The hottest Change Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Philosophy Topics

Doing This Again Makes Me Hate Myself and Hate You, But Yes, Something Happened to Liberalism in the 2010s, and Sometimes That Thing is Called "Woke"

Freddie deBoer • 8168 implied HN points • 14 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Change
  1. American liberalism changed a lot during the 2010s. People who consider themselves liberals in 2020 are not the same as those from 2010.
  2. Some people deny that these changes happened, which seems dishonest. It's clear that the ideas and focus of liberalism evolved, especially around issues like race and gender.
  3. Despite personal opinions on whether these changes were good or bad, it's strange to argue that liberalism has always been the same when the evidence of change is so obvious.

On my Mind 2024

Pitchfork Papers • 569 implied HN points • 22 Jan 24
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Change
  1. The author experienced a significant change in their thinking and priorities, leading to a new direction in their writing.
  2. Taking a break from writing made it challenging to resume, but the author is working on getting back into the flow.
  3. The new year marks a good time for the author to reflect on their preoccupations and goals for the upcoming year.

Culture Debt

Fish Food for Thought • 47 implied HN points • 07 Jan 26
🎭️ Culture Change
  1. Rushing for growth often creates "culture debt"—small compromises in norms and incentives stack up over time and eventually cause major problems.
  2. Culture debt is harder to fix than technical debt because it erodes trust and psychological safety, leading to inconsistent decisions, normalized risks, and slow recovery.
  3. Preventing and paying down culture debt requires deliberate leadership: make culture a C-suite responsibility, define observable behaviors, keep reflection rituals, reward candor, and regularly reassess assumptions.

This is not the best we can do

¡Do Not Panic! • 707 implied HN points • 25 Oct 23
📖 Philosophy Change
  1. The need for big transformative ideas and focus on useful knowledge to propel humanity forward
  2. Call to rekindle the spirit of the Enlightenment and focus on meaningful change rather than trivial research
  3. Belief in the possibility of a better future, challenging the current systems and structures for a more equitable world

My Feast-or-Famine AI Bet with Holden Karnofsky

Bet On It • 296 implied HN points • 21 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Change
  1. Holden believes AI will greatly change the economy, but he isn't sure if it will be for the better or worse. Bryan thinks that we won't see these big changes for a long time, maybe decades.
  2. They made a bet about the future economy, betting on whether AI will boost or damage the global economy by 2044. If the economy is either much better or much worse than it is now, Holden wins; otherwise, Bryan wins.
  3. Bryan will decide the winner of the bet, but they agreed on backup judges in case he can't. This shows there's trust between them in this friendly wager.
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Can We Escape from Ourselves?

Fake Noûs • 212 implied HN points • 16 Aug 25
📖 Philosophy Change
  1. Sometimes, no matter where we go or what we change in our lives, we still end up facing the same issues within ourselves. It’s tough to escape from our own minds and thoughts.
  2. We can find temporary relief from our problems through engaging activities or distractions, but these are often short-lived. Eventually, we have to confront our feelings again.
  3. Accepting the parts of ourselves we don't like might not bring happiness, but it can be a first step toward understanding that everyone struggles with similar issues. We might not change completely, but we can learn to manage our feelings better.

The Thing About Change

Insight Axis • 434 implied HN points • 19 Oct 23
📖 Philosophy Change
  1. Change is often accompanied by pain, and that's okay. Accepting the pain is crucial for growth.
  2. To make a change, it's important to follow your fear, as it can show you where you need to grow.
  3. Embodying change means accepting the discomfort and fear, knowing they do not define you.

Can People Change their Personalities?

Mind & Mythos • 339 implied HN points • 23 Jun 23
📖 Philosophy Change
  1. Personality can change depending on the situation. For example, a person might act differently at work compared to how they are around family.
  2. People’s personalities can evolve throughout their lives, especially between ages 20 and 40. People often become more conscientious and agreeable during this time.
  3. Intentional changes to one’s personality are possible. Life experiences and therapy can help people adapt and change their traits over time.

Election Reflection

Pieter’s Newsletter • 179 implied HN points • 08 May 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Change
  1. Losing an election can lead to reflection and opportunity for growth in future campaigns.
  2. Negative narratives seeded early can be challenging to overcome in campaigns.
  3. Voters may resist quick or drastic changes, preferring a more predictable pace of change.

The First Domino Principle

DruGroup • 59 implied HN points • 26 Jul 23
🚌 Education Change
  1. To influence others, you need to start by focusing on a specific group or person, rather than trying to reach everyone at once. It's like knocking over the first domino to set off a chain reaction.
  2. Choosing a clear target audience helps you tailor your message and connect better. For example, if you write for someone relatable, like Truck-driver Rick, you'll capture the interest of others around him too.
  3. Identifying your first domino can shift how you approach your work and communication. It makes it easier to make meaningful connections and adjustments in what you're doing.

