The hottest Aesthetics Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Culture Topics

Barbie and Killers of the Flower Moon

Castalia • 399 implied HN points • 19 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Film Aesthetics Feminism History Criticism
  1. The movie 'Barbie' is all about world-building and creativity. It mixes different genres and offers a fun view on feminism, showing that it's not just about power, but also understanding emotions and relationships.
  2. In contrast, 'Killers of the Flower Moon' focuses on the dark side of American history. It tells a sad story about greed and racism, showcasing how these forces affected the Osage people and their lives.
  3. Both films represent different styles of storytelling. 'Barbie' uses imagination and humor, while 'Killers of the Flower Moon' highlights serious historical themes, inviting viewers to think deeply about America’s past.

The Good Life: Buen Vivir, Hygge, Solarpunk & Degrowth.

Sunshine and Seedlings: A Newsletter by HydroponicTrash • 609 implied HN points • 06 Apr 23
🎭️ Culture Ideas Sustainability Community Politics Aesthetics
  1. Imagining a postcapitalist, ecological, and equal future is vital for creating change.
  2. Buen Vivir, Hygge, Solarpunk, Social Ecology, and Degrowth are interconnected in promoting community well-being, sustainability, and decolonization.
  3. The concepts of Buen Vivir and Hygge can give insight into a degrowth future, emphasizing interconnectedness, community action, and well-being for all.

Jordan Peele's Divided Aesthetic

Castalia • 499 implied HN points • 14 Nov 23
🎭️ Culture Film Aesthetics Race Social Critique Media
  1. Jordan Peele's film _Get Out!_ was groundbreaking because it mixed horror with comedy and highlighted the awkwardness and hidden racism in America. It showed that racism is deep-rooted and not just a product of overt actions.
  2. Peele's later films, _Us_ and _Nope_, struggle with the same themes but seem less clear in their messages. While they aim to critique social issues, the storytelling sometimes veers into confusion.
  3. The success of _Get Out!_ has led to a genre of films that exaggerate social issues and trauma, but this can make the realities of those issues seem cartoonish and oversimplified, leading to less effective critiques.

The Intrinsic Value of Consciousness

Going Awol • 139 implied HN points • 24 Apr 24
📖 Philosophy Value Consciousness Aesthetics Beauty
  1. Intrinsic value is value something has for its own sake, like pleasure or achievement, while instrumental value is value something has as a means to an end, like money.
  2. Consciousness is considered instrumentally valuable as it is a prerequisite for many intrinsically valuable things like forming relationships, feeling happiness, and experiencing beauty.
  3. The aesthetic value of consciousness lies in its beauty and the wonder it inspires, as it is seen as sublime and intricately mysterious.
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🤯 10 surprising ideas about design

Design Lobster • 519 implied HN points • 16 Oct 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Design Creativity Inspiration Storytelling Aesthetics
  1. In design, being obvious can be a compliment. It requires a creative mindset to see things as they truly are and eliminate the unnecessary.
  2. Design that makes people look good resonates more. A little flattery in design can go a long way in enhancing user experience.
  3. Embracing bad ideas in the design process can lead to wider exploration and better solutions. It's about challenging assumptions and sparking fresh ideas.

Repairing Ourselves.

The Future Does Not Fit In The Containers Of The Past • 53 implied HN points • 10 Nov 24
🎭️ Culture Literature Arts Philosophy Aesthetics Self-Improvement
  1. Poetry helps us connect with our deepest feelings and can aid in personal healing. It shows us that we can rebuild ourselves through words and creativity.
  2. Water symbolizes life and healing, teaching us the importance of being adaptable and working harmoniously with our environment.
  3. Kintsugi is a Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold, reminding us that our scars and flaws can be beautiful and part of our unique story.

🟧 Is boutique a bad word?

One Thing • 217 implied HN points • 15 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Fashion Retail Internet Art Aesthetics
  1. The concept of a boutique has evolved from locally-owned stores with unique goods to a term that is overused and often diluted in online advertising.
  2. Boutiques represent a curated taste experience, but their high prices can make them exclusive and inaccessible to many customers.
  3. The internet provides opportunities for boutique-style businesses to reach wider audiences, but it lacks the physical charm and surprise of an in-person boutique.

In Defence of Beauty

Mind & Mythos • 419 implied HN points • 29 Oct 23
🎭️ Culture Aesthetics Art Architecture Philosophy Traditions
  1. Beauty matters in our lives. It's not just about looking pretty; it's about how things make us feel emotionally and spiritually.
  2. There are some rules of Beauty that many people agree on across cultures. This suggests that Beauty isn't just personal preference, but something more universal.
  3. When we ignore Beauty in our society, we lose touch with important values like kindness and hope. Reconnecting with Beauty could help uplift our culture.

