First Things is proud to introduce a new podcast series. Secret Third Thing is a show about contemporary culture. First Things editors Virginia Aabram and Germán S. Díaz del Castillo discuss modern, online trends. Are they good, bad, or a secret third thing?
In this first episode, First Things deputy editor Veronica Clarke joins Virginia and Germán to discuss fanfiction—its history, its impact, its infiltration of the publishing industry, whether it should be classified as pornography, and what its popularity says about Gen Z.
The episode is embedded below. For your long-term convenience, subscribe via Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
Dear Reader,
Can I be direct with you?
War abroad. Socialists on the rise. AI upending human life. Endless uproar online. The modern attention economy doesn’t want readers — it wants users enslaved to the tyranny of the present.
First Things is the antidote: literary excellence, timeless truths, and a fixed point of reference in a culture that has lost its bearings.
But we can’t do it without readers like you.
Our goal: Raise $150,000 by November 1 to sustain First Things in the year ahead.
Your gift anchors readers in the permanent things.
Make your Fall Campaign gift now using the button below.
If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Giovanni Del Piero, Director of the Editor’s Circle, at gdelpiero@firstthings.com or 212-627-1985.
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