Everything Is Bullshit

Everything Is Bullshit examines the underpinnings of human behavior, morality, social norms, and desires through a critical and often Darwinian lens. It questions commonly held beliefs about happiness, status, suffering, and morality, suggesting that evolutionary instincts, social games, and self-interest drive much of human action and societal structures.

Human Behavior Evolutionary Psychology Social Norms Morality Desire and Competition Status and Power Dynamics The Nature of Happiness Perception of Suffering Political Ideologies Self-Interest and Altruism Personal and Societal Progress

The hottest Substack posts of Everything Is Bullshit

And their main takeaways

Opinions Are Bullshit

707 implied HN points • 28 Nov 23
📖 Philosophy Social norms
  1. Opinions are not facts, preferences, or beliefs, but a strategic game of social norms.
  2. Expressing opinions is about trying to appear superior without admitting it openly.
  3. Opinions involve covert judgments and externalizing preferences to win the 'opinion game'.

Darwin the Cynic

904 implied HN points • 24 Oct 23
📖 Philosophy Human nature Idealism Morality Ethics
  1. Being a Darwinian cynic means believing people are motivated by self-interest, family-interest, and group-interest.
  2. Darwinian cynicism challenges the idea of pure altruism, suggesting that human actions are ultimately selfish, nepotistic, or groupish.
  3. Moral progress and idealism are seen as accidental byproducts rather than deliberate desires in the lens of Darwinian cynicism.
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Morality Is Not Nice

746 implied HN points • 12 Apr 23
📖 Philosophy Morality Evolution Human nature Ethics
  1. Morality often justifies bad behavior using noble excuses like 'justice' or 'what you deserve.'
  2. Morality evolved through competition, domination, and exploiting others for personal gain.
  3. Our moral progress as a society has been driven by the fear of mutually assured destruction and social mobilization.

No Self, No Politics

511 implied HN points • 05 Jul 23
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Buddhism Ethics Mindfulness Spirituality Religion
  1. The author discusses how combining spirituality with evolutionary psychology can be beneficial for personal growth.
  2. The text highlights the idea that political beliefs are often shaped by alliances and power dynamics rather than truth or personal values.
  3. It suggests that it's okay to prioritize personal growth and non-political actions over being deeply involved in political discourse.

There's a Problem with Our Desires

609 implied HN points • 09 May 23
📖 Philosophy
  1. Our desires are often driven by a pattern of comparison with others.
  2. Natural selection has shaped our desires to be competitive.
  3. The conflict in our desires creates a never-ending cycle of social competition.