Latest / All About The Joy / 20 Don’ts for a Saner, Kinder 2026: Media Literacy, Culture, and Real Joy

Transcript

20 Don’ts for a Saner, Kinder 2026: Media Literacy, Culture, and Real Joy · All About The Joy

• 0:00
  Carmen Lezeth: Hey everyone, welcome to All About the Joy.
• 0:02
  Carmen Lezeth: This is Carmen Talk, and I'm Carmen Lisette, your host.
• 0:05
  Carmen Lezeth: And this is the first episode of 2026, and I'm here to tell you the top 20 things you should not do in 2026.
• 0:15
  Carmen Lezeth: Okay, this is some of this stuff is gonna anger some of you, but you know what?
• 0:19
  Carmen Lezeth: Like, I'm just here for the information to share with you from my point of view, things you should not be doing in 2026.
• 0:27
  Carmen Lezeth: Number one thing you should not do in 2026.
• 0:30
  Carmen Lezeth: Do not be an ice agent.
• 0:33
  Carmen Lezeth: Listen to me.
• 0:34
  Carmen Lezeth: I was just doing my job, has never fared well in history.
• 0:41
  Carmen Lezeth: Let's just be honest, you look kind of silly and stuff.
• 0:44
  Carmen Lezeth: You know what I mean?
• 0:44
  Carmen Lezeth: With like the all the mask, and huh?
• 0:46
  Carmen Lezeth: And it's not really that hard to take down an abuela and you know, some landscapers and shit.
• 0:52
  Carmen Lezeth: It's not that hard.
• 0:53
  Carmen Lezeth: And yet you're out there doing it as if it is your due diligence.
• 0:56
  Carmen Lezeth: And I'm telling you, worst job ever.
• 0:59
  Carmen Lezeth: Don't be an ice agent.
• 1:00
  Carmen Lezeth: That's really simple.
• 1:01
  Carmen Lezeth: That's number one.
• 1:02
  Carmen Lezeth: That's number one for all you out there.
• 1:04
  Carmen Lezeth: I know work is hard, but find something different, okay?
• 1:08
  Carmen Lezeth: All right, number two, this is really important.
• 1:11
  Carmen Lezeth: This is for all of you, especially Trump supporters.
• 1:14
  Carmen Lezeth: I say this with such respect and kindness, but I have not met a Trump supporter yet who can name every one of these things.
• 1:22
  Carmen Lezeth: So do not get caught not knowing who represents you in Congress.
• 1:29
  Carmen Lezeth: Okay?
• 1:29
  Carmen Lezeth: Very important.
• 1:30
  Carmen Lezeth: And here are the ones you need to know.
• 1:32
  Carmen Lezeth: Here are the ones you need to know.
• 1:33
  Carmen Lezeth: I'm gonna give it to you.
• 1:34
  Carmen Lezeth: Two senators from the state you live in.
• 1:37
  Carmen Lezeth: There are two senators.
• 1:38
  Carmen Lezeth: You need to know who those two senators are.
• 1:41
  Carmen Lezeth: You should know who is your representative in Congress, your U.S.
• 1:46
  Carmen Lezeth: representative.
• 1:47
  Carmen Lezeth: Okay.
• 1:47
  Carmen Lezeth: This person represents you in Congress.
• 1:51
  Carmen Lezeth: So you should know it's based on your district.
• 1:54
  Carmen Lezeth: Number three, you should definitely know who your governor is.
• 1:58
  Carmen Lezeth: Okay, shout out to Gavin Newsom.
• 2:00
  Carmen Lezeth: I'm just saying you should know who your governor is.
• 2:03
  Carmen Lezeth: You should also know who your mayor is.
• 2:06
  Carmen Lezeth: You should know who your mayor is.
• 2:08
  Carmen Lezeth: Now, extra credit if you can name your actual state legislatures.
• 2:13
  Carmen Lezeth: Okay, that's a little bit harder, that's a little bit more in the weeds.
• 2:16
  Carmen Lezeth: But you should know the basics, you know.
• 2:18
  Carmen Lezeth: Honestly, for me, I can name three of those, but if we start going really down in, I can't.
• 2:23
  Carmen Lezeth: But I can name all of the ones I just told you and then some.
