I never know what entry will attract the most attention, or why the number of readers ebbs and flows. Just before the switch to First Things, I had hit the 50,000 visits a month mark, from about 42,000 visitors. Then, numbers fell, as they usually do in the summer. They have begun to climb again, but the last few days have been startling, with yesteray more than 4700 visits.
A sudden increase in visitors—as opposed to a slow and steady increase over time—usually comes from being linked by other sites. That has happened here. The post that seems to have caused much of the excitement was “Exceptional Humans Did Not Evolve from Apes,” which briefly commented on the latest scientific discovery about our putative ancient ancestors. how we did not evolve directly from apes, and the positive impact of the new discovery for human exceptionalism. Interesting.
Anyway, I hope friends, old and new, will stick around. You are all most welcome.
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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