Happy New Year from us all here at
This year is going to move fast. Politically, culturally, and emotionally, there will be no shortage of noise, urgency, and pressure to react. You can already feel it building. New conflicts, old grievances resurfacing, stronger language, harder lines, and a growing sense that everyone is being asked to pick a side quickly and loudly.
Our commitment at the Common Sense Network this year is simple, even if the work itself is not. We want to create space for conversation. Not performative debate, not shouting matches, not content designed to score points or provoke outrage, but real conversations that help people understand what is actually happening and why. Conversations that build understanding, restore a measure of trust, and leave room for people to change their minds without being shamed for it.
That matters more than ever in a fast-paced year. When everything feels urgent, reflection is usually the first thing to go. We aim to be a place you can keep coming back to, a steady reference point as events unfold and narratives harden. We are not interested in telling you what to think. We are interested in helping you think clearly, fairly, and with integrity.
This approach shapes everything we are doing in 2026. Our content will move quickly when it needs to, but it will not be careless. We want to respond to what is happening in real time while still taking the time to ask better questions. Who is speaking? Who is being left out? What assumptions are being made? What incentives are at play? What history is being ignored?
That commitment is reflected in one of our most recent conversations, the discussion with Mansour on Islam, the idea of religion and peace, and the harder questions around extremism and radicalisation. It was not a tidy conversation, and it was never meant to be. We went back and forth, challenged one another, clarified definitions, and sat with disagreement rather than rushing past it.
That is the kind of dialogue we want to model. The Middle East, Islam, terrorism, radicalisation, and religion are subjects that are often reduced to slogans or treated as too volatile to approach honestly. We believe the opposite. These are precisely the conversations that require patience, nuance, and good-faith engagement. If you have not watched or listened to that conversation yet, I would encourage you to do so. It is not about winning an argument. It is about understanding what is actually being said and why it matters.
As we move through the year, you will see more of this. Long form conversations. Thoughtful analysis. Events that bring people into the room rather than keeping them at a distance. Speaking of which, we will be launching our first event of the year in the next few days. It is designed to do exactly what we talk about here, bringing people together across perspectives for real discussion. Keep an eye out for that announcement.
If you want to stay connected with everything we are putting out, there are a few simple ways to do that. If you have not already, subscribe to our YouTube channel, where most of our long-form conversations live.
Follow us on social media for clips, commentary, and updates as things develop. And of course, if you are reading this on Substack, subscribing here helps ensure you do not miss the deeper pieces that sit alongside the video content.
We are not pretending this year will be easy. It will be demanding, emotionally charged, and at times uncomfortable. But we believe there is real value in slowing down just enough to understand before reacting, to listen before labelling, and to speak with clarity rather than volume.
That is what we are here for. We are glad you are here with us.
Yours Ever,
Mike Omoniyi
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