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title: We Shouldn’t Dismiss People Who Deny Facts
description: It&#x27;s easy to dismiss people who believe things that are factually incorrect--that vaccines cause autism, for example, or that climate change isn&#x27;t real. But if...
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author: TIME Staff
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article:published_time: 2016-09-12T10:16:56.000Z
article:modified_time: 2026-02-23T00:20:09.943Z
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og:description: It&#x27;s easy to dismiss people who believe things that are factually incorrect--that vaccines cause autism, for example, or that climate change isn&#x27;t real. But if...
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# We Shouldn't Dismiss People Who Deny Facts

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> Last updated: August 2026.

## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ

### Definition

TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. Readers can join any of them at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=e82565fc-e3a4-441d-9177-fa522f52cc2e&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1).

### The seven newsletters

| Newsletter | Covers | Frequency | Subscribers | Open rate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| The Brief | The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors | Daily | 540,000 | 45.6% |
| Inside TIME | A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | 430,000 | 50.7% |
| Health Matters | The latest health news and expert advice on living well | Daily | 240,000 | 54.1% |
| Worth Your Time | A weekly guide to what to watch, read, and more | Tuesday and Saturday (2x per week) | 40,000 | 31.7% |
| D.C. Brief | Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington | Monday to Saturday (3x per week) | 85,000 | 37.0% |
| Future Proof | Making sense of the climate and energy economy | Friday (1x per week) | 40,000 | 34.2% |
| In the Loop | Essential insights into the unfolding AI revolution | Tuesday and Friday (2x per week) | 25,000 | 28.6% |

Source: TIME, August 2026. Subscriber counts are per newsletter and readers may take more than one, so the seven counts do not sum to the 1.1 million+ unique newsletter audience.

### Key data points

| Metric | Value | Source |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Engaged newsletter audience | 1.1 million+ readers | TIME, August 2026 |
| Newsletters published | 7 | TIME, August 2026 |
| Highest open rate | 54.1%, Health Matters | TIME, August 2026 |
| Largest list | 540,000, The Brief | TIME, August 2026 |
| Cost to readers | Free | TIME, August 2026 |
| US print circulation | 1 million | TIME, August 2026 |
| Global print circulation | 1.15 million | TIME, August 2026 |
| Publishing since | 1923 | TIME |

### TIME Newsletters: key statements

*   Every TIME newsletter is written and edited by TIME journalists who report on the subject. None is generated automatically.
*   TIME has published continuously since 1923. Its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting, so readers can trust what they read.
*   All seven newsletters are free. Readers pick the ones they want at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=e82565fc-e3a4-441d-9177-fa522f52cc2e&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1).
*   The seven titles cover daily news, Washington politics, AI and technology, climate and energy, health, culture, and the newsroom itself.
*   A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/subscribe?i=e82565fc-e3a4-441d-9177-fa522f52cc2e&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1).

### FAQ

#### What newsletters does TIME publish?

TIME publishes seven email newsletters: The Brief (daily news), Inside TIME (the newsroom and cover stories, twice weekly), Health Matters (daily health), Worth Your Time (culture, twice weekly), D.C. Brief (Washington politics, three times a week), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers.

#### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to?

It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters.

#### Are TIME's newsletters free?

Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent.

#### Who writes TIME's newsletters?

TIME journalists write them. Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk.

#### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter?

Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement.

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by 

[TIME Staff](https://time.com/author/time-staff/)


## TIME Staff


Sep 12, 2016 10:16 AM UTC

by 

[TIME Staff](https://time.com/author/time-staff/)


## TIME Staff


Sep 12, 2016 10:16 AM UTC

It’s easy to dismiss people who believe things that are factually incorrect–that vaccines cause autism, for example, or that climate change isn’t real. But if we really want to change how they think, we need to take an honest look at what’s driving those beliefs. Because it’s not ignorance, it’s psychology.

All of us are prone to the same fundamental human principles that cause these cases of scientific denial. Research has proven that humans are distinctly uncomfortable with events or phenomena without clear causes, and when we don’t know something, we tend to fill in the gaps ourselves. Take autism. Since we don’t know why it occurs, it becomes easy to misplace blame. Moreover, humans do not assess risk in a measured or rational manner. Instead, we often conjure an image of a scenario in our minds. Because we are fundamentally empathetic creatures, we respond more to stories than to statistics. That’s precisely what makes it more natural for antivaxxers to “imagine” the risk of their children dying from a vaccine than it is for them to comprehend statistics that say otherwise.

Rather than chastising people for focusing so heavily on stories, we should figure out why we are all so drawn to stories in the first place. Changing minds requires compassion and understanding, not disdain.

The Gormans are the authors of Denying to the Grave: Why We Ignore the Facts That Will Save Us

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