• 2:27
  Carmen Lezeth: But those are the basics you should know.
• 2:29
  Carmen Lezeth: Okay, so take note.
• 2:30
  Carmen Lezeth: Great.
• 2:31
  Carmen Lezeth: Thanks.
• 2:31
  Carmen Lezeth: Okay, number three.
• 2:33
  Carmen Lezeth: Number three on the list, very important for all you people who love television and movies.
• 2:38
  Carmen Lezeth: Baby, please don't argue about a TV show or a movie you have not seen.
• 2:43
  Carmen Lezeth: We can tell.
• 2:44
  Carmen Lezeth: Just because you watched someone on TikTok do a summary does not mean you know what they're talking about.
• 2:50
  Carmen Lezeth: Do not talk about a movie or a TV show you have not seen, period, and stop.
• 2:56
  Carmen Lezeth: Thank you so much.
• 2:56
  Carmen Lezeth: I really appreciate that.
• 2:58
  Carmen Lezeth: Number four.
• 2:59
  Carmen Lezeth: Number four.
• 3:01
  Carmen Lezeth: Don't pretend you don't like Hallmark movies.
• 3:04
  Carmen Lezeth: Stop it.
• 3:05
  Carmen Lezeth: Okay.
• 3:06
  Carmen Lezeth: Some of us need a small town bakery and a gorgeous man named Nick to get us through the year.
• 3:12
  Carmen Lezeth: Okay?
• 3:13
  Carmen Lezeth: So embrace that shit.
• 3:14
  Carmen Lezeth: Hallmark, you're doing good.
• 3:16
  Carmen Lezeth: Okay?
• 3:17
  Carmen Lezeth: Okay, number five.
• 3:18
  Carmen Lezeth: This is really important for all the content creators out there.
• 3:21
  Carmen Lezeth: Just because you go viral doesn't mean you are right.
• 3:26
  Carmen Lezeth: Do you hear me?
• 3:28
  Carmen Lezeth: And this is for everybody else who's also listening or watching any of these content creators who go viral.
• 3:35
  Carmen Lezeth: Just because you go viral does not mean your information is correct.
• 3:38
  Carmen Lezeth: No, it does not.
• 3:40
  Carmen Lezeth: So please stop that.
• 3:41
  Carmen Lezeth: That's a very, very important one.
• 3:43
  Carmen Lezeth: Okay.
• 3:44
  Carmen Lezeth: Number six, let's go with number six.
• 3:47
  Carmen Lezeth: Please stop saying I don't follow politics.
• 3:50
  Carmen Lezeth: Okay, you're not bragging, you're confessing.
• 3:53
  Carmen Lezeth: And as much as you think you don't do politics is a thing, I swear to you, if you have not noticed it yet, you certainly will, but politics is motherfucking doing you.
• 4:04
  Carmen Lezeth: You know that.
• 4:06
  Carmen Lezeth: So stop saying that.
• 4:08
  Carmen Lezeth: Okay, thanks.
• 4:08
  Carmen Lezeth: Okay, and this one I actually need to read off of my script because I want to make sure I get it right.
• 4:15
  Carmen Lezeth: This is a very specific one, but it's also for a lot of other people, you writers and everything.
• 4:19
  Carmen Lezeth: Listen, do not confuse shock value with storytelling.
• 4:25
  Carmen Lezeth: Okay?
• 4:26
  Carmen Lezeth: When you kill a character like Bobby Nash on the TV show, you're not just writing drama, you're dismantling the plot and betraying the audience's emotional contract.
• 4:38
  Carmen Lezeth: Okay?
• 4:38
  Carmen Lezeth: This was never a reality show, Tim Manier.
• 4:42
  Carmen Lezeth: Is that your name?
• 4:42
  Carmen Lezeth: Tim Manier?
• 4:43
  Carmen Lezeth: I don't know if I'm saying your name right because I hate you so much.
• 4:46
  Carmen Lezeth: 911 was a comfort show.
• 4:49
  Carmen Lezeth: It was a bubblegum TV show.
• 4:51
  Carmen Lezeth: It was a show we went to and loved, and you ruined it.
• 4:56
  Carmen Lezeth: Shout out to Peter Krause out there.
• 4:58
  Carmen Lezeth: Happy New Year to you, Cap.
• 5:00
  Carmen Lezeth: We miss you, we love you.
• 5:01
  Carmen Lezeth: I don't watch a show anymore.
• 5:02
  Carmen Lezeth: Number eight.
• 5:03
  Carmen Lezeth: This maybe should have been number one, but I'm I made it number eight.
• 5:07
  Carmen Lezeth: So number eight, please don't post your New Year's resolutions.
• 5:11
  Carmen Lezeth: We all know you're gonna take that shit down like February 1st, if not before.
• 5:15
  Carmen Lezeth: We've already seen it.
• 5:16
  Carmen Lezeth: It's boring.
• 5:17
  Carmen Lezeth: Just don't do it.
• 5:18
  Carmen Lezeth: Just just don't do it.
• 5:19
  Carmen Lezeth: Do not post it.
• 5:20
  Carmen Lezeth: Make it an internal thing.
• 5:22
  Carmen Lezeth: You know what I mean?
• 5:22
  Carmen Lezeth: Put it on your calendar.
• 5:24
  Carmen Lezeth: Write it on your hand.
• 5:25
  Carmen Lezeth: Do whatever you need to do, but but we don't need to see that shit.
• 5:28
  Carmen Lezeth: Because we know you're not going to keep doing it after February 1st.
• 5:32
  Carmen Lezeth: And I'm not talking about me because I didn't make no resolutions.
• 5:38
  Carmen Lezeth: Okay.
• 5:41
  Carmen Lezeth: This one's gonna be a little touchy.
• 5:43
  Carmen Lezeth: This is number nine.
• 5:44
  Carmen Lezeth: Number nine on the list.
• 5:46
  Carmen Lezeth: Do not ghost people.
• 5:47
  Carmen Lezeth: What is wrong with you?
• 5:49
  Carmen Lezeth: This is not mysterious.
• 5:50
  Carmen Lezeth: This is not even hard to do.
• 5:52
  Carmen Lezeth: It is cowardly.
• 5:53
  Carmen Lezeth: You are a coward.
• 5:55
  Carmen Lezeth: Okay.
• 5:56
  Carmen Lezeth: Let's use our big boy voices, our big girl voices, our big kid voices, and let's communicate with each other.
• 6:06
  Carmen Lezeth: Okay?
• 6:07
  Carmen Lezeth: If you are upset with somebody, don't ghost people.
• 6:10
  Carmen Lezeth: Let them know.
• 6:11
  Carmen Lezeth: If you don't want to date somebody, let them know.
• 6:14
  Carmen Lezeth: There's too much technology around for you not to be able to come to terms with what it is you want to say.
• 6:21
  Carmen Lezeth: So, number nine, do not ghost people, okay?
• 6:24
  Carmen Lezeth: Be better than that.
• 6:26
  Carmen Lezeth: Number 10, don't treat misinformation like a personality trait.
• 6:31
  Carmen Lezeth: What is wrong with you?
• 6:32
  Carmen Lezeth: It takes literally minutes for you to Google and find out if that information is correct.
• 6:38
  Carmen Lezeth: And all you need to do is get three sources minimum for whatever you're going to dish out of your mouth.
• 6:44
  Carmen Lezeth: If you think it's factual because so-and-so said it who's a YouTuber and he has a million followers, you a fool.
• 6:51
  Carmen Lezeth: You need to be double checking everything.
• 6:53
  Carmen Lezeth: Everything.
• 6:54
  Carmen Lezeth: You got the resources right in front of you.
• 6:56
  Carmen Lezeth: You don't have to walk to the library, you don't even have to make much effort.
• 7:00
  Carmen Lezeth: The problem with you people is you just keep believing anything anybody tells you because you think they're pretty or because you think they have so many followers.
• 7:08
  Carmen Lezeth: Check everybody.
• 7:10
  Carmen Lezeth: Three resources.
• 7:11
  Carmen Lezeth: If you're going to turn around and say it again, three sources minimum.
• 7:16
  Carmen Lezeth: And here's the most important part you can still make a mistake after getting those three resources.
