The hottest Character Substack posts right now

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Top Philosophy Topics

The Review

lcamtuf’s thing • 5305 implied HN points • 21 Feb 25
⚔ Fiction Drama Dialogue Character Storytelling Existential
  1. The meeting that was supposed to happen is canceled, reflecting unpredictability in life. Sometimes, things we expect can change suddenly.
  2. The speaker uses the idea of the universe's chaos to illustrate how unlikely events can occur, similar to the randomness of life. It suggests that the universe has strange ways of creating possibilities.
  3. The conversation explores the concept of reality versus perception, questioning whether our experiences are real or just a dream. This raises interesting thoughts about how we view our existence.

Notes on Chapter 24

Life Since the Baby Boom • 922 implied HN points • 31 Oct 24
📚 Literature Fiction Narrative Character Plot Themes
  1. A young man named Len travels to New York to find his brother, discovering how to survive by working odd jobs and following leads. He learns his brother went to Russia as part of the Merchant Marine.
  2. Len recalls moments where he helped catch criminals, highlighting that even accountants can be heroes in tough situations, similar to how Al Capone was taken down.
  3. Len gets a chance to be on a public TV show about the Internet, which excites him and his family as they recognize it might fulfill his long-held dreams.

Jude Bellingham: A Star With the World at His Feet

Original Football • 439 implied HN points • 12 May 24
🎾 Sports Football Athlete Inspiration Youth Character
  1. Jude Bellingham is a young football star known for his talent, humility, and maturity, making him both a formidable player and a commendable individual.
  2. Bellingham stands out for his dedication, fearlessness in making mistakes, and understanding of what's truly important, showing a relentless pursuit of greatness and a love for the game.
  3. He embodies a balance of humility and confidence, displays maturity beyond his years, and has a good support system, setting him apart as an exceptional talent with integrity and unwavering determination.

where the fires burn 3 | fiction

Tumbleweed Words • 17 implied HN points • 02 Feb 25
⚔ Fiction Narrative Character Plot Themes Style
  1. The man experiences severe pain and isolation, feeling completely cut off from the outside world. His patience wears thin as he awaits news of a new destination.
  2. He survives on minimal food and water options, ordered from the owner of his building. The situation feels desperate, highlighting the severity of his living conditions.
  3. As time passes, his health slowly improves, and he realizes the bugs on his skin are evolving. This strange detail hints at the unsettling changes happening around him.

Who's afraid of A.C. Bradley?

The Common Reader • 673 implied HN points • 13 Mar 24
📚 Literature Criticism Shakespeare Character Psychoanalysis Realism
  1. Discussions on Shakespeare's characters often avoid delving into them as people, and those who do, like A.C. Bradley, are sometimes considered out of touch.
  2. Bradley's approach to literary criticism, focusing on the humanity of characters, has faced criticism and mockery over the years.
  3. The tension between traditional literary analysis, like Bradley's, and modern theories, such as Marxist political analysis, continues within academia.
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Book Release — Cyan Waters: A Story From the Poolrooms

antoniomelonio • 17 implied HN points • 06 Jan 25
⚔ Fiction Literature Narrative Storytelling Genre Character
  1. The story follows Vuk Petrović, who finds himself in a strange, dream-like world after a corporate collapse. He faces eerie and beautiful settings that challenge his sense of reality.
  2. Vuk experiences a blend of violence and tranquility, showcasing a dark exploration of existential horror. His journey raises questions about memory, humanity, and the impact of corporate greed.
  3. The narrative blurs the lines between victim and caretaker, illustrating how life can be both cruel and serene. It's a tale about accepting one's fate amid chaos and confusion.

High low

quite useless • 314 implied HN points • 14 May 23
📚 Literature Plot Character Genre Novel
  1. The novels 'The Line of Beauty' and 'Malibu Rising' both challenge traditional narrative dynamics about messy rich people.
  2. Frye's Theory of Modes categorizes stories by hero's power of action, including 'high mimetic' and 'low mimetic' modes.
  3. The mix of high and low elements in novels like 'The Line of Beauty' and 'Malibu Rising' help neutralize moral scrutiny and engage readers.

Being Good Means More than Not Being an "Asshole": The Limits of the Nelson Family Rules

Humanities in Revolt • 179 implied HN points • 23 Apr 23
📖 Philosophy Morality Ethics Character Self-awareness
  1. Being morally good is more complex than just not hurting others intentionally. It involves being aware of the impact of our actions, even if harm is unintentional.
  2. Moral goodness requires active effort and mindfulness to consider how our choices affect others, beyond just avoiding being malicious.
  3. To be morally good, we must develop a character of moral self-awareness and actively combat our egocentrism by considering the well-being of others in our decisions.

The Domes of Calrathia

Trantor Publishing • 79 implied HN points • 15 Jan 24
📚 Literature Fiction Writer Plot Character
  1. The protagonist faces a false accusation and uses strategic thinking to navigate a dangerous situation.
  2. The story highlights themes of deception, manipulation, and power struggles among the characters.
  3. The protagonist uses his wit and experience to outmaneuver his enemies and find a way to untangle himself from a complex situation.

Holistic Ethics

Tom Thought • 19 implied HN points • 05 Dec 23
📖 Philosophy Ethics Policy Cooperation Character
  1. Moral questions are complex and involve considerations about goals, rules, obligations, praise, punishment, emulation, habits, and associations.
  2. Outcomes and rules are both important in ethics, with goals being critical for motivation and rules for guidance, but bad outcomes lead to the need to revise rules.
  3. Morality is a process involving preferences, policies, cooperation, values, character, rules, and actions, aimed at aligning behavior to produce beneficial outcomes.

Jiao Tu's Endeavour

Trantor Publishing • 19 implied HN points • 11 Nov 22
📚 Literature Review Fantasy Adventure Science fiction Character
  1. The story of Jiao Tu's Endeavour is a unique blend of science fiction and fantasy/adventure, featuring a generation ship with humans in stasis and animals running the show, developing complex societies.
  2. Jiao Tu, an uplifted rabbit character, embarks on a quest to rescue a kidnapped mousling, encountering dangers, allies, and a cult, showcasing a strict code of ethics and manners inspired by Eastern traditions.
  3. The narrative focuses more on action and adventure rather than hard science fiction elements, with world-building sprinkled throughout the story, catering to reader preference for a patient detailing of setting.

Character and Personality

Kartick’s Blog • 0 implied HN points • 28 Oct 24
📖 Philosophy Ethics Character Personality Social Dynamics Self-Improvement
  1. Character is who you really are inside, while personality is how others see you outside. Both matter, but having a good character is what we should strive for.
  2. People can be judged by how they present themselves, especially in social situations like sales. Sometimes, showing a little vulnerability can help identify those with bad character.
  3. Observing someone's actions is more important than just listening to their words. If what they say and do don’t match, it’s a red flag.

🤯 A Psychological Deconstruction of the most Significant Movie/Literature Villain of all Time

The Doorman • 0 implied HN points • 23 Apr 23
📚 Literature Analysis Character Conflict Identity Psychology
  1. The tension between Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort highlights the influence of upbringing and choices on one's path in life.
  2. Voldemort's desperate search for power and validation mirrors the struggle for identity and love that many face.
  3. Voldemort's lineage and actions reflect a common theme of externalizing internal conflicts, exploring the impact of personal history on behavior.

Claudia Hunter Johnson's Le Menu

Pizza Party • 0 implied HN points • 11 Jun 25
📚 Literature Writing Character Storytelling Creativity Development
  1. Claudia Hunter Johnson created a method called 'Le Menu' to help writers develop realistic characters. This method uses a series of questions to reveal different layers of a character's personality.
  2. The questions focus on beliefs, values, fears, and key life experiences. Answering them can make the character feel more real and relatable.
  3. Writers can answer these questions in any order, which allows for flexibility in character development. It's an interesting way to create a well-rounded persona.