Act Four: Saying goodbye to 2017

For a long time, I went to the Christmas Revels in Cambridge, Mass., every winter, and even though I'd heard it a dozen times, I never ceased to be touched by a poem that Susan...

Alyssa Rosenberg on culture and politics   A boy looks at candles during the "One Million Stars" event, hosted by the Swiss humanitarian organization Caritas as a sign of solidarity with the infirm and the poor, in front of the Swiss Federal Palace (Bundeshaus) in Bern, Switzerland. (Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) For a long time, I went to the Christmas Revels in Cambridge, Mass., every winter, and even though I’d heard it a dozen times, I never ceased to be touched by a poem that Susan Cooper wrote for the conclusion of the show. It’s called “The Shortest Day,” and though it’s technically about the winter solstice, I always associate it with the coming of the new year. “So the shortest day came, and the year died, / And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world / Came people singing, dancing / To drive the dark away,” Cooper wrote. “As promise wakens in the sleeping land: / They carol, feast, give thanks, / And dearly love their friends, / And hope for peace.” This has been a difficult year both nationally and, for some of you, personally (the two, of course, are not exactly disconnected). I understand if those sentiments don’t resonate with you, especially if it doesn’t seem like the waning of 2017 and the arrival of 2018 represent any real demarcation between different periods. We’re in for a long ride here. But for me, one of the most important things that 2017 itself reminded me is that we’e never out of opportunities to make things better, whether that means rededicating ourselves to our families, friends and most immediate local communities, or getting engaged around big legislative fights and elections in far-away states. There is never a point at which there isn’t something we can do, or at which there’s no purpose in trying to do even a little good. I’ve relied tremendously on all of you this year, whether you’re emailing me in response to questions I pose here, talking through big ideas in my chats or even taking the time to joke around on Twitter. I in no way mean to say that anything I do here is of great import to the fate of the Republic, but I am grateful to all of you for keeping me focused on the mission of my column and these newsletters. I couldn’t curate the conversations I do without you. I hope that as the end of 2017 approaches this weekend, you can spend time with people you dearly love, and that our hopes for peace of every variety will be answered in 2018. Thank you. From ‘The Chi’ to ‘Ocean’s 8,’ the pop culture I’m most looking forward to in 2018 From the dangerously escapist science fiction of 'Annihilation' to the reckoning with history in 'Chappaquiddick,' the pop culture of 2018 can't get here soon enough. By Alyssa Rosenberg  •   Read more » ADVERTISEMENT In 2017, I encouraged you not to get trolled. In 2018, don’t let your brain get hacked. Ignoring disgraced provocateurs like Milo Yiannopoulos is just the start. Smarter people will follow him, using subtler methods. By Alyssa Rosenberg  •   Read more »   The second season of ‘The Crown’ feels as restricted as the monarch herself Netflix should be the perfect home for "The Crown." But the show hasn't taken advantage of its presence on a streaming service to experiment with season and episode length in a way that would let it breathe. By Alyssa Rosenberg  •   Read more »   ADVERTISEMENT The most interesting part of ‘The Post’ is its portrait of the Washington swamp Doing journalism means facing tough choices. But avoiding corruption isn't always as simple as it looks. By Alyssa Rosenberg  •   Read more »   ‘The Trump Show,’ Season 1, Week 48: “We don’t care” "The Trump Show" made its point not with drama, but with an almost scary degree of understatement. By Alyssa Rosenberg  •   Read more »   Recommended for you     Get The Intersect newsletter The corner of the Internet and interesting, in your inbox weekly. Sign Up  »         Share Act Four:    Twitter     Facebook Trouble reading? Click here to view in your browser. You received this email because you signed up for Act Four or because it is included in your subscription. For additional free newsletters or to manage your newsletters, click here. We respect your privacy. If you believe that this email has been sent to you in error or you no longer wish to receive email from The Washington Post, click here. Contact us for help. ©2017 The Washington Post, 1301 K St NW, Washington DC 20071