• 7:21
  Carmen Lezeth: And you know what you do when you figure out that you're wrong, when you have made a mistake, own it.
• 7:29
  Carmen Lezeth: Own it.
• 7:30
  Carmen Lezeth: Apologize for it.
• 7:32
  Carmen Lezeth: Correct it.
• 7:33
  Carmen Lezeth: Fix it.
• 7:34
  Carmen Lezeth: Stop being a dumbass in 2026.
• 7:36
  Carmen Lezeth: That's really what that's about.
• 7:38
  Carmen Lezeth: That's really what that is.
• 7:39
  Carmen Lezeth: Stop being a dumbass in 2026.
• 7:41
  Carmen Lezeth: Fact check your shit.
• 7:43
  Carmen Lezeth: It's too easy not to do.
• 7:45
  Carmen Lezeth: Thank you.
• 7:45
  Carmen Lezeth: Thank you.
• 7:46
  Carmen Lezeth: Oh, this one's a big one.
• 7:48
  Carmen Lezeth: This is a big one.
• 7:49
  Carmen Lezeth: Listen, do not judge people who clap when the plane lands.
• 7:52
  Carmen Lezeth: You know, I mean, some of us are just thanking Jesus, Zeus, and Beyoncé for the safe passage.
• 7:58
  Carmen Lezeth: You know what I'm saying?
• 7:59
  Carmen Lezeth: So, um, you know, I know it's a weird thing, but I just don't want to be judged anymore.
• 8:04
  Carmen Lezeth: Every time I land, I am thanking.
• 8:06
  Carmen Lezeth: Zeus, Jesus, and Beyoncé for my safe passage.
• 8:13
  Carmen Lezeth: Number 12.
• 8:16
  Carmen Lezeth: This is a big one.
• 8:16
  Carmen Lezeth: This is a big one for me, okay?
• 8:19
  Carmen Lezeth: Please don't pretend that you discovered some song that's been famous for like 30 years.
• 8:25
  Carmen Lezeth: Seriously, I will always love you was like 30 years ago, okay?
• 8:31
  Carmen Lezeth: I think it was 1992, Whitney Houston.
• 8:34
  Carmen Lezeth: You did not discover this song.
• 8:35
  Carmen Lezeth: This is not a new song.
• 8:36
  Carmen Lezeth: This is not a new song.
• 8:38
  Carmen Lezeth: You may have just discovered it, but this is not like something new to the rest of us.
• 8:42
  Carmen Lezeth: So remember, you should revere your Gen X people because we probably know that song and a whole bunch of other songs from before our time because we were forced to listen to our boomer parents, generations music, and whatever it was before then.
• 8:57
  Carmen Lezeth: Like, we know all that shit.
• 8:59
  Carmen Lezeth: Like I can name Sammy Davis Junior songs, and I can name some Frank Sinatra shit, and then we can go back even further.
• 9:05
  Carmen Lezeth: And I because we we have that, but stop acting like you discovered some new song, you know, by Tupac Shakor.
• 9:14
  Carmen Lezeth: What is wrong with you?
• 9:16
  Carmen Lezeth: Ooh, number 13.
• 9:17
  Carmen Lezeth: This is gonna hurt some of you.
• 9:19
  Carmen Lezeth: Okay, it's 2026.
• 9:21
  Carmen Lezeth: Stop saying I don't see color.
• 9:23
  Carmen Lezeth: Okay.
• 9:24
  Carmen Lezeth: You've always seen color.
• 9:26
  Carmen Lezeth: I've always seen color.
• 9:27
  Carmen Lezeth: Let's let's now just admit that we see color.
• 9:30
  Carmen Lezeth: We want to see color, okay?
• 9:33
  Carmen Lezeth: And let's honor the differences, let's celebrate that diversity, okay?
• 9:38
  Carmen Lezeth: Let's stop lying.
• 9:39
  Carmen Lezeth: Let's stop it.
• 9:40
  Carmen Lezeth: And let's act accordingly.
• 9:43
  Carmen Lezeth: Let's act like the nation here in the United States we claim to be one of love and unity and and yeah, maybe we're not any of those things, but I'm just saying stop saying that you don't see color.
• 9:56
  Carmen Lezeth: We all see color.
