Overview

There are tens of millions of Americans who aren’t on the hard left or the hard right who feel that the world has gone mad. Science is at the mercy of politics. Identity trumps ideas. In the name of progress, art is erased and history is rewritten. Obvious truths are dangerous to say out loud. This newsletter is for those people. It’s for people who want to understand the world as it is, not the world as some wish it to be. It’s for people who seek the truth rather than the comfort of a team or a tribe. It’s for people who prefer to think for themselves. Curiosity about the wrong topics has become a liability in the legacy press, but curiosity is the reason I became a journalist in the first place. (It definitely wasn’t the money.) I’m thrilled to have the freedom to pursue it again — and to have the freedom to experiment a bit more. Sometimes I’ll write columns. Other times I’ll do interviews with interesting people. I’m also excited to recommend books, movies, recipes and the work of people I admire. Paying subscribers can leave comments on every piece and I welcome your insights. My aim is to facilitate a healthy, civil discussion -- something that can be hard to have on the Internet, let alone in real life. With this goal in mind, please note that I will remove comments that indicate gross intolerance of different views (we’re here to escape the echo chamber), ad hominem attacks or harassment, or intentional incitement of annoyance or offense. Rule of thumb: be a mensch. I hope reading Common Sense reassures you that you aren’t crazy and that you aren’t alone. I’m really glad to have you here. - Bari Weiss