The hottest Aesthetics Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Culture Topics

The Anti-Airbnb-Space

Culture Study • 5103 implied HN points • 31 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Design Aesthetics Hospitality Trends Personalization
  1. The concept of 'airspace' refers to a trendy design style popular in the past but now considered outdated and replaced by more unique and diverse aesthetics.
  2. The rise of Airbnb has led to a shift in the hospitality industry towards standardized, 'cool' interiors, sometimes at the expense of personal touch and uniqueness in spaces.
  3. Creating a truly comfortable and inviting space goes beyond trendy decor and requires a personal touch that reflects individuality and a sense of being lived in.

Better Data Science: How To Design Visualizations that Work

Data at Depth • 79 implied HN points • 05 May 24
🕹 Technology Data science Visualization Accessibility Aesthetics Design principles
  1. Start with defining the function you want the audience to perform with the presented data before creating visualizations that support it
  2. Implement aspects like affordances, accessibility, and aesthetics to ensure your visualizations are clear, usable, and visually appealing for the audience
  3. Achieving acceptance of your data visualization involves following established design principles like direct labeling, thoughtful use of color, alignment, and the data-ink principle

Friday Thread: Can you become stronger at your broken places?

The Recovering Academic • 435 implied HN points • 02 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Art Literature Philosophy Individualism Aesthetics
  1. The path from academia to entrepreneurship can be filled with contradictions and tension, but owning and navigating them honestly can lead to growth and survival.
  2. Navigating modernity and its challenges may require reevaluating one's relationship with delight and joy, and finding ways to adapt and thrive amidst brokenness.
  3. Building bonds of reciprocal obligation with others might be a way to combat individualism, even in virtual spaces like LinkedIn and Zoom.
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Disgusting

Erdmann Housing Tracker • 337 implied HN points • 07 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics Social Issues Aesthetics Social Change
  1. A community's shared beliefs can drive reactions of disgust and aesthetics are deeply intertwined with morals and affiliations.
  2. Local housing regulations often have classist roots, leading to unintended consequences like increased homelessness and cost of living pressures.
  3. Aesthetics in housing can be used as a tool for status, hindering change and progress in neighborhoods, but changes have historically occurred when societal attitudes shift.

🟧 Is boutique a bad word?

One Thing • 217 implied HN points • 15 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Fashion Retail Internet Art Aesthetics
  1. The concept of a boutique has evolved from locally-owned stores with unique goods to a term that is overused and often diluted in online advertising.
  2. Boutiques represent a curated taste experience, but their high prices can make them exclusive and inaccessible to many customers.
  3. The internet provides opportunities for boutique-style businesses to reach wider audiences, but it lacks the physical charm and surprise of an in-person boutique.

Paul Sutherland: LARP Politics and Hyperreality

Do Not Research • 4 HN points • 06 May 24
🎭️ Culture Art Politics Society Aesthetics Internet
  1. LARPing in politics refers to engaging in political actions that are disconnected from the goal of creating tangible change, often becoming more about aesthetic value and personal style.
  2. The concept of LARPing in the 21st century is tied to Baudrillard's idea of simulation and hyperreality, blurring the lines between the world of images and the world of reality.
  3. Ruptures from the hyperreal world of LARP politics into actual events, like the Capitol Hill riot, showcase the collision between simulated political actions and the real material consequences, leaving society perplexed.

Twee Whistler: Internet Core

Do Not Research • 938 implied HN points • 31 Jul 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Digital Art Contemporary Art Internet Art Aesthetics
  1. The term 'Internet core' emerged within contemporary art, encompassing net art, post-internet, and new media, highlighting a shift towards internet-centric reality and engagement.
  2. Artists within the Internet core scene are creating works more focused on personal narratives, political interpretations, and user engagement outside traditional gallery settings, shaping a distinct approach to digital art.
  3. The Internet represents more than just a medium; it is a mindset, an approach, and a language for artists, shaping their practices and leading to a diverse range of artistic expressions beyond categorizations.

