we were doing was setting the kids up for disappointment later in life when the real world started for them?

We are told constantly that the world is cruel, people are selfish and civility is a relic of a bygone era. Maybe I'm old school but I think that's BS. There are tons of signs that civility is alive and kicking. You'll have to listen to learn why.  

This generation came of age during the most prosperous time in human history. Parents provided their kids with every advantage and allowed them to sample the good life. It came with the message of study hard, stay out of trouble, get into a good college and all your wildest dreams will come true. Now as that generation enters the real world, they're finding out how misleading that dreamy sales pitch really was. Like an all-inclusive vacation where the glossy brochure totally oversold the promise of the good life. 

It's that time of year. The time when we look back at 2025 and figure out which podcasts you liked the most. There were three winners in 2025 that got you really fired up. Jump in and enjoy this "best of 2025" episode of Wit & Wisdom.