December 2023

by Ben Lerner,

[Letter from Bonnyrigg]

Risky Disco

A sensory workshop bridges the gap

by Sara Hendren,

[Letter from Newark]

Your Mind’s in the Hands of Everything

Letting go of Philip Roth

by Hannah Gold,

Harper’s Magazine welcomes reader response.

Email us about articles in the magazine.

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of Americans who are considering opting out of family gatherings in order to save money this holiday season : 1/3

[Harper’s Index]

Who are considering going into credit card debt to purchase holiday gifts : 1/3

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Republicans who say that their families are worse off than they were a year ago : 60

[Harper’s Index]

Factor by which Republicans report hearing more negative than positive economic news : 10

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Americans who believe that the country is in a recession : 44

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage change in the use of cash since 2017 : –43

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of Americans who wish they had paid more attention to math in school : 2/5

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which black Americans are more likely than white ones to do so : 72

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of Americans who identify as “spiritual” but not “religious” : 1/3

[Harper’s Index]

Chances an American between 26 and 54 has not been to the doctor in the past five years : 2 in 5

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage increase this year in the number of Americans concerned about affording medical treatment : 47

[Harper’s Index]

Year in which the youngest baby boomer will become eligible for Medicare : 2030

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Republicans who believe that one ethnic group can only become wealthier at the expense of others : 22

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which Democrats are more likely than Republicans to consider New York City safe : 191

[Harper’s Index]

By which Democrats are more likely than Republicans to consider large U.S. cities safe in general : 29

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage change in the divorce rate between 2008 and 2020 : –31

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of millennials who are not planning to get married : 21

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Gen Z-ers who use their phones to share their location with friends : 38

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of U.S. college students whose parents track their location : 1/3

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of U.S. college students who support “speech codes” on campus : 51

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which this support has increased over the past year : 22

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of U.S. college students who believe that violence can be a justified response to hate speech : 45

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of U.S. adults who say the political system is working “very” or “extremely” well : 4

[Harper’s Index]

Who express little confidence in the future of the political system : 63

[Harper’s Index]

Who say there is too little attention paid to the important issues facing the country : 78

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage decrease over the past two years in social-media referrals to the top one hundred news sites : 40

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage decrease over the past decade in the number of Americans who trust the tech industry : 31

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Gen Z-ers who say they have “a great deal” or “quite a lot” of trust in science : 36

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of Americans who are considering opting out of family gatherings in order to save money this holiday season : 1/3

[Harper’s Index]

Who are considering going into credit card debt to purchase holiday gifts : 1/3

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Republicans who say that their families are worse off than they were a year ago : 60

[Harper’s Index]

Factor by which Republicans report hearing more negative than positive economic news : 10

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Americans who believe that the country is in a recession : 44

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage change in the use of cash since 2017 : –43

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of Americans who wish they had paid more attention to math in school : 2/5

[Harper’s Index]

Who wish they had paid less attention to math in school : 1/5

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage decrease since 2019 in the number of U.S. accountants : 16

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of Americans who view their jobs as a spiritual calling : 1/5

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which black Americans are more likely than white ones to do so : 72

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of Americans who identify as “spiritual” but not “religious” : 1/3

[Harper’s Index]

Chances an American between 26 and 54 has not been to the doctor in the past five years : 2 in 5

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage increase this year in the number of Americans concerned about affording medical treatment : 47

[Harper’s Index]

Year in which the youngest baby boomer will become eligible for Medicare : 2030

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Republicans who believe that one ethnic group can only become wealthier at the expense of others : 22

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which Democrats are more likely than Republicans to consider New York City safe : 191

[Harper’s Index]

By which Democrats are more likely than Republicans to consider large U.S. cities safe in general : 29

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage change in the divorce rate between 2008 and 2020 : –31

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of millennials who are not planning to get married : 21

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Gen Z-ers who use their phones to share their location with friends : 38

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of U.S. college students whose parents track their location : 1/3

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of U.S. college students who support “speech codes” on campus : 51

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which this support has increased over the past year : 22

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of U.S. college students who believe that violence can be a justified response to hate speech : 45

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of U.S. adults who say the political system is working “very” or “extremely” well : 4

[Harper’s Index]

Who express little confidence in the future of the political system : 63

[Harper’s Index]

Who say there is too little attention paid to the important issues facing the country : 78

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage decrease over the past two years in social-media referrals to the top one hundred news sites : 40

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage decrease over the past decade in the number of Americans who trust the tech industry : 31

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Gen Z-ers who say they have “a great deal” or “quite a lot” of trust in science : 36

Readings

[Essay]

Love Bite

by Christian Wiman,

[Words of Wisdom]

Privilege

by Nick Laird,

“Continuum” (detail), an artwork by B. Ingrid Olson, whose work was on view in October as part of the exhibition The Rose at the lumber room, in Portland, Oregon.

Courtesy the artist and Miller Meigs collection

A photograph by Hudson Hayden, from his monograph Notwithstanding, which was published in September by Loose Joints.

“View of the Barents Sea, with oranges that were given out every Sunday in the ship’s canteen and treasured by everyone on board,” a photograph by Evgenia Arbugaeva, from her monograph Hyperborea, which was published in October by Thames & Hudson.

Borrowing Money, a painting by Liu Xiaodong, whose work was on view in June at Lisson Gallery, in New York City.

“Continuum” (detail), an artwork by B. Ingrid Olson, whose work was on view in October as part of the exhibition The Rose at the lumber room, in Portland, Oregon.

Courtesy the artist and Miller Meigs collection

A photograph by Hudson Hayden, from his monograph Notwithstanding, which was published in September by Loose Joints.

Borrowing Money, a painting by Liu Xiaodong, whose work was on view in June at Lisson Gallery, in New York City.

“Continuum” (detail), an artwork by B. Ingrid Olson, whose work was on view in October as part of the exhibition The Rose at the lumber room, in Portland, Oregon.

Courtesy the artist and Miller Meigs collection