• 9:57
  Carmen Lezeth: Always have, always will.
• 9:58
  Carmen Lezeth: And that's not a bad thing.
• 10:00
  Carmen Lezeth: It's a good thing.
• 10:01
  Carmen Lezeth: It's a good thing.
• 10:03
  Carmen Lezeth: Ooh, number 14 is probably one of my favorites.
• 10:06
  Carmen Lezeth: I was gonna make this number one, but you could see the problem here.
• 10:08
  Carmen Lezeth: There were so many that were gonna be number one, but this one is so good.
• 10:12
  Carmen Lezeth: Okay, listen, do not argue with people in the comment section.
• 10:16
  Carmen Lezeth: Bitches, please.
• 10:17
  Carmen Lezeth: Like you're fighting with a bot named Freedom Eagle underscore 47.
• 10:22
  Carmen Lezeth: Let it go.
• 10:24
  Carmen Lezeth: Move the fudge on.
• 10:25
  Carmen Lezeth: Enough.
• 10:26
  Carmen Lezeth: Why are you even bothering?
• 10:27
  Carmen Lezeth: We need to start ignoring the people that are just fighting to fight.
• 10:31
  Carmen Lezeth: Imagine.
• 10:32
  Carmen Lezeth: Imagine what would happen if every time you were in a comment section and instead of arguing with the dumbass who is acting stupid, you just ignore them.
• 10:42
  Carmen Lezeth: Everybody just ignored them.
• 10:43
  Carmen Lezeth: Stop fighting with people in the comment sections.
• 10:46
  Carmen Lezeth: Ooh, this is a good one too.
• 10:49
  Carmen Lezeth: Don't pretend you're above pop culture because you're not, okay?
• 10:52
  Carmen Lezeth: If Denzel Washington raises an eyebrow or Lynn Manuel Miranda sneezes, Hollywood is going to react, okay?
• 11:01
  Carmen Lezeth: Hollywood is going to react.
• 11:03
  Carmen Lezeth: Respect the ecosystem.
• 11:05
  Carmen Lezeth: That's all.
• 11:06
  Carmen Lezeth: That's all you need to understand.
• 11:07
  Carmen Lezeth: Enough.
• 11:08
  Carmen Lezeth: Enough with the hating of celebrities.
• 11:11
  Carmen Lezeth: I'm done.
• 11:12
  Carmen Lezeth: Number 16.
• 11:15
  Carmen Lezeth: Don't say I'm just playing devil's advocate.
• 11:19
  Carmen Lezeth: Listen, the devil has enough advocates here on earth, enough representation.
• 11:24
  Carmen Lezeth: We don't need you to play devil's advocate at all.
• 11:27
  Carmen Lezeth: We need you to figure out how to fix the situation.
• 11:30
  Carmen Lezeth: Come up with tools to fix the situation because we all know what the problem is.
• 11:34
  Carmen Lezeth: We all do.
• 11:35
  Carmen Lezeth: Thank you.
• 11:36
  Carmen Lezeth: This is a big one, especially for all of you out there who are a little scared of AI.
• 11:41
  Carmen Lezeth: Listen, don't treat AI like a therapist.
• 11:44
  Carmen Lezeth: Okay?
• 11:44
  Carmen Lezeth: Seriously, please do not treat AI like a therapist.
• 11:47
  Carmen Lezeth: It's here to help.
• 11:49
  Carmen Lezeth: It's not here to replace people.
• 11:51
  Carmen Lezeth: I don't care what people have told you, no matter what you think, AI is not your friend and it is not human.
• 11:57
  Carmen Lezeth: It is not human.
• 11:58
  Carmen Lezeth: It's not even trying to pretend to be human.
• 12:01
  Carmen Lezeth: The people who own all of the AI sources, that's who you should be careful of.
• 12:05
  Carmen Lezeth: The people who are programming, who are those are the people you should be afraid of.
• 12:10
  Carmen Lezeth: You know what I'm saying?
• 12:11
  Carmen Lezeth: AI is a tool.
• 12:13
  Carmen Lezeth: Think hammer.
• 12:14
  Carmen Lezeth: Ooh, this one is just a little bit of wisdom that I have, you know, been really dealing with my entire life, but it has really come really good and concrete in the past years.
