The Prism

The Prism explores the complexities of the Digital Age, focusing on the challenges of information consumption, cognitive biases, social media's influence, and decision-making in a saturated environment. It discusses the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, mental health, and strategies for personal development and critical thinking, offering insights into navigating misinformation and societal trends.

Digital Age Challenges Information Consumption Cognitive Biases Social Media Impact Decision-Making Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Mental Health Personal Development Critical Thinking Misinformation

The hottest Substack posts of The Prism

And their main takeaways

I Met the Alleged CEO Assassin

1757 implied HN points • 22 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Politics Social Issues Criminal Justice Healthcare Cultural Commentary
  1. The individual named Luigi Mangione, once seen as a nice and thoughtful person, is now accused of murder. This raises questions about how people can show kindness yet still commit terrible acts.
  2. Luigi felt strongly about people losing their sense of agency and believed many were living on autopilot. He was eager to discuss ways to regain control over his life.
  3. There are dangers in attributing blame for societal issues to individuals. The healthcare system is complex, and scapegoating someone doesn't solve the bigger problems at play.

25 Useful Ideas for 2025

877 implied HN points • 02 Jan 25
🚌 Education Learning Psychology Critical Thinking Personal Development Cognitive Science
  1. Being too focused on what we hate in politics makes us unhappy. Instead, we should think about what we stand for and what we can support positively.
  2. Markets and services can start off great for users but may turn worse as they become more focused on profits over their customers. We should be aware of this shift in priorities.
  3. To truly learn something well, we should try to teach it. Teaching others helps deepen our understanding and makes information stick better.

How Empathy Makes Us Cruel and Irrational

613 implied HN points • 13 Dec 24
🎭️ Culture Media Psychology Society Crime Justice
  1. Empathy can sometimes lead people to support those who have committed serious crimes, like murder, by seeing them as victims rather than acknowledging their actions. This often happens because people connect emotionally and ignore the facts.
  2. Women may be more affected by stories that evoke empathy, which can lead to biased views in trials and public discussions about justice, especially in cases of alleged abuse.
  3. Believing that empathy always leads to compassion can be misleading; it might actually cause unfairness and cruelty toward others, as people might overlook wrongdoing because they only focus on the suffering of one side.

In Defence of Israel

571 implied HN points • 25 Oct 23
🌍 World Politics Israel Palestine Conflict History Peace
  1. Israel's history is complex and involves legitimate victimhood, negotiations, and conflict with Arab states.
  2. Israel's relationship with Palestinians is not accurately described as apartheid, but rather on security grounds.
  3. The Israeli government is held in check by institutions and faces different moral challenges compared to extremist groups like Hamas.

How to Find Good Information

123 implied HN points • 19 Sep 23
🚌 Education Information Consumption News Podcasts Essays
  1. Distinguish between good and junk information; good info should change your thinking or actions.
  2. There are two ways to obtain info online: passive fishing and active hunting.
  3. Curate your information sources wisely, including well-curated social media feeds, varied news sources, and informative podcasts.
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For Paid Subscribers (December 2023)

22 implied HN points • 10 Dec 23
🕹 Technology Social media
  1. YouTube has no direct competitors and can treat creators and audiences poorly.
  2. Consider trying a 7-day free trial to access full post archives on The Prism.
  3. Paid subscribers get recommendations and updates from Gurwinder in December 2023.

40 Mind-Expanding Concepts (Winter 2022)

40 HN points • 27 Nov 22
  1. Noticing something new can make it seem more common, triggering conspiracy theories.
  2. Ignoring problems only prolongs them, facing stressors head-on is important.
  3. Idolizing intelligence can lead to irrationality, beware of making assumptions based on someone's expertise.

The Cure to Misinformation is More Misinformation

8 HN points • 24 Apr 23
🌍 World Politics Misinformation Regulation Censorship Conspiracy Theories AI
  1. The cure to misinformation is believed to be more misinformation, not less, by some experts.
  2. Attempts to regulate misinformation through censorship and AI may not be effective and could actually make the problem worse.
  3. Exposing people to misinformation in a controlled manner, similar to vaccination, can help them develop immunity and discern truth from falsehood.

The Pathologization Pandemic

4 HN points • 06 Jul 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health Psychology Therapy Self-development Youth Issues
  1. Youth mental health is deteriorating due to societal influences, leading to increased diagnoses of mental disorders.
  2. Long Covid and mood disorders are intertwined, potentially leading to misdiagnosis and confusion.
  3. Pathologization of personal issues as medical disorders is on the rise among young people, driven by social media, victimhood culture, and the medical industry.