2026: The Year of The Try

If I had to name the desired defining cultural vibe of 2026, it would be this:

We’re finally done pretending we don’t want things.

This is the year of trying. Loudly, visibly, sometimes even a little embarrassingly. And the culture will be better for it. After a decade of ironic detachment and calling everything “cringe,” the pendulum has swung. Effort is back. Hunger is back. Ambition is no longer a dirty word.

And honestly? Thank God.

I have a feeling this has a lot to do with AI. You can read Adam Mosseri’s thoughts here and respectfully, I don’t agree with what he’s saying. Because beyond needing to be raw (I don’t agree with this), my sentiment on the next year for culture is that trying out loud will define success. Trying is cool, trying is real, trying is human. .

And look at the people who are winning right now. They’re not the too-cool-to-care types. They’re the ones who are owning their desire to succeed. Exhibit A: Timothée Chalamet, who is out here campaigning for an Oscar like it’s his personal Olympics. He’s shaking hands, kissing babies, showing up at every festival, performing the ancient ritual known as “press.” It’s transparent, it’s earnest and it’s working because we can finally admit we like when people try. The performance is part of the performance.

Then there’s Addison Rae in response to people saying she’s trying too hard on her rebrand in music. The singer said in an interview:

That line hit like a cultural reset button. She’s one of the most scrutinized faces on the internet and she said f*ck that noise, I’m doubling down on the try.

Same with A$AP Rocky sharing this sentiment back in 2015:

In the past few years, we’ve become so damn comfortable with scrutinizing folks who actually go after what they want. But it stops HERE.

In 2026? We want the try. It’s refreshing. It’s cool. It’s fun.

I think the best and brightest example of early 2026 are our babies Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie from ‘Heated Rivalry’. Not only did their characters define yearning in 2025 — which IMO is just an elementary offshoot of wanting, trying, going for it — in their real lives, these actors became overnight sensations who went from “Who are these guys?” to “Oh, they’re everywhere.”

And what made their rise so electric is that they didn’t shy away from it. They leaned in. They said, effectively: Yes, this is our moment. Yes, we’re going to enjoy it. And yes, we want more. That self-possession is the new currency. Audiences can smell ambivalence now and we reject it.

Reality TV has been ahead of this curve for years. Lisa Rinna tried to warn us with her immortal commandment: “OWN IT.”

Reality stars are the purest expression of ambition in the entertainment ecosystem. They are workhorses and show ponies. Clocking in with a willing to be messy, dramatic, and deeply committed to the grind if it means another season, another storyline, another brand deal. They’re not pretending to be above commercials, they’re begging for them in every scene (compliment). And because they’re honest about it, their power grows.

This matters more than ever because celebrity itself is unstable. When anyone, including AI, can become famous, the only thing separating “celebrity” from “person with views” is intention. We need stars who want to be stars. We need public figures who care enough to shape culture, not just react to it.

Samantha Bush from Bravohistorian just commented on this as well:

Ambition is what creates longevity, story arcs, and actual meaning. Otherwise, we’re just watching a feed refresh. So here’s the cultural call to action for 2026: Stop shaming people for trying!

Trying is not cringe. Trying is not embarrassing. Trying is human.

This is the year we support the strivers, the campaigners, the delusional believers, the self-promoters who know exactly what they’re doing. Because ambition isn’t the enemy. Cynicism is. And if we want a better, richer, more intentional celebrity culture – or even just a more honest and human internet – we have to reward the people willing to show their effort.

In 2026, wanting things is cool again. Let’s keep it that way.