The hottest Community Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Culture Topics

Offering: February 2024

Tarot Offerings • 1690 implied HN points • 28 Jan 24
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Community
  1. Becoming real to ourselves and others is essential for love and relationships.
  2. Clarifying our wants and limits, trusting them, and making honest requests is part of becoming real.
  3. Love thrives on embracing differences and committing to nurturing them.

One Gift Guide to Rule Them All

Culture Study • 5142 implied HN points • 01 Dec 24
🎭️ Culture Community
  1. This year, there's a goal to help those in need by raising funds for beds, bikes, and other essentials for refugees. It's all about making a difference as a group.
  2. Buying gifts from small businesses can feel more meaningful than shopping at big stores during the holiday rush. It can help support local shops that rely on December sales.
  3. The focus of gift-giving should be on thoughtful purchases rather than just getting a bargain. It's better to find one special item that feels right than to buy a lot of stuff just because it's on sale.

Open Thread 360

Astral Codex Ten • 4955 implied HN points • 16 Dec 24
🎭️ Culture Community
  1. You can talk about anything and ask questions in the open thread. It's a space for sharing thoughts and connecting with others.
  2. There's a survey for people who consider themselves effective altruists to participate in. It's a way to share insights about giving and doing good.
  3. A new post will be shared for subscribers, celebrating the author's children turning one. It likely includes reflections on parenting and life.

Open Thread 363

Astral Codex Ten • 4542 implied HN points • 06 Jan 25
🎭️ Culture Community
  1. You can share anything you'd like in the open thread. This is a space for questions and discussions about various topics.
  2. There's a survey available for feedback that closes soon, so make sure to participate if you want your voice heard.
  3. The blog recommendations have been updated for the New Year, focusing on new writers and changing recommendations yearly.

I still call Australia home

Kvetch • 106 implied HN points • 25 Jan 26
🎭️ Culture Community
  1. A solemn memorial brought people together, with leaders, survivors, and the wider community showing reconciliation and shared grief. It helped restore faith in humanity and reclaimed public spaces as inclusive.
  2. Many immigrants feel deep gratitude and pride in Australia as a safe, welcoming home that offers opportunity and belonging. For people who escaped hardship, living here feels like a profound gain and reason to celebrate.
  3. The everyday beauty of Australia — its beaches, trees, rolling paddocks, and local rituals — inspires strong affection and a sense of home. Simple pleasures like surfing, neighborhood gatherings, and public displays of solidarity reinforce that belonging.
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Open Thread 359

Astral Codex Ten • 5024 implied HN points • 09 Dec 24
📖 Philosophy Community
  1. You can participate in an open thread where you can share thoughts or ask questions. It's a great way to connect and engage in discussions.
  2. There are charities you can support that directly help people, like GiveDirectly which gives cash to poor families in Africa. Supporting effective charities can make a real difference.
  3. Lightcone supports the rationalist community and works on infrastructure for online platforms. Donating can help continue their valuable work and make improvements for events and resources.

Hidden Open Thread 411.5

Astral Codex Ten • 344 implied HN points • 10 Dec 25
🎭️ Culture Community
  1. It’s a paid, subscriber-only open-thread entry in a series, dated Dec 10, 2025.
  2. Access is gated — you need to subscribe or sign in to read the full content.
  3. The page includes navigation and engagement cues (previous/next links, share button, and small numeric stats), showing it’s part of an ongoing conversation with some reader interaction.

If You've Been Thinking About Subscribing to Premium...

Software Design: Tidy First? • 397 implied HN points • 22 Nov 25
🕹 Technology Community
  1. Limited-time Black Friday deal: $180/year through December 1st, reduced from the usual $250.
  2. Paid subscribers get early access to unpolished essays, a problem-solving chat community, and weekly "Thinkies" that teach habits for creative thinking.
  3. The project aims to help technical people feel safer as machines start to code, exploring responsibility and what changes when capabilities and speed increase.

The 'Let Kids be Kids' roadshow of the South Island NZ gets pushback from the usual suspects.

A B’Old Woman • 759 implied HN points • 24 Apr 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Community
  1. Some parents in New Zealand are worried about what kids are learning in school about gender identity and sex education. They feel that these topics are sometimes not suitable for children.
  2. The 'Let Kids be Kids' roadshow faced backlash from activists who disagreed with its message. They pressured event venues to cancel the presentations.
  3. There's a growing concern among parents about their involvement in decisions about school education. Some feel their voices are not being heard in discussions about the guidelines related to sexual education.

Introducing Ronin Vanguard

Ronin’s Newsletter • 86 implied HN points • 28 Jan 26
🔮 Crypto Community
  1. Ronin Vanguard is the public-facing Sky Mavis Growth Team for the Ronin ecosystem, serving as a bridge between the community, builders, and internal teams.
  2. They answer questions, gather and surface user feedback, connect creators and partners, join live events, and amplify community content to help improve Ronin.
  3. The team includes specialists across product, creators, growth, and support who are available on X and Discord as real people, and they expect constructive, harassment-free engagement.

