Last year, or the year before, I suggested that we all endeavor to allow fewer distractions into our lives.
This year, as our group New Year’s resolution, I am suggesting that we share less. Much less.
The idea came to me after a phone call with a friend in Boston. He came from modest means and has worked, saved, and invested like a madman for the last 20 years. He is now in a position to not work, but of course he still does.
He has chosen to remain in his first house, a cramped two-bedroom affair in a working class neighborhood. His wardrobe is a predictable mix of Mercer and Sons shirts, wool sweaters from J Press, winter coats from a deceased uncle (not a joke), any chinos that are on sale, and LL Bean ankle boots. His car is some sort of Honda, I think from this century, but perhaps older.
He is not what anyone would consider Old Money, but he has instinctively adopted so much of the philosophy, sometimes to the extreme.
He is so secretive that I once told him that he makes the Kremlin look like a Facebook page. He laughed, then revealed something very interesting.
He said that a lot of people think that having a lot of money is the opportunity to show off and tell everyone else to go to hell. He viewed it, however, as bestowing the privilege of living under the radar and not being obligated to tell anyone anything.
I think we can all take a step in that direction. In 2026, let’s commit to sharing less. Let’s share none of our problems during social encounters. Let’s compartmentalize and complain, if we must, briefly and in private, only to our family and confidantes. Once we’ve shared, let’s move on to more pleasant topics.
Let’s also keep our own good fortune to ourselves. Let’s celebrate the success of others, but remain in the background when it comes time to brag about accomplishments.
I am not paranoid, but I do know this: during challenging economic times, resentment runs high, even among friends and especially among family. People often blame others for their misfortunes, and a handy scapegoat is always those who’ve enjoyed more success.
And while many want to ‘tax the rich’ (public policy) or ‘eat the rich’ (public protest), these same zealots can just as quickly turn to any friend or relative that they think has money for a loan (which they’ll want to keep quite private, ironically).
Of course, if people already know you have money, the proverbial cat is already out of the bag. All you can do now is dress modestly and join everyone else in complaining about the price of groceries.
But it’s never too late to be discreet. Less sharing in 2026.
- BGT