This poor man thought he was a tiger and did everything surgically he could to make it so. Dennis Avner has committed suicide.
In the end he was likely frustrated that he could not really be a tiger, though advocates would say he died from tigerphobia.
I mention this not to make light of a tragic situation, but to point out that surgery—-however drastic—-cannot change underlying psychological problems.
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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