The hottest Criticism Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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What Do You Do With a Problem Like Achilles?

Painful Signs, Or, Joel's Substack • 99 implied HN points • 05 Mar 24
📚 Literature Themes Narrative Violence Mythology Criticism
  1. Book 21 of the Iliad portrays Achilles' extreme violence and cosmic impact, highlighting the danger he poses and his conflict with gods.
  2. The narrative in the Iliad marks Achilles' actions as excessive and transgressive, questioning the traditional heroic depictions in battle.
  3. Ancient readers and scholia saw the behavior of Achilles in book 21 as excessive and indicated a shift in the epic's storytelling approach.

Eyes Wide Open

The Better Letter • 196 implied HN points • 01 Feb 24
🎶 Music History Criticism Innovation Popularity Impact
  1. The Beatles' success was a result of luck and timing, as well as their innovation and willingness to take risks.
  2. Critics initially dismissed The Beatles' music, but later recognized their impact and influence on the music industry.
  3. The Beatles faced criticism and skepticism from critics throughout their career, but their music ultimately endured and influenced generations to come.
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Disfiguring the Fallow Earth

Painful Signs, Or, Joel's Substack • 39 implied HN points • 25 Mar 24
📚 Literature Classical Studies Criticism Themes Characters Narrative structure
  1. The final book of the Iliad, Book 24, ties up major tensions, transitions between the living and dead worlds, and revisits themes like reciprocity and mourning, notably in the meeting of Priam and Achilles.
  2. Zeus serves as a figure of justice in Book 24, intervening to settle the dispute between gods over giving Hektor a proper burial; this showcases a different approach to politics and the separation between mortals and gods.
  3. The opening scene of Iliad 24 sets the stage for the return of Hektor's body by emphasizing the importance of divine intervention and the resolution of conflicts, presenting Zeus as a symbol of ethical thinking and justice.

Shiny Happy People Recipe...

illyanna Maisonet's Newsletter • 687 implied HN points • 26 Sep 23
🎭️ Culture Food Podcasts Gender Career Criticism
  1. The author offers a discount for annual subscriptions to their newsletter until the end of the year.
  2. There is a discussion about engaging and retaining followers, with feedback on the tone of the newsletter being shared.
  3. The complexity of balancing authenticity with audience perception, especially in terms of expressions of anger or jadedness, is highlighted.

Inside looking in

The Leftovers • 139 implied HN points • 05 Feb 24
📚 Literature Memoirs Criticism Writing Style
  1. Memoirs can pose challenges for authors and critics, leading to delicate evaluations and special treatment.
  2. Authors can offer universal insights by looking inward, Personal experiences can embody broader themes and human conditions.
  3. Advocating for a shift from 'the political is personal' to 'the personal is political', encouraging connections and unity amidst societal fragmentation.

Did the French National Assembly pass a "Pfizer Article" criminalising criticism of the mRNA vaccines?

eugyppius: a plague chronicle • 104 implied HN points • 16 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics Legislation Vaccines Criticism
  1. French National Assembly passed a law targeting explicit advice against mRNA vaccine, not just criticism.
  2. Details of the law are significant and may differ from sensational reports.
  3. Reports highlight the controversy around the law but suggest it may not be as extreme as initially portrayed.

Review of a City on Mars (Part III)

Planetocracy • 137 implied HN points • 23 Jan 24
🌍 World Politics International Law Sociology Criticism
  1. Space law and international treaties can be used to argue against human expansion but may have unexplored assumptions.
  2. The concept of collective property in space, favored by some, could lead to a bureaucratic system overseen by an international body like the UN.
  3. Enforcing international law on Mars, especially in the face of defiance, poses challenges that have not been thoroughly considered by critics of human expansion.

Science Magazine Reaches New Low, Defames Their Critics

The DisInformation Chronicle • 35 implied HN points • 19 Mar 24
🔬 Science Research Journalism Virology Pandemic Criticism
  1. Science Magazine published a defamatory article attacking critics but later had to retract false information, exposing a consistent theme of inaccuracy in science reporting.
  2. The journalists at Science Magazine showed bias and ignored evidence that contradicted their reporting, leading to criticism for unethical practices.
  3. Researchers pointed out flawed research and misleading behavior from virologists, highlighting the importance of ethical journalism and integrity in science reporting.