Volts Community Thread #02

Volts • 1592 implied HN points • 22 Jan 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Community
  1. Monthly community thread for sharing climate-related opportunities, work, events, and discussions
  2. Rewarding insightful responses in the community with paid subscriptions and other rewards
  3. Discussion on different battery technologies and their cost-effectiveness for storage

"You need to grasp the nettle"

City Quitters • 379 implied HN points • 14 Jun 24
🪑 Design Community
  1. It's important to focus on community spaces in rural areas. Smaller projects can have a bigger positive impact on people's lives.
  2. Designing with local resources fosters a sense of identity and connection. Using nearby materials can be more sustainable and supportive of the local economy.
  3. Embracing imagination and being open to new ideas can lead to great changes. Beauty exists not just in design but in the relationships and systems we build.

Open Thread 361

Astral Codex Ten • 4336 implied HN points • 23 Dec 24
🎭️ Culture Community
  1. You can share or discuss anything you like in the open thread. It's a space to ask questions and engage with others.
  2. There’s a survey for the community that you can fill out. The deadline is January 5, and reminders will keep coming until then.
  3. Happy holidays! Expect fewer posts until January, as the posting schedule will be lighter during this time.

Take a Breath

DrawTogether with WendyMac • 2869 implied HN points • 01 Oct 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Community
  1. Drawing can be a calming and meditative exercise that helps us be present and process our feelings.
  2. Taking the time to pause and engage in simple drawing exercises can help alleviate stress and overwhelm.
  3. Coloring and drawing activities have been shown to have similar benefits to meditation in reducing anxiety and improving mood.

The Bounty Board Rewards Update Is Coming

The Lunacian • 92 implied HN points • 01 Feb 26
🔮 Crypto Community
  1. Leaderboard rewards will nearly triple to 15,000 AXS and the leaderboard expands from the top 1,000 to the top 3,000 players. That means many more players can earn fixed leaderboard prizes.
  2. The general reward pool is reduced to 7,000 AXS and will be distributed proportionally among the top 3,000 players based on earned points. This makes consistent play directly increase your share of those rewards.
  3. Total AXS distributed stays the same at 27,000, but the update shifts AXS from the general pool into leaderboard payouts to better reward consistent, competitive contributors. The change is a rebalance, not an increase, and it sharpens incentives for steady participation.

How a failed horror movie director co-founded one of the most popular yoga channels on YouTube

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 299 implied HN points • 01 Dec 25
💼 Business Community
  1. Chris Sharpe started out making low-budget horror films, but when the DVD market collapsed, he had to pivot his career. This led him to explore opportunities in online video, where he eventually found success on YouTube.
  2. He co-founded two popular YouTube channels, Hilah Cooking and Yoga With Adriene, by focusing on engaging content and a personal connection with viewers. His unique approach to SEO also helped attract a big audience.
  3. As Yoga With Adriene grew, Sharpe created a whole business around it, including subscription services and live events. He shifted from making indie films to running a successful media company that emphasizes community and wellness.

sunday america pool

bad cattitude • 100 implied HN points • 18 Jan 26
🎭️ Culture Community
  1. It celebrates embracing being American in a confident, unapologetic way rather than a watered-down identity.
  2. It presents a special, unique place or community that feels distinct from others.
  3. The content is behind a paywall for paid subscribers, making it exclusive to a smaller, paying audience.

Re-imagining the cultural third place

Path Nine • 25 implied HN points • 19 Feb 26
🎭️ Culture Community
  1. Personalization and on-demand media have splintered our shared attention, wiping out synchronized rituals that let large groups pause and be unreachable together.
  2. Without those cultural third places, work has become the default source of belonging and structure, and that fragile replacement fuels loneliness, burnout, and identity risk.
  3. We should rebuild third places with low-friction, recurring rituals at the scale of neighborhoods, teams, or friend groups, protecting attention and cultivating 'less but better' activities so life isn't just work.

Open Thread 384

Astral Codex Ten • 1927 implied HN points • 02 Jun 25
🎭️ Culture Community
  1. There is a weekly open thread where people can discuss anything and ask questions freely. It's a space for open communication.
  2. In-person meetups are happening, giving people a chance to connect with others in the community. This week, there’s a meetup in Berkeley.
  3. Some recent disagreements in discussions are being put to rest, with participants acknowledging they won't continue debating. It shows a willingness to move on and engage in new conversations.

How to Be a Joiner

Culture Study • 4155 implied HN points • 18 Dec 24
🎭️ Culture Community
  1. Joining a community helps you feel a sense of belonging. When you meet new people who share your interests, it can be uplifting and comforting.
  2. Participating in regular traditions or rituals can make life more enjoyable. These simple routines, even if they seem silly, create positive energy in your week.
  3. It's normal to feel nervous about joining new groups. Just showing up a few times can help you feel more comfortable and connected, which is worth the initial awkwardness.

