Over the long term, the future is decided by optimists. To be an optimist you don’t have to ignore all the many problems we create; you just have to imagine improving our capacity to solve problems.

It’s my birthday. I’m 68. I feel like pulling up a rocking chair and dispensing advice to the young ’uns. Here are 68 pithy bits of unsolicited advice which I offer as my birthday present to all of you. (For