The hottest Substack posts of Traditions of Conflict

And their main takeaways
26 implied HN points 24 Jan 25
  1. Many cultures believe in using things like hair or personal items to harm others through magic. This idea reflects a common practice of using what's connected to someone to affect them.
  2. Supernatural beliefs may persist because people start to feel sick or anxious after hearing they’ve been cursed, which makes them believe in the power of magic more strongly.
  3. There’s a connection between these beliefs and how humans think; people often mistake coincidence for causation, leading to a cycle of magic, fear, and belief.
13 implied HN points 10 Dec 24
  1. Polygyny often happens in societies where men benefit more than women. This means that men use these marriages to gain extra support from women rather than women wanting to share a wealthy man.
  2. The way marriages are arranged plays a big role in how common polygyny is. When marriages are forced or without much choice, more women end up in polygynous marriages.
  3. If women contribute a lot to family resources and marriages are very controlled, it's easier for polygyny to thrive. In contrast, if women have more say or choice in their marriages, polygyny tends to be less common.
14 implied HN points 04 Feb 23
  1. Gebusi had a high homicide rate due to cultural beliefs like sorcery accusations.
  2. Transition to larger villages with healthcare and better nutrition led to a decline in mortality and sorcery accusations.
  3. Influence of Christianity, bride price system, and socioecological factors contributed to the decline in Gebusi homicides.