February 2024

by Bernard Avishai,

[Letter from Hutto]

Getting the Pump

On the resurrection of the body

by Jordan Castro,

Harper’s Magazine welcomes reader response.

Email us about articles in the magazine.

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Americans who feel they are now worse off financially than they were when Joe Biden took office : 55

[Harper’s Index]

Who say they have not seen, read, or heard much or anything about Biden’s economic policies : 52

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which more young people aged 16 to 29 say they fear inflation than say they fear climate change : 9

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Americans with graduate degrees who think they will always live paycheck to paycheck : 31

[Harper’s Index]

Who don’t think they will be able to have as many children as they want : 55

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Americans who consider one to be the ideal number of children in a family : 3

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of Americans with four or more children who think two children would be ideal : 1/4

[Harper’s Index]

Estimated percentage change in homeschooling enrollment since 2017 : +51

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of homeschooling parents who are concerned that local public schools are too liberal : 46

[Harper’s Index]

Who are concerned that local public schools are too conservative : 26

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Gen Z Americans who believe sex scenes shouldn’t be included in most movies and TV shows : 48

[Harper’s Index]

Who want more content focused on platonic relationships : 52

[Harper’s Index]

Who say most people in their social circle would prefer to be single : 56

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which young single men are more likely to identify as conservative now than in 2010 : 28

[Harper’s Index]

By which young single women are more likely to identify as liberal : 57

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of U.S. women who say that self-identifying as a communist is a red flag in a potential partner : 55

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which U.S. women are more likely than men to talk regularly to friends about their work : 13

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of young women who say they follow news about climate change and the environment : 12

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of U.S. counties at risk of losing their only remaining news outlet : 7

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Americans who thought the United States should build a wall along the Mexican border in 2016 : 42

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Americans who thought the U.S. criminal justice system was not tough enough in 2020 : 41

[Harper’s Index]

Rank of the United States among countries whose permanent residents feel safest : 52

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Americans who feel they are now worse off financially than they were when Joe Biden took office : 55

[Harper’s Index]

Who say they have not seen, read, or heard much or anything about Biden’s economic policies : 52

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which more young people aged 16 to 29 say they fear inflation than say they fear climate change : 9

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Americans with graduate degrees who think they will always live paycheck to paycheck : 31

[Harper’s Index]

Who don’t think they will be able to have as many children as they want : 55

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Americans who consider one to be the ideal number of children in a family : 3

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of Americans with four or more children who think two children would be ideal : 1/4

[Harper’s Index]

Estimated percentage change in homeschooling enrollment since 2017 : +51

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of homeschooling parents who are concerned that local public schools are too liberal : 46

[Harper’s Index]

Who are concerned that local public schools are too conservative : 26

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Gen Z Americans who believe sex scenes shouldn’t be included in most movies and TV shows : 48

[Harper’s Index]

Who want more content focused on platonic relationships : 52

[Harper’s Index]

Who say most people in their social circle would prefer to be single : 56

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which young single men are more likely to identify as conservative now than in 2010 : 28

[Harper’s Index]

By which young single women are more likely to identify as liberal : 57

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of U.S. women who say that self-identifying as a communist is a red flag in a potential partner : 55

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which U.S. women are more likely than men to talk regularly to friends about their work : 13

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of young women who say they follow news about climate change and the environment : 12

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of young men who say they follow no news on any topic : 15

[Harper’s Index]

Average number of U.S. newspapers that fold each week : 2.5

[Harper’s Index]

Estimated portion of U.S. newspapers that will no longer exist by 2025 : 1/3

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of U.S. counties at risk of losing their only remaining news outlet : 7

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Americans who thought the United States should build a wall along the Mexican border in 2016 : 42

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Americans who thought the U.S. criminal justice system was not tough enough in 2020 : 41

[Harper’s Index]

Rank of the United States among countries whose permanent residents feel safest : 52

Readings

[Essay]

‘To me belongs mankind, given wholly to me. I have entered as a falcon. I have gone forth. Morning star, make a path for me so that I may enter in peace into the beautiful West. I belong to the pool of Horus. Act for me so that I may enter and I may adore Osiris, Lord of Life,’ a mixed-media artwork (monotype print, screen print, thread, and indigo-dyed linen) by Zohra Opoku, from the series The Myths of Eternal Life: Chapter IV, The Book of the Dead. Opoku’s work was on view last month as part of the exhibition A World in Common: Contemporary African Photography at the Tate Modern, in London.

Courtesy the artist and Mariane Ibrahim

Available for Parties, a painting by Kayla Witt, whose work was on view in September with Sow & Tailor at the Armory Show, in New York City.

Courtesy the artist and Sow & Tailor

“Flash! 20:49 15/6/2001,” a photograph by Michael Snow, whose work was on view in December at Jack Shainman Gallery: The School, in Kinderhook, New York.

Courtesy the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery

“Good Luck Charms, Casa de la Esperanza, Sasabe, Sonora,” a photograph by Lisa Elmaleh, from her series Promised Land/Tierra Prometida, which was on view last month at the Tremaine Art Gallery at the Hotchkiss School, in Lakeville, Connecticut.

“Hermanas Misioneras de la Eucaristía Nogales, Sonora, México,” a photograph by Lisa Elmaleh, from her series Promised Land/Tierra Prometida, which was on view last month at the Tremaine Art Gallery at the Hotchkiss School, in Lakeville, Connecticut.

Die Nachtfalterin, a painting by Neo Rauch, whose work is on view this month at David Zwirner, in Hong Kong.

Courtesy the artist and Mariane Ibrahim

Available for Parties, a painting by Kayla Witt, whose work was on view in September with Sow & Tailor at the Armory Show, in New York City.

Courtesy the artist and Sow & Tailor

“Flash! 20:49 15/6/2001,” a photograph by Michael Snow, whose work was on view in December at Jack Shainman Gallery: The School, in Kinderhook, New York.

Courtesy the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery