“The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.” 
— Dr Albert Einstein (1879 to 1955), German-born theoretical physicist

As I began writing my first column for 2024, I was prompted by a question from a close friend, who, disheartened by the current state of the world, asked, “Where have all the good people gone?” In a time filled with conflict, hostility, and reactive behavior, her question felt urgent and relevant.

To me, her perspective — somewhat pessimistic — suggested that corrupt individuals have taken center stage while decent, ordinary people remain quiet and overlooked. I disagreed. I believe good people still outnumber the bad. However, finding them can be difficult, especially across generations, as people hold diverse values and behaviors. Many good individuals prefer to live quietly rather than seek attention.

So how do we find them? I suggested forming meaningful relationships with people who reflect our values. This takes time, open-mindedness, and empathy — traits that seem increasingly rare. But surrounding ourselves with like-minded communities or engaging in shared causes can help. As someone once said, “Good attracts good, bad attracts bad.”

It’s normal to feel like goodness is rare during tough times, but many people continue to do good in both small and significant ways. They may not be in the spotlight, but their actions matter. The key is to seek them out and build those connections.

As we enter 2024, let’s hope these decent individuals step into leadership roles. The world urgently needs responsible, wise adults to guide us forward.

Yet, history often favors stories of evil. We hear more about villains than heroes. From Attila the Hun to Hitler, the narrative tends to glorify their cruelty. Perhaps it’s because history is shaped by those in power. This bias leans toward showcasing evil more than good.

Evil often seems simpler and more easily organized than good. As science and technology have advanced, our moral development has lagged behind. Education focused solely on academic skills without ethical grounding is incomplete. Despite centuries of searching for a universal moral compass, we still struggle to define “good,” even as we master complex scientific knowledge like splitting atoms.

This imbalance suggests we may be more skilled at enabling evil than fostering goodness. A dictionary might define “good” as virtuous or morally upright, while “evil” — rooted in the Latin word “mal” — is more vividly described with examples like dishonesty, greed, or violence. Perhaps that’s why people understand evil more clearly than they do good.

Ultimately, good and evil are defined by what is morally right or wrong — yet modern society has blurred this line. In 2023, the world faced immense challenges — from geopolitical unrest to climate disasters. Now more than ever, we need people of integrity to step up.

Let 2024 be the year we welcome these good, ethical individuals into positions of leadership. They will help us navigate what is right, with clarity and strength. As someone once said, “There is no right way to do a wrong thing.”