• 12:24
  Carmen Lezeth: Listen, don't confuse boundaries with walls, okay?
• 12:28
  Carmen Lezeth: One protects your peace and the other one isolates you.
• 12:33
  Carmen Lezeth: Okay?
• 12:33
  Carmen Lezeth: What we want is boundaries, not walls.
• 12:37
  Carmen Lezeth: Boundaries are good, walls are bad.
• 12:40
  Carmen Lezeth: Okay, I see you got that.
• 12:43
  Carmen Lezeth: Great.
• 12:43
  Carmen Lezeth: Good.
• 12:44
  Carmen Lezeth: Number 19.
• 12:45
  Carmen Lezeth: I know we've heard this said so many times, but it's so true.
• 12:50
  Carmen Lezeth: Please don't forget to touch grass.
• 12:52
  Carmen Lezeth: Literally.
• 12:53
  Carmen Lezeth: I love screens.
• 12:56
  Carmen Lezeth: I love technology.
• 12:57
  Carmen Lezeth: I know what this medium is and I am embracing it fully and completely.
• 13:02
  Carmen Lezeth: But every day without fail, I make sure I go out for a walk, get some sun, get some grass under my feet, and walk along the beach and the sand.
• 13:12
  Carmen Lezeth: Well, I don't really walk in the sand so much, but you know, they got the pathway.
• 13:15
  Carmen Lezeth: But I'm just saying go outside for 20 minutes a day, do something.
• 13:21
  Carmen Lezeth: Stop, stop being obsessed with screens.
• 13:26
  Carmen Lezeth: Stop it.
• 13:28
  Carmen Lezeth: Number 20 is the most important one to me, and it's one that I talk about all the time.
• 13:33
  Carmen Lezeth: Don't confuse happiness with joy.
• 13:37
  Carmen Lezeth: Happiness is external.
• 13:40
  Carmen Lezeth: It's what happens to you.
• 13:41
  Carmen Lezeth: It is something that you really can't control, and it ebbs and flows, right?
• 13:46
  Carmen Lezeth: I've said this a million times.
• 13:48
  Carmen Lezeth: I eat a piece of chocolate cake, I'm happy.
• 13:50
  Carmen Lezeth: I get a bonus at work, I'm happy.
• 13:53
  Carmen Lezeth: Somebody smiles at me, I'm happy.
• 13:56
  Carmen Lezeth: Joy is innate.
• 13:58
  Carmen Lezeth: Joy is something you can work on.
• 14:00
  Carmen Lezeth: Joy is something that comes from within you, and joy is a choice.
• 14:04
  Carmen Lezeth: And that is why we have our show, All About the Joy, because at the end of the day, it really is all about how you choose to see the world in front of you.
• 14:14
  Carmen Lezeth: You get to decide your perspective.
• 14:18
  Carmen Lezeth: You get to decide how you deal with everything.
• 14:21
  Carmen Lezeth: It doesn't matter what comes your way, you have the ability to change the trajectory of how it happens, how it goes, how it is defined, how it moves you, how it how you move through it.
• 14:36
  Carmen Lezeth: At the end of the day, it really is all about the joy.
• 14:40
  Carmen Lezeth: And I hope that you will continue to hang out with us on all of our shows and contribute to what we're trying to do here, which is always in a space of joy.
• 14:51
  Carmen Lezeth: So thank you for stopping by.
• 14:54
  Carmen Lezeth: Thank you for hanging out with us.
• 14:56
  Carmen Lezeth: Thank you for your support.
• 14:57
  Carmen Lezeth: Please like and share, and please make sure that you subscribe to any of our channels.
• 15:04
  Carmen Lezeth: We would really, really appreciate it.
• 15:05
  Carmen Lezeth: And again, at the end of the day, it really is all about the joy.
• 15:09
  Carmen Lezeth: And we'll see you next time.
• 15:10
  Carmen Lezeth: Bye.
• 15:11
  Carmen Lezeth: Thanks for stopping by, All About the Joy.
• 15:16
  Carmen Lezeth: Be better and stay beautiful, folks.
• 15:18
  Carmen Lezeth: Have a sweet day.