March 2024

by Andrew Cockburn,

[Photo Essay]

The Case Against Children

Among the antinatalists

by Elizabeth Barber,

Harper’s Magazine welcomes reader response.

Email us about articles in the magazine.

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Americans who believe that 2023 was one of the worst years in U.S. history : 41

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of Americans who say that U.S. military intervention abroad usually improves a situation : 1/4

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of professors at U.S. universities who report feeling the need to self-censor when talking about the war in Gaza : 76

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage decrease in the past year in the number of American adults who support banning TikTok : 24

[Harper’s Index]

Minimum estimated annual revenue U.S. news publishers miss out on as a result of Facebook’s use of their content : $1,900,000,000

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which private equity–owned hospitals have fewer staff members than those under other forms of ownership : 13

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage increase in the frequency of falls by patients in hospitals after they are acquired by private equity firms : 27

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage increase since 2002 in medical schools offering dual MD/MBA programs : 131

[Harper’s Index]

Minimum projected shortage, by 2034, in the number of primary care physicians in the United States : 17,800

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Americans who say that nurses provide good care : 82

[Harper’s Index]

Number of years, on average, by which a hypochondriac will die earlier than a non-hypochondriac : 5

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which Americans making over $100,000 are more likely than others to have stolen via self-checkout : 22

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Americans who say that the nation’s crime rates are getting worse : 77

[Harper’s Index]

Who say that crime is an “extremely serious” or “very serious” problem in their local area : 17

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage decrease in murders in the United States in the past year : 12

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage decrease in murders in New York City in the past year : 12

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Americans familiar with the Central Park Five case who currently believe the defendants are not guilty : 35

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage increase in the number of homeless people in New York State in the past year : 39

[Harper’s Index]

Factor by which this increase exceeds that of any previous year on record : 4

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Americans who believe that homeless people experience a great deal of discrimination today : 45

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage change since 2009 in the portion of white evangelical Americans who say that gay people face discrimination : –34

[Harper’s Index]

Who say that white evangelicals face discrimination : +43

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage increase since 2018 in the portion of American fifteen-year-olds who are not proficient in math : 25

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of American women in the workforce who feel they are not good at their jobs : 42

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of American men who say they could safely land a plane in an emergency if someone talked them through it : 1/2

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of divorced straight American women who say they were the ones who decided to end their marriage : 2/3

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of American men who believe they are their mother’s favorite child : 41

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of American adults who believe the country will be better by the time today’s children have grown up : 16

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Americans who believe that 2023 was one of the worst years in U.S. history : 41

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of Americans who say that U.S. military intervention abroad usually improves a situation : 1/4

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of professors at U.S. universities who report feeling the need to self-censor when talking about the war in Gaza : 76

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage decrease in the past year in the number of American adults who support banning TikTok : 24

[Harper’s Index]

Minimum estimated annual revenue U.S. news publishers miss out on as a result of Facebook’s use of their content : $1,900,000,000

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which private equity–owned hospitals have fewer staff members than those under other forms of ownership : 13

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage increase in the frequency of falls by patients in hospitals after they are acquired by private equity firms : 27

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage increase since 2002 in medical schools offering dual MD/MBA programs : 131

[Harper’s Index]

Minimum projected shortage, by 2034, in the number of primary care physicians in the United States : 17,800

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Americans who say that nurses provide good care : 82

[Harper’s Index]

Number of years, on average, by which a hypochondriac will die earlier than a non-hypochondriac : 5

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Gen Z Americans who suffer from “menu anxiety” : 86

[Harper’s Index]

Who ask other people to order for them at restaurants because of this : 34

[Harper’s Index]

Who use self-checkout aisles because of social anxiety : 38

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which Americans making over $100,000 are more likely than others to have stolen via self-checkout : 22

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Americans who say that the nation’s crime rates are getting worse : 77

[Harper’s Index]

Who say that crime is an “extremely serious” or “very serious” problem in their local area : 17

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage decrease in murders in the United States in the past year : 12

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage decrease in murders in New York City in the past year : 12

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Americans familiar with the Central Park Five case who currently believe the defendants are not guilty : 35

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage increase in the number of homeless people in New York State in the past year : 39

[Harper’s Index]

Factor by which this increase exceeds that of any previous year on record : 4

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Americans who believe that homeless people experience a great deal of discrimination today : 45

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage change since 2009 in the portion of white evangelical Americans who say that gay people face discrimination : –34

[Harper’s Index]

Who say that white evangelicals face discrimination : +43

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage increase since 2018 in the portion of American fifteen-year-olds who are not proficient in math : 25

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of American women in the workforce who feel they are not good at their jobs : 42

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of American men who say they could safely land a plane in an emergency if someone talked them through it : 1/2

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of divorced straight American women who say they were the ones who decided to end their marriage : 2/3

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of American men who believe they are their mother’s favorite child : 41

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of American adults who believe the country will be better by the time today’s children have grown up : 16

Readings

[Essay]

Gimme Welter

by Becca Rothfeld,

[Artificial Intelligence]

Film Bête Noire

by Marguerite Duras,

[Correspondence]

A Soft Sonnet

by Amelia Rosselli,

“Amy in the Family Graveyard,” a photograph by Anne Rearick, from her book You Will Look to the Mountains, which was published last year by Deadbeat Club.

Roslyn, a painting by Dominic Chambers, whose work was on view last month at Lehmann Maupin, in New York City.

Courtesy the artist and Lehmann Maupin

“JY-01202013-07252021,” a photograph by Guanyu Xu, from the series Resident Aliens. Xu’s work is on view this month as part of the exhibition Dream Time at the UCCA Center for Contemporary Art, in Beijing.

Tenfold, a painting by Seline Burn, whose work will be on view next month at Wilde Gallery, in Basel, Switzerland.

“Amy in the Family Graveyard,” a photograph by Anne Rearick, from her book You Will Look to the Mountains, which was published last year by Deadbeat Club.

Roslyn, a painting by Dominic Chambers, whose work was on view last month at Lehmann Maupin, in New York City.

Courtesy the artist and Lehmann Maupin

Tenfold, a painting by Seline Burn, whose work will be on view next month at Wilde Gallery, in Basel, Switzerland.

“Amy in the Family Graveyard,” a photograph by Anne Rearick, from her book You Will Look to the Mountains, which was published last year by Deadbeat Club.