The Rubesletter by Matt Ruby (of Vooza) | Sent every Tuesday $5 / month

The Rubesletter, written by comedian/writer Matt Ruby, offers frank, humorous insights on various subjects including social issues, culture, technology, and personal behavior. Ruby critically examines modern societal norms, comedy, geopolitics, masculinity, and the impact of technology, often challenging mainstream perspectives and encouraging thoughtful discourse.

Social Issues Culture Technology Personal Behavior Geopolitics Masculinity Comedy Media Criticism

The hottest Substack posts of The Rubesletter by Matt Ruby (of Vooza) | Sent every Tuesday

And their main takeaways
427 implied HN points β€’ 12 Mar 24
  1. The upcoming election highlights the dilemma of feeling like a vegan at a BBQ joint, with both sides having their quirks and pitfalls.
  2. The focus on Biden's age isn't just media-driven, but a genuine concern due to public observations.
  3. Having a boring President might be good because politics should be functional and uneventful, unlike the chaos of previous administrations.
641 implied HN points β€’ 05 Mar 24
  1. Enshittification refers to how digital platforms decline over time by abusing users and businesses to benefit themselves before eventually failing.
  2. Public solitude is the ability to feel alone even when in front of a large crowd, allowing one to focus in the present moment or during a performance.
  3. Specieist is a term for prejudice based on species, demonstrated by the debate between Elon Musk and Larry Page over the future of artificial intelligence.
1069 implied HN points β€’ 20 Feb 24
  1. The newsletter is about being authentic, confident, and provoked, and it includes visual memes in addition to written content.
  2. The author creates visuals for Instagram based on the content of the newsletter, covering topics like gratitude, branding, and more.
  3. Readers can continue enjoying the newsletter by subscribing for a 7-day free trial to access the full post archives.
570 implied HN points β€’ 28 Feb 24
  1. Many people on social media seem to share a common dislike for the New York Times, perceiving it as biased.
  2. Despite differing opinions on which political direction the NY Times leans towards, the widespread criticism suggests it may actually be achieving balance in its reporting.
  3. Critics of the Times should consider the importance of rigorous journalism and ask if there are better alternative publications out there.
926 implied HN points β€’ 13 Feb 24
  1. Many of life's greatest experiences involve initially overcoming discomfort and pain, leading to growth and transcendence.
  2. Recognize and reframe feelings of discomfort to gauge if something productive might be happening on the other side.
  3. Differentiate between productive, growth-inducing discomfort and unnecessary fear that may hold you back from personal development.
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1568 implied HN points β€’ 09 Jan 24
  1. Critics say Dave Chappelle and Ricky Gervais' new specials are punching down, not insightful or funny.
  2. The target of their jokes may not be the marginalized groups they seem to mock, but those who display moral superiority online.
  3. Social media outrage often simplifies complex issues, but there can be funny jokes about anyone as long as they're thoughtful and original.
926 implied HN points β€’ 06 Jun 23
  1. Future of technology like Apple Vision Pro may have surprising uses beyond what we initially think.
  2. Passthrough feature in Apple Vision Pro allows mutual seeing - interesting concept for enhanced interaction.
  3. Reflect on the impact of excessive screen time and technology usage on real-life human interactions.