25 Harsh Truths About 21st Century America

The more innocent 1999 versions of ourselves would never believe the information we've picked up.

View in Browser  Wednesday, July 16, 2025  In case you haven't noticed, we're a quarter of the way through this century. And it's been … something. Esquire's Dave Holmes captured all the absurdity of the 21st century in his latest column—one of those laughing through the tears moments—which you can read here.  – Michael Sebastian, editor-in-chief  Plus: Justice Sotomayor just skewered her Supreme Court peers for their gutlessness Road testing five of Carhartt's greatest hits The only umbrella you'll ever need 25 Harsh Truths About the 21st Century (So Far) The more innocent 1999 versions of ourselves would never believe the information we've picked up. We are just one leg into the relay race of this exciting century, and I have to say: It's going great. (I actually do have to say this. The gulag awaits those who do not.) It has been a real roller-coaster ride, specifically on a roller coaster from a county fair, where you saw who put it together and there's no way they put all the bolts and screws in. If it feels like we're getting dumber every day, that's because we are, and actually that is fine, because sentience has proved to be a real pain in the ass. But just because our brains are objectively worse than they were last century doesn't mean we haven't learned anything. The more innocent 1999 versions of ourselves would never believe these 25 pieces of information we've picked up, and they would be just as disappointed as we are that we cannot put them back down. READ THE STORY The "Prince Charming" haircut is back. What is it, and how do you get it? Carmen Bell talks to barber Matt Hughes how you can get this storybook style. >> Need a lawnmower? Amazon has several that will save you green. Will Porter breaks down how you can get a new mower without stepping into a store. >> The Trump Administration Chose to Incinerate Food Rather Than Send It to Starving Kids This administration's commitment to public indecency remains rock solid. If there is inhumanity anywhere to be found in one of its policy positions, they will by God find it, shine it up, and put it out there.   I mean, you're killing the program anyway. Why not have shipped this stuff to where it was supposed to go anyway? (It has to have been cheaper than the $800,000 it cost to buy the food plus the $130,000 it's going to cost to burn the stuff.) Luckily, I have been assured by two generations of Republican politicians and two generations of TV Bible-banging that this is indeed ... A Christian Nation! Today's reading is from the Book of Starvations, Chapter 25, Verse 35: "For when I was hungry, you burned all the food." By Charles P. Pierce What It Feels Like to Leave the Mormon Church I am the youngest of four, and by the time I reached adulthood, the path seemed clear: serve a mission, serve the church, live my faith. Two of my older siblings had already served their missions, and I was excited to follow. The Mormon church operates on lay ministry—ordinary members "called" to leadership positions—and my parents had always answered those calls, serving in various roles. Church wasn't merely what we did on Sundays; it was who we were.   There was one complication: I am gay. As Told to Sean Evans Follow Us Unsubscribe | Privacy Notice | CA Notice at Collection Esquire is a publication of Hearst Magazines. ©2025 Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This email was sent by Hearst Magazines, 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019-3779