Bari Weiss: Think for Yourself, Not by Yourself

When we launched The Free Press, the plan was simple: Tell the truth plainly, and let readers come to their own conclusions. I thought there would be a sizable enough group of people who would pay the cost of one coffee a month to read high-quality news and opinion journalism.

But what happened next surprised even me.

Yes, you came for the stories—for the investigations, essays, debates, interviews, podcasts, and arguments. But over the past few years, you also found one another.

I’ve watched strangers become friends in the lobby before our debates. I’ve seen people trade numbers after live recordings of Honestly, launch businesses after Free Press dinners, fall in love after our meetups—even get married (!?), and say some version of the same sentence over and over again:

I thought I was the only one.

We live in the most connected age in history, and yet, millions of people feel isolated, alienated, politically homeless, and starved for real conversation. We have followers and no neighbors. Algorithms instead of interlocutors. Our social media feeds are like troughs, but what we really need is a table to gather around.

The Free Press is a publication, yes, but it is also a gathering place for independent minds.

So today, I’m thrilled to share our new investment in you.

We are launching a new world of community experiences for our paid subscribers, designed to bring Free Pressers together online and in real life.

Introducing Our Community Launch

The Free Press Forum

Our new digital home for paid subscribers, the Forum, is now live.

This is where Free Pressers can meet, debate, recommend, organize, joke, argue, and converse like civilized people. Imagine that.

This is not social media as you know it. No bots. No algorithmic rage bait. No performative nonsense. Just smart people talking to one another.

Inside the Forum, you’ll find conversations on the things our readers already care about most: the issues of the day, recommendations (books, music, travel), work and networking, parenting, dating, and where to find your people—online and in real life.

Jump in! Introduce yourself and join the first conversations in the Free Press Forum here.

You’ll also find announcements from us (paid subscribers are first to hear!) and our writers, hosting regular Ask Me Anythings (AMAs)—live conversations where subscribers can ask questions, push back, and continue the discussion beyond the page. This Thursday, subscribers can chat with our brilliant reporter, culture vulture, and co-founder Suzy Weiss. Friday, I’ll be lending you Nellie Bowles, queen of TGIF, to answer subscriber questions live. Read more about The Forum directly from Nellie here.

The Free Press Supper Club

The best part of being a Free Presser is meeting other Free Pressers.

So we’re inviting you all to dinner to do just that. It’s part salon, part blind date, part old-fashioned dinner party.

Here’s how it works: You answer a short questionnaire. We match you with a small group of Free Pressers in your city. We send you to a great restaurant. You show up for supper. The rest is up to you.

Your next best friend, co-founder, or future spouse may already be waiting at the table.

Learn more and sign up here for our first Supper Club in 12 cities in three countries taking place on June 18.

Don’t see your city? Raise your hand if you’d like a Free Press Supper Club near you. Yes, St. Louis—we hear you.

The Free Press Retreats and Excursions

We’re also building something new for 2027: immersive experiences for Free Press readers who want to continue the conversation trailside, poolside, or around a fire long after dessert.

The Free Press Retreat will be an intimate long weekend built around big ideas, outdoor adventure, great meals, and the kinds of discussions that happen when curious people spend meaningful time together. Bring your spouse, your parents, your children—or come on your own.

Free Press Excursions will take us farther afield: curated trips with Free Press writers and contributors exploring places that help explain the world we live in, from the battlefields of Gettysburg and Normandy to the Vatican in Rome.

We’ll share more details this summer. If you’d like an early look when these experiences open for registration, show your interest here.

A Note to Our Subscribers

These new offerings exist because of our paying subscribers. If you’re already one: Thank you. You built this. And you keep us going.

If you’ve been reading us for free and wondering whether to join, this is a very good time.

For a short while only, we’re offering a rare 20 percent discount for you to join our community as a paid subscriber. You’ll unlock everything we publish, plus exclusive access to our members-only Forum, Supper Clubs, and more insider perks.

Thinking for yourself shouldn’t mean thinking by yourself.

See you there.

—Bari