January 2024

by Marzio G. Mian,Translated by Elettra Pauletto,

[Miscellany]

The Museum of Broken G.I. Joes

When soldiers come home

by Matt Farwell,

[Letter from Revelstoke]

If One Part Suffers

The enigma of body integrity dysphoria

by Michelle Orange,

Harper’s Magazine welcomes reader response.

Email us about articles in the magazine.

[Harper’s Index]

Chance that an item purchased by an American during the 2022 holiday season was returned : 1 in 5

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of American men who say they binge drink on New Year’s Eve : 1/2

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage change over the past decade in the number of Americans making New Year’s resolutions to lose weight : −54

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Americans who have used Ozempic to lose weight : 15

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of doctors who have used Ozempic to lose weight : 14

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage increase since 2000 in the average U.S. family health insurance premium : 272

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage increase over the past year in the number of U.S. home foreclosures : 22

[Harper’s Index]

Minimum number of Americans who live out of their cars : 50,000

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of employees who say their employer has recently asked workers to take on additional responsibilities : 3/5

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage decrease over the past year in the number of Americans quitting their jobs : 14

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage increase over the past year in the number of U.S. students starting accounts on LinkedIn : 73

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which Gen Z-ers are making more connections on LinkedIn than millennials : 29

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage increase since 2018 in use of the phrase “generational opportunity” on corporate earnings calls : 3,800

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage change in the value of a U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF in the month after Hamas’s attack on Israel : +9

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Americans five days after the attack who said it was important that we cooperate closely with Israel : 65

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of Americans who think the term “moderate” describes their political views well : 1/5

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which more Democrats than Republicans think this : 39

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of U.S. voters who think Joe Biden is too old to effectively serve another four-year term : 68

[Harper’s Index]

Who think Donald Trump is too old to effectively serve another four-year term : 34

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Republicans who support instituting a maximum age limit for presidential candidates : 57

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of Americans who believe that climate scientists are influenced by their personal political views : 3/5

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Americans who say climate scientists understand the causes of climate change “very well” : 14

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Ukrainians who expect to join NATO in the next decade : 69

[Harper’s Index]

Who expect to join the European Union in the next decade : 73

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage decrease over the past year in the number of Ukrainians who approve of U.S. leadership : 20

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of Americans who believe they are smarter than the average person : 2/3

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of U.S. adults who are at least somewhat pessimistic about the country’s education system : 59

[Harper’s Index]

Chance that an item purchased by an American during the 2022 holiday season was returned : 1 in 5

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of American men who say they binge drink on New Year’s Eve : 1/2

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage change over the past decade in the number of Americans making New Year’s resolutions to lose weight : −54

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Americans who have used Ozempic to lose weight : 15

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of doctors who have used Ozempic to lose weight : 14

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage increase since 2000 in the average U.S. family health insurance premium : 272

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage increase over the past year in the number of U.S. home foreclosures : 22

[Harper’s Index]

Minimum number of Americans who live out of their cars : 50,000

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of employees who say their employer has recently asked workers to take on additional responsibilities : 3/5

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage decrease over the past year in the number of Americans quitting their jobs : 14

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage increase over the past year in the number of U.S. students starting accounts on LinkedIn : 73

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which Gen Z-ers are making more connections on LinkedIn than millennials : 29

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage increase since 2018 in use of the phrase “generational opportunity” on corporate earnings calls : 3,800

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage change in the value of a U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF in the month after Hamas’s attack on Israel : +9

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Americans five days after the attack who said it was important that we cooperate closely with Israel : 65

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of Americans who think the term “moderate” describes their political views well : 1/5

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which more Democrats than Republicans think this : 39

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of U.S. voters who think Joe Biden is too old to effectively serve another four-year term : 68

[Harper’s Index]

Who think Donald Trump is too old to effectively serve another four-year term : 34

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Republicans who support instituting a maximum age limit for presidential candidates : 57

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of Americans who believe that climate scientists are influenced by their personal political views : 3/5

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Americans who say climate scientists understand the causes of climate change “very well” : 14

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Ukrainians who expect to join NATO in the next decade : 69

[Harper’s Index]

Who expect to join the European Union in the next decade : 73

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage decrease over the past year in the number of Ukrainians who approve of U.S. leadership : 20

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of Americans who believe they are smarter than the average person : 2/3

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of U.S. adults who are at least somewhat pessimistic about the country’s education system : 59

[Harper’s Index]

Minimum estimated number of U.S. children in foster care : 391,000

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which more U.S. households have a dog than a child : 12.5

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Americans who are hoping to inherit money : 58

Readings

[Essay]

Providence, a painting by Rithika Merchant, whose work was on view in September at Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, in London, and is included in the book Underworlds, by Stephen Ellcock, which was published in October by Thames & Hudson.

Courtesy the artist and Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery

Dream of St. Joseph (after Gerard Seghers), a painting by Brittney Leeanne Williams, whose work is on view this month at Alexander Berggruen, in New York City.

“Bethlehem (Palestine),” a photograph by Roger Grasas, from his monograph Ha Aretz, which was published last year by Kehrer Verlag.

“Untitled, Ho Chi Minh City,” by An-My Lê. A retrospective of her work is on view this month at the Museum of Modern Art, in New York City.

Courtesy the artist and Marian Goodman Gallery, New York City

Courtesy the artist and Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery

Dream of St. Joseph (after Gerard Seghers), a painting by Brittney Leeanne Williams, whose work is on view this month at Alexander Berggruen, in New York City.