Morgane Billuart: Virtuality and Aesthetics, An Evening in the Void Club

Do Not Research • 239 implied HN points • 02 Jan 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Aesthetics Imagination Symbolism Digital Spaces
  1. In virtual spaces, the absence of detailed information can enhance creativity and imagination.
  2. Digital platforms challenge the concept of realism and likeness in representations, prioritizing subjective interpretation.
  3. Virtual environments offer individuals the opportunity to craft and curate their own narratives, leading to a shift in the experience of existence.

Better Data Science: How To Design Visualizations that Work

Data at Depth • 79 implied HN points • 05 May 24
🕹 Technology Data science Visualization Accessibility Aesthetics Design principles
  1. Start with defining the function you want the audience to perform with the presented data before creating visualizations that support it
  2. Implement aspects like affordances, accessibility, and aesthetics to ensure your visualizations are clear, usable, and visually appealing for the audience
  3. Achieving acceptance of your data visualization involves following established design principles like direct labeling, thoughtful use of color, alignment, and the data-ink principle

My Own Private Energy Crisis

Justin E. H. Smith's Hinternet • 881 implied HN points • 29 May 23
📖 Philosophy Metaphysics Ethics Political Philosophy Epistemology Aesthetics
  1. When traveling by airplane, we ignore the risks we know are there, which reflects our ability to overlook inherent dangers in pursuit of convenience.
  2. The sense of class, wealth, and comfort among individuals varies, influencing their attitudes towards success and societal norms.
  3. The modern lifestyle involves navigating through ideological and moral contradictions, from energy consumption to personal choices, which can lead to reflections on societal values and personal actions.

Disgusting

Erdmann Housing Tracker • 337 implied HN points • 07 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics Social Issues Community Dynamics Aesthetics Social Change
  1. A community's shared beliefs can drive reactions of disgust and aesthetics are deeply intertwined with morals and affiliations.
  2. Local housing regulations often have classist roots, leading to unintended consequences like increased homelessness and cost of living pressures.
  3. Aesthetics in housing can be used as a tool for status, hindering change and progress in neighborhoods, but changes have historically occurred when societal attitudes shift.

The Epic, the Novel, and Rawls

From the New World • 5 implied HN points • 17 Jan 25
📖 Philosophy Ethics Epistemology Political theory Aesthetics Metaphysics
  1. Rawls' ideas about justice might be influenced by how people are portrayed in media, especially television. This could change how we see human nature and its differences.
  2. The concept of living through fiction, whether in novels or other narratives, has been around for a long time. It suggests that people have always had the ability to empathize with others, even without modern technology.
  3. Though television might make humanity seem more similar, earlier thinkers like Hobbes and Locke also explored human nature in unique ways, showing that this question is not new.

French 1790s Disco, and Other Excesses

Atlas of Wonders and Monsters • 627 implied HN points • 20 Jul 23
🎭️ Culture Fashion History Art Society Aesthetics
  1. Cultural excesses, like the French 1790s Disco and Directoire fashion, represent brief bursts of extravagant creativity.
  2. These periods of excess, though short-lived, have a lasting impact on culture and fashion.
  3. While moderation is important, occasional indulgence in extravagance and eccentricity can bring vitality and richness to life and civilization.

The view from utopia

De Pony Sum • 255 implied HN points • 23 Sep 23
📖 Philosophy Ethics Aesthetics Metaphysics
  1. Think about what kind of world you would create in different scenarios of power and capacity
  2. Challenge traditional theories of the good life by considering extreme scenarios
  3. Imagine creating a complex and diverse utopia with opportunities for growth and experience

Feeling the Design

UX Psychology • 238 implied HN points • 05 Jun 23
🪑 Design Emotion Attention Product Design User Experience Aesthetics
  1. Emotions significantly impact user attention and decision-making. We can design products that resonate with users by considering their emotional states.
  2. Balancing functionality and aesthetics is crucial in design. Negative emotions may lead users to focus on functionality, while positive emotions may draw them to aesthetics.
  3. Design strategies that consider emotional mapping, create emotional peaks, and provide feedback can enhance user experience and engagement.

The Pragmatists Handbook: Transjectivity

Divergent Futures • 2 HN points • 13 Sep 24
📖 Philosophy Epistemology Metaphysics Ethics Ontology Aesthetics
  1. Truth isn't just about what's real or what we feel; it comes from how we connect with the world around us. This idea is called transjectivity, showing that understanding comes from our interactions.
  2. The way we categorize things, like calling a chair a 'chair', is influenced by both what we see and how we use it. It's about finding what fits well in our lives, not just what exists independently.
  3. Our views and meanings can change based on our experiences and environment. This means that understanding truth is flexible and evolves as we learn and grow.

What Is Beauty?

Life and Letters • 59 implied HN points • 01 Apr 24
🎭️ Culture Aesthetics Art Literature Biology Sexuality History
  1. Sexual attraction plays a big role in art and beauty. It has been important in history but seems less central in today's discussions about aesthetics.
  2. Richard Prum's theory explains that beauty in the animal world, like a peacock's tail, comes from sexual selection rather than just survival needs. Animals choose mates based on beauty, which shapes what traits get passed down.
  3. Culture and biology are deeply connected when it comes to beauty and desire. This idea can be seen in literature from ancient times, where beautiful characters are often depicted as more desirable than strong ones.

