Some say it like a charm
in the face of words heavy as stone,
or a riddle of subtle pebbles thrown,
each sticking point like a firearm.
As if the saying would erase the harm.
Raging fire or cold as ice, we’ve known
too well where words can send us.
Words can cut us to the bone
and even end us.
—Diane Thiel
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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