How to Take Back Academia

Heterodox STEM • 277 implied HN points • 10 Apr 23
🚌 Education Change
  1. It's important to understand and challenge wokism in academia.
  2. Efforts should focus on promoting knowledge of race differences, changing the decision makers on campus, and leveraging political power.
  3. Taking radical action, implementing specific strategies, and not giving up are crucial to reclaim universities from wokism.

Tortoise Trumps Hare

Surfing the Future • 19 implied HN points • 04 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Change
  1. Change can happen at different tempos - either slowly and steadily or in sudden bursts.
  2. Traditional cities evolved through trial-and-error, messily, embracing human messiness, while tech-centric areas opt for a more exclusive lifestyle.
  3. Engaging with exponential trends is important for shaping the future, but sometimes slow change can lead to radical transformation.

Mind-shi(f)t.

The Future Does Not Fit In The Containers Of The Past • 106 implied HN points • 31 Dec 23
📖 Philosophy Change
  1. Embrace mind-shifts in the face of new facts and changing realities for growth and success.
  2. Avoid self-defeat by promoting diverse thinking, challenging viewpoints, and being open to opposing perspectives.
  3. Encourage innovation and fresh perspectives by starting with a blank slate and being open to unconventional ideas.

The Battle of Two Realms

Once Upon A News • 19 implied HN points • 21 Mar 23
🎭️ Culture Change
  1. In a land of tradition, matadors valiantly battled bulls in grand arenas.
  2. Lawmakers in another realm aimed to end the tradition for animal welfare reasons.
  3. The clash of values between tradition and empathy highlights the necessity and challenges of change.

The Discomfort of Agility

🔮 Crafting Tech Teams • 19 implied HN points • 30 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Change
  1. Change often requires stepping out of your comfort zone.
  2. Sharing ideas and content can lead to discomfort but also growth through challenges and feedback.
  3. Creating content serves various purposes like marketing and building authority, but ultimately, it's about embracing the vulnerability of putting our ideas out there.

A critique of pure conservatism

Philosophy bear • 64 implied HN points • 21 Jul 23
📖 Philosophy Change
  1. Pure conservatism advocates extreme reluctance towards making changes.
  2. Proponents of pure conservatism may have exceptions to their views.
  3. In a rapidly changing society, halting some changes may not guarantee overall stability.

Why real change feels weird, unfamiliar and wrong

Thinking Out Loud • 31 implied HN points • 14 Mar 24
📖 Philosophy Change
  1. Familiarity can hold us back from changing for the better, as what feels right and natural may not always be the most constructive choice.
  2. Stepping into new and unfamiliar territories can feel uncomfortable and even wrong, but it's often a sign of growth and progress.
  3. It's important to distinguish between just feeling unfamiliar, which can lead to positive change, and feeling actually bad, which should be avoided.

The Elon Musk Conundrum

Anxiety Addiction & Ascension • 19 implied HN points • 07 Jun 22
📖 Philosophy Change
  1. Principled investing involves weighing the mission of a company against moral dilemmas associated with its practices or affiliations.
  2. Avoid blindly following charismatic figures like Elon Musk; focus on personal growth and actions within immediate control.
  3. Acknowledging imperfections in existence and striving for personal growth can lead to impactful change, even if larger systemic issues remain beyond control.

creating space

Midnight Musings • 19 implied HN points • 08 Jun 22
🎭️ Culture Change
  1. Cleaning out old items can be an emotional process as it brings back memories of dreams and pain from the past. It's not just about throwing things away; it's about reflecting on what those items meant.
  2. Letting go of old possessions can create a feeling of lightness and space in your life. It’s like making room for new experiences and opportunities to come in.
  3. Ultimately, learning to carry your own pain instead of relying on objects is a way to grow. It's important to let go of what no longer defines you and focus on finding yourself from within.

Metamorphosis

Natural Selections • 5 implied HN points • 11 Feb 25
📖 Philosophy Change
  1. Frogs start as tiny tadpoles and then change into frogs, showcasing a natural transformation. This idea can also help us understand our own growth as we change from childhood to adulthood.
  2. The Ship of Theseus serves as a metaphor for identity and change. Just like the ship can have all its parts replaced and still be considered the same, we too can change but still remain uniquely ourselves.
  3. Humans have a long childhood where we learn by observing and imitating. Unlike frogs, we don't undergo a physical metamorphosis, but we do experience a significant evolution in skills and abilities as we grow.