How to Build the Perfect City

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 1423 implied HN points • 12 Jul 25
🎭️ Culture Community
  1. Improving neighborhoods can lead to better lives for everyone. A good community helps make society better.
  2. People need to belong to a community, as it impacts their happiness and well-being. If they lack healthy communities, they might turn to unhealthy ones.
  3. The Covid era showed us what happens when communities break apart. Isolation can lead to anger and antisocial behavior.

FLORIDA, LOVELY FLORIDA

Entering The Lung • 2633 implied HN points • 15 Feb 23
🎭️ Culture Community
  1. Florida is a diverse state with incredible people, not just stereotypes.
  2. Support organizations in Florida that are working for positive change.
  3. Reflect on your biases and reconsider your views on people in your own community.

Happy Birthday, Machine Shop

Colin Meloy's Machine Shop • 2614 implied HN points • 28 Mar 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Community
  1. The author reflects on the one year anniversary of their newsletter/blogsite, celebrating the community and support they have received.
  2. Throughout the year, the author engaged with their audience through various creative endeavors like podcasting, sharing demos, writing a book, and giving insights into their musical process.
  3. The author expresses excitement for the future of their platform, emphasizing a shift away from mainstream social media to focus on creating a meaningful body of work on The Machine Shop.

A Place For All Your Garden Questions (and All Your Garden Wisdom)

Culture Study • 1102 implied HN points • 08 Aug 25
🎭️ Culture Community
  1. There's a new space for anyone to share garden questions and experiences. You can talk about plant problems, successes, or gardening tips with others.
  2. The initiative started as a side project to share gardening energy and tips without taking away time from actual gardening.
  3. It's important to keep the space positive and respectful, making it a fun place for everyone to discuss their gardening adventures.

The owl season

The Art of Enchantment, with Dr Sharon Blackie • 2536 implied HN points • 07 Oct 23
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Community
  1. The newsletter discusses folklore, book releases, and interviews about myths and legends, emphasizing the importance of nature and storytelling.
  2. The writer shares personal reflections on aging, seasonal changes, and the joy of creating in solitude, highlighting the cyclical nature of elderhood and the importance of setting boundaries.
  3. The post also features updates on community events, reading recommendations, and a workshop on the myth of Psyche and Eros, showcasing a diverse range of literary content and upcoming activities.

Two Years of Writing Emails

Burnt Toast by Virginia Sole-Smith • 2535 implied HN points • 06 Jun 23
🎭️ Culture Community
  1. Virginia Sole-Smith started Burnt Toast newsletter two years ago after leaving freelance writing for corporate media.
  2. Paid subscriptions from the community made it possible to sustain Burnt Toast, support marginalized voices, and fund various projects.
  3. The newsletter created a safe space for discussing body liberation, anti-fat bias, and building a supportive community.

The cringe stage

lifeboat • 1434 implied HN points • 17 Jan 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Community
  1. Creative work goes through a 'cringe stage' where things may not turn out as expected.
  2. Persisting through the cringe stage is necessary to improve and grow as an artist.
  3. Care and attention to detail are essential in creating meaningful and impactful art.

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and thank YOU

Disaffected Newsletter • 1678 implied HN points • 21 Dec 23
🎙 Podcasts Community
  1. The author is grateful for the support from readers and subscribers, which helps keep the show going. It's clear that your contributions make a big difference.
  2. There's a strong sense of community among the listeners and supporters, where many feel comfortable discussing the challenges of modern society. It’s nice to have a space to share and be understood.
  3. The author wants everyone to focus on love and connection during the holiday season, no matter the challenges we face. Those relationships are what truly matter in tough times.

From Community To Tribe

The Ruffian • 350 implied HN points • 22 Nov 25
🎭️ Culture Community
  1. Strong ties are important for emotional support, but weak ties with acquaintances are also essential for our mental health and sense of community. They help us feel connected to the wider world and provide new opportunities.
  2. The pandemic, rising living costs, and the allure of staying home have led to a decline in our weak ties. Instead of meeting people in person, we're connecting more online, but this can make our social lives feel less rich.
  3. Online communities, or tribes, differ from real-life communities. While they broaden our networks, they lack the genuine interactions and support found in face-to-face connections.

Looking at our why(s) 🤔

#The100DayProject Newsletter • 1159 implied HN points • 10 Feb 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Community
  1. Consider different motivations for starting a project such as having fun, practicing a skill, or producing a specific outcome.
  2. Choose a project that aligns with your current goals and interests, whether it be for enjoyment, skill improvement, or goal achievement.
  3. Reflect on your 'why' by visually representing your motivations through charting, doodling, or other creative exercises.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Disaffected Newsletter • 1918 implied HN points • 23 Nov 23
🎭️ Culture Community
  1. It's important to feel gratitude during tough times. Even when facing challenges like losing a job or dealing with personal struggles, appreciating support from others can be uplifting.
  2. Thanksgiving is a time to gather with friends and loved ones. Sharing meals and traditions can create joyful moments, even amid hardship.
  3. Animal companions also enjoy special treats during the holidays. Remembering to include pets in our celebrations can bring a bit of extra happiness to the day.