Morgane Billuart: Virtuality and Aesthetics, An Evening in the Void Club

Do Not Research • 239 implied HN points • 02 Jan 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Aesthetics Imagination Symbolism Digital Spaces
  1. In virtual spaces, the absence of detailed information can enhance creativity and imagination.
  2. Digital platforms challenge the concept of realism and likeness in representations, prioritizing subjective interpretation.
  3. Virtual environments offer individuals the opportunity to craft and curate their own narratives, leading to a shift in the experience of existence.

My Own Private Energy Crisis

Justin E. H. Smith's Hinternet • 881 implied HN points • 29 May 23
📖 Philosophy Metaphysics Ethics Political Philosophy Epistemology Aesthetics
  1. When traveling by airplane, we ignore the risks we know are there, which reflects our ability to overlook inherent dangers in pursuit of convenience.
  2. The sense of class, wealth, and comfort among individuals varies, influencing their attitudes towards success and societal norms.
  3. The modern lifestyle involves navigating through ideological and moral contradictions, from energy consumption to personal choices, which can lead to reflections on societal values and personal actions.

French 1790s Disco, and Other Excesses

Atlas of Wonders and Monsters • 627 implied HN points • 20 Jul 23
🎭️ Culture Fashion History Art Society Aesthetics
  1. Cultural excesses, like the French 1790s Disco and Directoire fashion, represent brief bursts of extravagant creativity.
  2. These periods of excess, though short-lived, have a lasting impact on culture and fashion.
  3. While moderation is important, occasional indulgence in extravagance and eccentricity can bring vitality and richness to life and civilization.

The Good Life: Buen Vivir, Hygge, Solarpunk & Degrowth.

Sunshine and Seedlings: A Newsletter by HydroponicTrash • 609 implied HN points • 06 Apr 23
🎭️ Culture Ideas Sustainability Community Politics Aesthetics
  1. Imagining a postcapitalist, ecological, and equal future is vital for creating change.
  2. Buen Vivir, Hygge, Solarpunk, Social Ecology, and Degrowth are interconnected in promoting community well-being, sustainability, and decolonization.
  3. The concepts of Buen Vivir and Hygge can give insight into a degrowth future, emphasizing interconnectedness, community action, and well-being for all.

The view from utopia

De Pony Sum • 255 implied HN points • 23 Sep 23
📖 Philosophy Ethics Aesthetics Metaphysics
  1. Think about what kind of world you would create in different scenarios of power and capacity
  2. Challenge traditional theories of the good life by considering extreme scenarios
  3. Imagine creating a complex and diverse utopia with opportunities for growth and experience

Critique of Kvarteret Backklövern detailed development plan in Solna

The Third Place • 59 implied HN points • 24 Jan 24
🪑 Design Urban planning Architecture Sustainability Aesthetics
  1. Encouraging diversity in building typology within neighborhoods can foster inclusivity and community integration.
  2. Prioritizing pedestrian and cyclist accessibility in urban planning can lead to sustainable and vibrant communities, like Barcelona's superblocks.
  3. Balancing practicality with cultural enrichment, such as including entertainment or cultural facilities in development plans, is essential for creating thriving and lively communities.

Feeling the Design

UX Psychology • 238 implied HN points • 05 Jun 23
🪑 Design Emotion Attention Product Design User Experience Aesthetics
  1. Emotions significantly impact user attention and decision-making. We can design products that resonate with users by considering their emotional states.
  2. Balancing functionality and aesthetics is crucial in design. Negative emotions may lead users to focus on functionality, while positive emotions may draw them to aesthetics.
  3. Design strategies that consider emotional mapping, create emotional peaks, and provide feedback can enhance user experience and engagement.

