April 2023

by Kyle Paoletta,

[Letter from Boulder]

Numinous Strangers

The enduring allure of pilgrimage

by Lisa Wells,

Harper’s Magazine welcomes reader response.

Email us about articles in the magazine.

[Harper’s Index]

Minimum number of Americans who believe that hell exists but heaven does not : 2,608,367

[Harper’s Index]

Who would take a vow of celibacy in exchange for never having to do their taxes again : 20

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which the government has proposed decreasing this fee : 81

[Harper’s Index]

Amount, in hours, by which the top-earning 10 percent of U.S. men worked less last year than in 2019 : 77

[Harper’s Index]

By which the bottom-earning 10 percent of men worked more : 37

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of American men aged 25 to 54 who are neither working nor seeking work : 1/9

[Harper’s Index]

Factor by which the number of U.S. job-offer scams reported since 2019 has increased : 3

[Harper’s Index]

Minimum amount U.S. workers lost last year to these scams : $249,962,090

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage decrease in the past year in job postings for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion positions : 27

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of U.S. workers who believe they are treated unfairly : 1/2

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of U.S. workers who describe their workplace as at least somewhat “toxic” : 1/5

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage increase since 2019 in the number of whistleblower tips sent to the Securities and Exchange Commission : 136

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage increase since 2020 in the number of expletives used on corporate earnings calls : 60

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of U.S. workers who would switch jobs for greater pay transparency : 2/3

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of workers seeking jobs elsewhere who believe they are being paid below market rates : 2/3

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which U.S. workers with a best friend at work are less likely to look for another job : 25

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of U.S. workers who have used ChatGPT for work who have not disclosed this : 68

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of K–12 educators who have caught students using ChatGPT to cheat : 1/4

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of Americans who have paid to use online dating platforms : 1/3

[Harper’s Index]

Who believe that online dating algorithms can predict love : 1/5

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which U.S. women are more likely to think infidelity is wrong for married men than for women : 22

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of parents who feel that their partner judges their parenting ability : 1/2

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of parents with children under 18 who are worried about their children’s mental health : 3/4

[Harper’s Index]

Who are worried about their children being kidnapped : 3/5

[Harper’s Index]

Minimum portion of Americans who cannot identify an influential person in their community : 7/10

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of influential figures identified who are politicians : 63

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage decrease over the past five years in the number of Americans who believe in God : 6

[Harper’s Index]

Chances that a U.S. adult under 30 believes in astrology : 2 in 5

[Harper’s Index]

Amount Americans spend each year on the “psychic services” industry : $2,200,000,000

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of religious Americans who believe that God can hear prayers and intervene in the world : 42

[Harper’s Index]

Who believe that God can hear prayers but cannot intervene : 28

[Harper’s Index]

Minimum number of Americans who believe that hell exists but heaven does not : 2,608,367

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Americans who do not know the deadline for filing taxes : 69

[Harper’s Index]

Estimated portion of Americans who owe no federal income taxes : 2/5

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Americans who believe their neighbors cheat on their taxes : 48

[Harper’s Index]

Who would take a vow of celibacy in exchange for never having to do their taxes again : 20

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which the government has proposed decreasing this fee : 81

[Harper’s Index]

Amount, in hours, by which the top-earning 10 percent of U.S. men worked less last year than in 2019 : 77

[Harper’s Index]

By which the bottom-earning 10 percent of men worked more : 37

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of American men aged 25 to 54 who are neither working nor seeking work : 1/9

[Harper’s Index]

Factor by which the number of U.S. job-offer scams reported since 2019 has increased : 3

[Harper’s Index]

Minimum amount U.S. workers lost last year to these scams : $249,962,090

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage decrease in the past year in job postings for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion positions : 27

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of U.S. workers who believe they are treated unfairly : 1/2

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of U.S. workers who describe their workplace as at least somewhat “toxic” : 1/5

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage increase since 2019 in the number of whistleblower tips sent to the Securities and Exchange Commission : 136

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage increase since 2020 in the number of expletives used on corporate earnings calls : 60