Beloved liar, cheater, coward, and quitter Latoya Snell BAILS from ANOTHER race, collects ANOTHER sham medal, and belches out MORE nonsense from Scamtown

Beck of the Pack • 117 implied HN points • 29 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Running Social Issues Criticism Fitness Satire
  1. Latoya Snell is criticized for bailing from races and collecting medals under false pretenses
  2. The running industry is portrayed in a negative light regarding ethics and integrity
  3. The author expresses frustration with the lack of accountability in the running community

Trail Runner's editor-in-chief vows to remain a hypocritical, privileged imbecile who dismisses athletically, intellectually, morally, and creatively superior people as "trolls"

Beck of the Pack • 137 implied HN points • 12 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Running Media Criticism Sports Ethics
  1. The editor-in-chief of Trail Runner has been criticized for being hypocritical and dismissive of others
  2. There is concern over the quality and integrity of content in certain running publications
  3. Ethical concerns have been raised regarding the behavior of individuals in the running industry

Dear John

gen yeet • 294 implied HN points • 30 Oct 23
📚 Literature Fiction Criticism Review Short Story
  1. The story of 'Cat Person' delves into the complexities of modern dating and consent.
  2. The protagonist's reflections on past relationships highlight themes of self-discovery and evolving perceptions.
  3. The narrative explores the impact of personal experiences on individual identity and memory.

Make self-publishing great again

The Leftovers • 219 implied HN points • 20 Nov 23
📚 Literature Self-Publishing Criticism Classic literature
  1. The preconception that traditionally-published books are inherently better than self-published ones is flawed; both avenues have their own strengths and weaknesses.
  2. Gatekeeping in the literary world may not always be based on merit, leading to snobbish attitudes towards self-published works.
  3. The way a book is released does not determine its greatness; classic works like those of Proust and Dickens were self-published and have stood the test of time.

Big Media Wish Kennedy Oblivion and Death

husseini • 864 implied HN points • 21 Apr 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Media Campaigns Speech Criticism Vaccines
  1. Kennedy highlighted not wanting the Democratic party to represent fear, pharma, war, and censorship.
  2. Mainstream media portrayed Kennedy's speech negatively and focused on specific topics like vaccines instead of the broader issues he addressed.
  3. Despite the media coverage, Kennedy's speech raised important topics like the collusion of state and business, war, racism, and our relationship with nature.

The Problem With a Life of "Yes"

At the Mountains of Sadness • 589 implied HN points • 06 Jul 23
🎭️ Culture Social Issues Celebrity Criticism Fame Power Dynamics
  1. Rich and famous individuals can become detached from reality when surrounded by constant affirmation and lack of criticism.
  2. Being shielded from 'no' can lead to a warped sense of truth and morality for wealthy and powerful people.
  3. Continuous validation can drive some prominent figures towards extremism and an inability to handle dissenting opinions.

Months Late Game Review, Part 2. ... Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Some Bad Things.

The Bottom Feeder • 315 implied HN points • 07 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Gaming Design Criticism Storytelling Inventory Management
  1. Deep criticism of games may not always engage a wide audience.
  2. Critiquing games can help keep design skills fresh and provide valuable design exercises.
  3. Large games like Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom may have flaws, such as excessive encounter reuse and key plot elements revealed too early.

Organic & compositus belief

Philosophy bear • 69 implied HN points • 21 Jan 24
📖 Philosophy Beliefs Ideologies Thinking Revision Criticism
  1. Beliefs can be organic or compositus, with different approaches to spreading and defending them
  2. Organic beliefs are more open and less defensive than compositus beliefs, making them better at adapting and working with other ideas
  3. Compositus beliefs can lead to group fragmentation under tough times, while organic beliefs are more adaptable and open to revision