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The Substack 'Thinking about...' explores geopolitical tensions, contemporary conflicts, and historical contexts, with a focus on Russia's internal politics, the war in Ukraine, and the implications for global politics. It critically analyses power dynamics, legal issues, and human rights while also touching on cultural and historical insights.

Geopolitical conflicts Russian internal politics Ukraine war and its global implications Power dynamics and state exploitation Legal and human rights issues Cultural and historical contexts

The hottest Substack posts of Thinking about...

And their main takeaways

Beware the Weak Man

513 implied HN points • 22 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Policy Leadership Democracy Republicans Fear
  1. Identify weak men by their actions, like avoiding real issues and spreading fear rather than facing challenges head-on
  2. Weak men consume the energy of others, pushing for inaction, spread fear, and normalize fear in institutions, leading to harmful consequences
  3. Courage is essential in times of crisis, like supporting Ukraine and democracy, and standing up against the weak men who drive a politics of fear

The apocalypse we choose

333 implied HN points • 03 Mar 24
🌍 World Politics Conflict Democracy International relations Geopolitics Foreign Policy
  1. Mike Johnson's actions as Speaker of the House are enabling Russian aggression in Ukraine and risking turning the world towards tyranny
  2. Ukrainian resistance is crucial in halting genocide and preventing nuclear proliferation
  3. American assistance to Ukraine is essential in supporting democracy, preventing catastrophe, and maintaining global stability

Putin's genocidal myth

343 implied HN points • 11 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics Geopolitics Nationalism Genocide Soviet Union
  1. Putin's narrative about eternal Russia leads to war, genocide, and fascism.
  2. Putin's selective view of history distorts facts and justifies aggressive actions like invading neighbors and committing genocide.
  3. Putin's attempt to rewrite history to fit his narrative is dangerous and leads to a distorted view of the past that justifies atrocities.

Good News on Safe Skies

164 implied HN points • 01 Mar 24
🌍 World Politics Ukraine Support Documentary
  1. A fundraiser successfully raised $1.9 million to install a passive drone-detection system in Ukraine to protect critical infrastructure and save lives.
  2. The fundraiser reached its goal to fund 5,000 sensors for protection in eight Ukrainian regions, with installation planned in the coming weeks.
  3. Support is still needed to reach the goal of installing 12,000 total sensors to protect the entire country, and there are other fundraisers available for additional support.
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Bad Arguments and Good Historians

241 implied HN points • 03 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Legal Constitution Presidency Supreme Court
  1. The President of the United States is considered an officer of the United States under the Constitution
  2. Disqualifications under Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment apply instantly, without requiring a conviction or special law from Congress
  3. Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment is not limited to the 1860s and was created to prevent future insurrections

Law or Fear

198 implied HN points • 07 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Law Supreme Court Constitution Presidency Insurrection
  1. The Supreme Court is considering Trump's disqualification based on an insurrection and violation of oath.
  2. Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment sets qualifications for presidential office, including not being an oath-breaking insurrectionist.
  3. Choosing between law and fear is highlighted in the context of enforcing constitutional principles like Section 3.

On Tyranny

296 implied HN points • 06 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Democracy Leadership Authoritarianism Activism Freedom
  1. Authoritarian power is often given willingly by individuals, don't comply in advance.
  2. Defend institutions that uphold decency and democracy by actively supporting them.
  3. Be vigilant against the rise of one-party states and fight to uphold democratic principles and multiple-party systems.

Courting Ridicule

279 implied HN points • 08 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Government Supreme Court Trump
  1. The Supreme Court may risk looking ridiculous if it rules on Trump's eligibility for office
  2. Court rulings often favor big business and make it harder for people to vote
  3. Courting ridicule through decisions based on psychological states could undermine the rule of law

Live discussion today

62 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
📰 News
  1. Live discussion with Timothy Snyder happening today at 1:30-2:15 PM
  2. It's a written exchange, not a Zoom session
  3. Live discussions will be held monthly

Prigozhin's March on Moscow

392 implied HN points • 26 Jun 23
🌍 World Politics War Propaganda Regime Fascism Resistance
  1. Putin is not as popular as assumed, with signs of apathy and readiness for a new exploitative regime among Russians.
  2. Prigozhin posed a threat to Putin by leveraging similar tactics and assets, showcasing the extractive nature of the Russian state.
  3. Prigozhin's mutiny exposed truths about the war, shedding light on the internal divisions and potential future power struggles within Russia.

Note to subscribers

34 implied HN points • 14 Jan 24
🎙 Podcasts Episodes Subscribers
  1. Paid subscribers have access to exclusive content like archived essays and live threads.
  2. Podcasts of essays will be released in the next couple of weeks.
  3. The next live thread with Timothy Snyder will be on February 8th.

Missiles over Kyiv

161 implied HN points • 17 May 23
🌍 World Politics War Ukraine Russia Propaganda Fascism
  1. Russian attacks on Kyiv are an act of terrorism aiming at civilians and infrastructure.
  2. Ukrainian self-defense through air-defense systems is crucial in this conflict.
  3. Russian propaganda distorts the reality of their actions, promoting fascism as a form of politics.

Nuclear war!

169 implied HN points • 08 Feb 23
  1. Nuclear war talk profits media and plays into victimhood narratives.
  2. Supporting Ukraine decreases the risk of nuclear war by countering nuclear blackmail, proliferation, and potential confrontations.
  3. The use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine is strategically and symbolically damaging for Russia.

Explosion over the Kremlin

141 implied HN points • 04 May 23
🌍 World Politics Russia Ukraine War Crimes Propaganda Military
  1. Russian authorities blamed Ukraine for an explosion over the Kremlin without evidence, raising doubts about their claims.
  2. The staged incident at the Kremlin could be a Russian ploy to justify war crimes and rally public support for the war in Ukraine.
  3. Canceling parades commemorating the victory of the Red Army may have been an underlying motive for staging the attack at the Kremlin.

Putin's legal troubles

107 implied HN points • 20 Mar 23
🌍 World Politics War Crimes Security Council United Nations
  1. Several countries are preparing for a special tribunal for the crime of aggression by Putin.
  2. A report documented war crimes committed by Russian authorities in Ukraine, including torture and sexual violence.
  3. An arrest warrant was issued for Putin by the International Criminal Court for war crimes, focusing on the abduction of children from Ukraine.

Spring in February

89 implied HN points • 14 Feb 23
📚 Literature Poetry History Culture
  1. Valentine's Day initially was connected to birds and the concept of spring by Chaucer.
  2. Chaucer's poem suggests that the celebration was linked to the transition into a hopeful spring.
  3. February, the month in which Valentine's Day falls, marked the beginning of various agricultural activities signaling the start of spring.

How to Help Ukrainians, a Year In

74 implied HN points • 06 Mar 23
🌍 World Politics Support Ukraine NGOs Donations Military
  1. Support initiatives like Documenting Ukraine that empower Ukrainians to document the war themselves.
  2. Consider donating to organizations like the Centre for Civic Engagement that help Ukrainian scholars affected by the war.
  3. Support efforts like the Ukrainian Children's Action Project aimed at helping children affected by war and displacement.

Reminder: live discussion

49 implied HN points • 03 Mar 23
📚 Literature Discussion
  1. Live discussion on Friday at 11:30am Eastern
  2. Theme will be the first year of the war, but other questions can be raised
  3. Paid subscribers will receive a prompt by email to join the discussion