Making architecture easy

The Works in Progress Newsletter • 18 implied HN points • 22 Nov 24
🪑 Design Architecture Urban planning Aesthetics
  1. Architectural styles should prioritize ease of appreciation for the public, as buildings are experienced by many, not just their owners. This makes it important for styles to be friendly and accessible to everyone.
  2. There's a difference between 'easy' and 'challenging' styles in architecture. Easy styles are enjoyable without much effort, while challenging styles can be difficult to appreciate for most people.
  3. Modern architecture often tends to be less appealing to the general public, leading to a need for styles that blend traditional principles to ensure buildings fit well into everyday environments.

What is Taste and how to have it?

Product Composition • 137 implied HN points • 12 Feb 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Design Craft Creativity Aesthetics Influence
  1. Having good taste is a skill that can be developed by paying attention to craft, analyzing surroundings, seeking feedback, and surrounding yourself with tasteful things and people.
  2. Buying expensive items doesn't necessarily mean you have good taste; true taste is about appreciating quality and value, not just high price tags.
  3. Having good taste can be beneficial for business success, as it involves analyzing goods, spotting opportunities, and making valuable decisions efficiently.

Are Games Bad?

Donkeyspace • 18 implied HN points • 21 Oct 24
🎭️ Culture Gaming Art Media Entertainment Aesthetics
  1. Hideo Kojima creates unique video games that mix action and storytelling, making them feel personal and artistic. People love his work for being different and imaginative.
  2. However, many of his games contain really boring cutscenes with bad dialogue that can spoil the overall experience. These parts are often criticized for being unnecessarily lengthy and confusing.
  3. Some fans try to embrace the bad elements as part of Kojima's unique charm, but there's a feeling that video games could be so much better if they didn't have these flaws. Many gamers realize that video games are capable of deep storytelling and creativity beyond simple entertainment.

Critique of Kvarteret Backklövern detailed development plan in Solna

The Third Place • 59 implied HN points • 24 Jan 24
🪑 Design Urban planning Architecture Sustainability Aesthetics
  1. Encouraging diversity in building typology within neighborhoods can foster inclusivity and community integration.
  2. Prioritizing pedestrian and cyclist accessibility in urban planning can lead to sustainable and vibrant communities, like Barcelona's superblocks.
  3. Balancing practicality with cultural enrichment, such as including entertainment or cultural facilities in development plans, is essential for creating thriving and lively communities.

Little boxes — and they all look just the same

City Hall Watcher • 98 implied HN points • 27 Feb 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Architecture City Planning Urban Design Development Aesthetics
  1. Toronto's architecture is becoming more monotonous due to recent provincial legislation affecting design approvals for buildings.
  2. City Hall is preparing for a by-election to replace Mayor John Tory, with the process set to begin after Pride weekend.
  3. The development pipeline in Toronto has seen a significant increase in proposed residential units, reaching a record high in 2021.

Polymathematics In One Breath

polymathematics • 99 implied HN points • 21 Aug 23
📖 Philosophy Existentialism Ethics Metaphysics Epistemology Aesthetics
  1. Polymathematics is about embracing a variety of interests and doing what you love. It means not just saying you're interested in many things, but actually pursuing those passions.
  2. Finding what you genuinely love is the first challenge. It can be tough to narrow down your true interests when there are so many options.
  3. Living a polymathematical life is rewarding, but it takes effort to balance those multiple passions. It's about actively engaging with the things that bring you joy.

Rosalie Yu: Candy-Glazed Eyes of Haunted Machines

Do Not Research • 79 implied HN points • 16 Oct 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Visual art Cultural analysis Aesthetics Colonialism Metaverse
  1. The project 'Candy-Glazed Eyes of Haunted Machines' explores the aesthetics and histories of coin-operated children's rides in Taiwan, revealing traces of colonial aesthetics and post-colonial narratives.
  2. The artist delves into the emotional and aesthetic impact of these rides through creating digital and sculptural pieces, tapping into feelings of nostalgia and unveiling the haunted essence of the rides.
  3. There is a curious exploration of parallels between the traditional entertainment vending machine market and emerging technologies like NFTs and the metaverse, raising questions about ownership and manipulation of concepts.

Raw and Fake Raw

Castalia • 179 implied HN points • 29 Dec 22
🎭️ Culture Art Aesthetics Performance Literature Music
  1. Raw performances can feel more genuine and moving compared to overly crafted ones. It's often the unpolished and spontaneous moments that resonate most with people.
  2. Our culture often celebrates 'raw' experiences, linking them to authenticity and a connection to real emotions or events. This can include everything from music to acting.
  3. However, there's a risk of 'fake raw' where performers pretend to be unrefined or down-to-earth while actually being quite polished. This can feel disingenuous and can turn audiences off.