Rosalie Yu: Candy-Glazed Eyes of Haunted Machines

Do Not Research • 79 implied HN points • 16 Oct 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Visual art Cultural analysis Aesthetics Colonialism Metaverse
  1. The project 'Candy-Glazed Eyes of Haunted Machines' explores the aesthetics and histories of coin-operated children's rides in Taiwan, revealing traces of colonial aesthetics and post-colonial narratives.
  2. The artist delves into the emotional and aesthetic impact of these rides through creating digital and sculptural pieces, tapping into feelings of nostalgia and unveiling the haunted essence of the rides.
  3. There is a curious exploration of parallels between the traditional entertainment vending machine market and emerging technologies like NFTs and the metaverse, raising questions about ownership and manipulation of concepts.

Important source for Gardenworld - The Arts and Crafts Movement.

Douglass’s Newsletter • 19 implied HN points • 10 Feb 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Aesthetics Craftsmanship Aesthetics
  1. The Arts and Crafts Movement was an international trend in the decorative and fine arts, advocating traditional craftsmanship and social reform.
  2. The movement emphasized simpler and more aesthetic homes and gardens, influencing styles like Art Nouveau and Modernism.
  3. Craftsmanship involves doing a job well for its own sake, contributing to people's well-being and community morale.

Big City (Everybody I Know Can Be Found Here)

Kneeling Bus • 146 implied HN points • 02 Jun 23
🎭️ Culture Social media Fame Urban life Aesthetics
  1. In the age of social media, everyone has the potential for some level of fame, even if it's just to a small group of people.
  2. Social media platforms encourage constant engagement by transforming real estate in people's minds into smaller, more frequent units.
  3. Attention on social media is securitized to keep content flowing, blurring the lines between creators and consumers.

What is Taste and how to have it?

Product Composition • 137 implied HN points • 12 Feb 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Design Craft Creativity Aesthetics Influence
  1. Having good taste is a skill that can be developed by paying attention to craft, analyzing surroundings, seeking feedback, and surrounding yourself with tasteful things and people.
  2. Buying expensive items doesn't necessarily mean you have good taste; true taste is about appreciating quality and value, not just high price tags.
  3. Having good taste can be beneficial for business success, as it involves analyzing goods, spotting opportunities, and making valuable decisions efficiently.

The Museum of Sauce

Kneeling Bus • 117 implied HN points • 24 May 23
🎭️ Culture Social media Aesthetics TikTok Instagram Pop culture
  1. TikTok has become a powerful force in shaping aesthetics and design in contrast to Instagram's influence.
  2. TikTok's native aesthetic is described as baroque, tactile, kinetic, and loud, setting it apart from other platforms.
  3. TikTok's impact extends beyond the digital realm, influencing physical environments and incentivizing creativity in a way that differs from Instagram.

Little boxes — and they all look just the same

City Hall Watcher • 98 implied HN points • 27 Feb 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Architecture City Planning Urban Design Development Aesthetics
  1. Toronto's architecture is becoming more monotonous due to recent provincial legislation affecting design approvals for buildings.
  2. City Hall is preparing for a by-election to replace Mayor John Tory, with the process set to begin after Pride weekend.
  3. The development pipeline in Toronto has seen a significant increase in proposed residential units, reaching a record high in 2021.

What Critics of the Humanities Don't Understand

Humanities in Revolt • 299 implied HN points • 10 Feb 22
📖 Philosophy Values Critical Thinking Aesthetics Political Philosophy Moral Philosophy
  1. Critics of the humanities often underestimate their importance and mistakenly prioritize practical fields like STEM over humanities. However, an in-depth analysis reveals the value-based assumptions behind such claims.
  2. The humanities contribute to understanding human existence beyond mere practicality by encouraging contemplation of values, creativity, and the human condition. They help us figure out our fundamental goals and values that guide decision-making.
  3. Philosophy delves into examining human values, morality, aesthetics, and political philosophy, emphasizing the indispensable role the humanities play in critically evaluating our beliefs, actions, and societal structures based on deeper values.