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of U.S. workers who would switch jobs for greater pay transparency : 2/3

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of workers seeking jobs elsewhere who believe they are being paid below market rates : 2/3

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which U.S. workers with a best friend at work are less likely to look for another job : 25

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of U.S. workers who have used ChatGPT for work who have not disclosed this : 68

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of K–12 educators who have caught students using ChatGPT to cheat : 1/4

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of Americans who have paid to use online dating platforms : 1/3

[Harper’s Index]

Who believe that online dating algorithms can predict love : 1/5

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which U.S. women are more likely to think infidelity is wrong for married men than for women : 22

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of parents who feel that their partner judges their parenting ability : 1/2

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of parents with children under 18 who are worried about their children’s mental health : 3/4

[Harper’s Index]

Who are worried about their children being kidnapped : 3/5

[Harper’s Index]

Minimum portion of Americans who cannot identify an influential person in their community : 7/10

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of influential figures identified who are politicians : 63

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage decrease over the past five years in the number of Americans who believe in God : 6

[Harper’s Index]

Chances that a U.S. adult under 30 believes in astrology : 2 in 5

[Harper’s Index]

Amount Americans spend each year on the “psychic services” industry : $2,200,000,000

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of religious Americans who believe that God can hear prayers and intervene in the world : 42

[Harper’s Index]

Who believe that God can hear prayers but cannot intervene : 28

[Harper’s Index]

Minimum number of Americans who believe that hell exists but heaven does not : 2,608,367

Readings

[Essay]

Show Don’t Tell

by Agnes Callard, Becca Rothfeld,

[Imagery]

Revisionist’s History

by Franz Kafka,Translated by Ross Benjamin,

[Throwback]

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

by Tennessee Williams,

[Qualifications]

Doubt & Love

by Brenda Hillman,

Topaz Omega, a painting by Tim Sandow, whose work is on view this month at Kunsthalle Gevelsberg, in Germany. Sandow’s monograph Blind Date was published last year by Kerber Verlag.

Courtesy the artist, Galerie Droste, and private collection

Dune Bunnies, a painting by Melanie Daniel, whose work was on view last month at Mindy Solomon Gallery, in Miami.

Courtesy the artist and Mindy Solomon Gallery, Miami

A photograph of one of Saul Leiter’s Kodachromes projected on the wall, by Nicholas Krasznai. Leiter’s monograph The Unseen Saul Leiter was published last year by D.A.P.

You People With Hearts, a mixed-media artwork (chicken feathers, fabric, jewelry, sheet music, and spray paint) by Lavar Munroe, whose work was on view last month at Monique Meloche Gallery, in Chicago.

Courtesy the artist and Monique Meloche Gallery, Chicago

“Major Alström’s wife with the owl” and an untitled photograph, by John Alinder, whose monograph John Alinder: Portraits 1910–32 was published last year by Dewi Lewis Publishing.

Topaz Omega, a painting by Tim Sandow, whose work is on view this month at Kunsthalle Gevelsberg, in Germany. Sandow’s monograph Blind Date was published last year by Kerber Verlag.

Courtesy the artist, Galerie Droste, and private collection

Dune Bunnies, a painting by Melanie Daniel, whose work was on view last month at Mindy Solomon Gallery, in Miami.

Courtesy the artist and Mindy Solomon Gallery, Miami

A photograph of one of Saul Leiter’s Kodachromes projected on the wall, by Nicholas Krasznai. Leiter’s monograph The Unseen Saul Leiter was published last year by D.A.P.

Courtesy the artist and Monique Meloche Gallery, Chicago

“Major Alström’s wife with the owl” and an untitled photograph, by John Alinder, whose monograph John Alinder: Portraits 1910–32 was published last year by Dewi Lewis Publishing.

Topaz Omega, a painting by Tim Sandow, whose work is on view this month at Kunsthalle Gevelsberg, in Germany. Sandow’s monograph Blind Date was published last year by Kerber Verlag.

Courtesy the artist, Galerie Droste, and private collection