What a media blackout revealed

Neighbors had to relearn old ways of knowing what was happening — and what wasn't.

View in browser|nytimes.com August 17, 2025 On the print cover this week: Trevor Quirk on how Hurricane Helene disconnected his community around Asheville, North Carolina from modern communication. ''Thinking clearly about information is difficult precisely because it has become so inescapable and ubiquitous,'' Quirk says. ''By disconnecting a vast swath of the United States from modern information networks, Helene allowed many of those it affected, myself included, to reconsider our relationship to this immaterial substance — and perhaps reach surprising conclusions about it.'' Photograph by Erin Brethauer FEATURES Angie Smith for The New York Times They Want You to Get Off Your Couch, and Go Set a World Record When it comes to mass-participation events, would-be record setters are finding it harder than ever to draw a crowd. But it's still fun to try. By Lauren Larson The Interview The Head of the A.D.L. on Antisemitism, Anti-Zionism and Free Speech How Jonathan Greenblatt thinks about the line between legitimate protest and anti-Jewish hate. 1 HR 2 MIN LISTEN MORE FROM THE MAGAZINE Illustration by Kimberly Elliott Letter of recommendation I'm Not a Friendly Person. That's My Secret Weapon. My hometown is indolent and inhospitable, and so am I. By Rax King Photo illustration by Tyler Comrie Screenland Strawberry Picking Is Thankless Work. That's What Makes It Worth Watching. On TikTok Live, workers stream video of themselves doing manual labor, providing glimpses of the human effort that powers our world. By J Wortham Illustration by Tomi Um The Ethicist How Do I Tell My Religious Friend to Stop Inviting Us to Church? Although I see these invites as well-meaning, they make me deeply uncomfortable. By Kwame Anthony Appiah Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food stylist: Maggie Ruggiero. Prop stylist: Sophia Eleni Pappas. Fast, Fresh Lettuce Wraps Feel Special Wherever You Are This Cantonese dish, a classic on banquet tables, is easy enough to make at home. By Genevieve Ko Illustration by Louise Zergaeng Pomeroy Judge John Hodgman Should You Mock Your Partner While He Gives You a Haircut? A ruling on a home-barbering dispute. By John Hodgman Stay in touch: Like this email? Forward it to a friend and help us grow. Loved a story? Hated it? Write us a letter at magazine@nytimes.com. Did a friend forward this to you? Sign up here to get the magazine newsletter. For narrated versions of our articles and more audio journalism, download New York Times Audio, a new iOS app available for news subscribers. If you received this newsletter from someone else, subscribe here. Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for The New York Times Magazine from The New York Times. To stop receiving The New York Times Magazine, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018