The hottest Anthropology Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top World Politics Topics

Panic In Zanzibar: Nocturnal Sodomy & Demon-Bats

Grey Goose Chronicles • 1041 implied HN points • 19 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Anthropology History Spirituality Folklore Politics
  1. In Zanzibar, a collective panic occurred in 1995 due to reports of attacks by a shape-shifting spirit called Popobawa, resulting in violence and fear among residents.
  2. The Popobawa legend is a complex mix of political tensions, taboo sexual elements, supernatural beliefs, and historical legacies, making it challenging to interpret.
  3. The phenomenon of the Popobawa offers insights into Zanzibar's history, culture, and divisions, reflecting how fears and stories can have real-world impacts on communities.

The Genetic Time Machine: Neanderthals, genomics and hybridization priors

ideassleepfuriously • 982 implied HN points • 16 Jan 24
🔬 Science Genomics Evolutionary biology Anthropology Genetics
  1. 200 thousand years of isolation may not be enough for genetic incompatibilities to develop
  2. Genomics has revolutionized evolutionary biology by providing precise insights with massive amounts of data
  3. The mixing of Neanderthal and modern human lineages led to genetic incompatibilities and selection against Neanderthal-origin DNA in modern humans

The Wood From Eden book recommendations page

Wood From Eden • 432 implied HN points • 06 Feb 24
📚 Literature Anthropology History Psychology Philosophy
  1. It's valuable to explore book recommendations even if you can't read them all from cover to cover.
  2. Readers can share book and film recommendations on specific categories on the Wood From Eden book recommendations page.
  3. The principle behind the recommendations page is to create a space for like-minded readers to share and discover new, interesting books and films.

RKUL: Time Well Spent 03/03/2024

Razib Khan's Unsupervised Learning • 171 implied HN points • 04 Mar 24
🔬 Science Evolutionary biology Genetics Anthropology Ancient History Podcasts
  1. Parents can now screen embryos during IVF using whole genome sequencing to check for hundreds of conditions, keeping families safe.
  2. The presence of maternal grandmothers has been linked to higher survivorship among grandchildren, showing the evolutionary importance of menopause.
  3. Research on ancient DNA and AI may offer valuable insights into human history, potentially surpassing the impact of ancient DNA studies.
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a postrationalist syllabus

eigenrobot,s Blog • 1670 implied HN points • 12 Sep 23
🎭️ Culture Literature Philosophy Anthropology History Metacognition
  1. Postrationalism is a cultural influence that never actually existed, but influences can still be studied and emulated.
  2. The selection of cultural touchstones in the syllabus is subjective, reflecting one individual's perspective within the realm of postrationalism.
  3. The syllabus encompasses a wide range of topics, including anthropology, language, stories, synthetic history, metacognition, ways to live, and more.

The origins of power dynamics, or why chimps can't play baseball

The Garden of Forking Paths • 2122 implied HN points • 05 Jul 23
🔬 Science Evolution Biology Psychology Anthropology Human behavior
  1. Humans can throw objects accurately and at high speeds, shaping our modern power dynamics in society.
  2. Our unique shoulder adaptations allow for precise and fast throwing, giving us a competitive advantage over other species.
  3. The ability to use ranged weapons and throw projectiles from a distance has influenced human social structures and power dynamics.

The Y Chromosome Bottleneck

Vectors of Mind • 314 implied HN points • 29 May 23
🔬 Science Genetics Evolution Human behavior Anthropology
  1. Men and women think differently, and there may have been a moment in history where men had to 'catch up' on self-awareness and language.
  2. Recent genetic research suggests a bottleneck on the Y chromosome, indicating possible massive selection in the recent past.
  3. The Y chromosome bottleneck coincided with cultural changes and patrilineal competition, shedding light on human male demographic history.

In Defense of Repression II

Litverse • 279 implied HN points • 06 Feb 23
📖 Philosophy Psychology Existentialism Psychoanalysis Anthropology Self
  1. Repression could be a tool for building a new self by accepting and integrating past pain, according to Marcel Proust's Impressionist painter Elstir.
  2. Ernest Becker theorizes that repression is crucial not just for personal growth but also for maintaining societal agreement on fundamental truths, preventing a future with conflicting values.
  3. Projection, seen as a defense mechanism by Freud, is viewed optimistically by Becker, who believes it fulfills human narcissism and helps find purpose by prioritizing the outer world as part of the inner self.

Thick Travel

intellectualinting • 181 implied HN points • 30 May 23
🏝 Travel Cultural Exploration Anthropology
  1. Anthropologists study human behavior by observing different cultures.
  2. Understanding cultural differences helps us grasp the complexity of being human.
  3. Our ability to adapt and create tools sets us apart from animals and defines our cultural diversity.

Rabbit Holes 🕳 #27

Creative Destruction • 7 implied HN points • 22 Mar 23
🎭️ Culture History Society Anthropology Environment Technology
  1. Universal Basic Capital proposes sharing wealth upfront through ownership stake to reduce inequality.
  2. Moving into an Age of 'Fewer' suggests embracing simplicity for environmental and personal well-being.
  3. The Original Affluent Society concept highlights how hunter-gatherer lifestyles were simpler and more satisfying, sparking discussions on modern work-life balance.

Underestimating Social Complexity Among Hunter-Gatherers

Traditions of Conflict • 1 HN point • 22 Mar 23
🔬 Science Anthropology
  1. Social complexity among hunter-gatherer societies is often underestimated compared to larger agricultural societies.
  2. Anthropologist Robin Dunbar's paper highlights the need for social institutions in managing challenges of group living.
  3. It's important to critically evaluate and not blindly trust generalizations about hunter-gatherer societies from secondary sources.