The hottest Culture Wars Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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HWFO Reading List, February 2025

Handwaving Freakoutery • 147 implied HN points • 21 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Gun Control Culture Wars Civil Rights Political Rhetoric Social Issues
  1. Spiking articles can be a way to maintain quality and ensure only the best thoughts are shared. It's okay to keep some content private if it doesn't meet your standards.
  2. There's a belief that guns could eventually be a unifying social force rather than a divisive one. However, acknowledging the historical context and issues surrounding gun ownership is important.
  3. Participating in discussions about complex issues, even if some ideas aren't suitable for publication, can still provide valuable insight and foster community engagement.

the winds of phase change

bad cattitude • 293 implied HN points • 15 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Populism Media Control Elites Censorship Culture Wars
  1. People are starting to recognize that they have been misled and manipulated by a small elite, realizing they're not alone in feeling this way. It's like a collective awakening to the truth.
  2. Cancel culture is about silencing voices and creating division among people. It aims to maintain control by making individuals afraid to express non-mainstream views.
  3. Recent events, like the changes brought by social media, show that the elite's control is weakening. More people are finding their voices and uniting against those who try to keep them isolated.

Tired of trash? Try new Wokespy!

Disaffected Newsletter • 1358 implied HN points • 31 Jul 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Media Critique Political Commentary Culture Wars Satire
  1. Wokespy.com provides daily short articles that poke fun at 'woke' culture. It's a light-hearted way to stay informed about current events.
  2. The content includes both written pieces and short videos, making it accessible in different formats.
  3. The site aims to share humorous takes on social issues, often highlighting bizarre or ridiculous stories in the news.

derangement syndrome as symptom of paradigm shift

bad cattitude • 212 implied HN points • 24 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political theory Higher education Populism Critical Thinking Culture Wars
  1. Many people are becoming overly fixated on specific leaders or figures, leading to a broader lack of understanding and critical thinking about the issues at hand.
  2. The current education system often does not encourage true critical thinking, resulting in people who are more focused on memorizing slogans than engaging in meaningful discourse.
  3. There's a shift happening where social media is becoming a new space for open discussion and debate, moving away from traditional education institutions.

Elite Human Capital in Open and Closed Cultures

Richard Hanania's Newsletter • 755 implied HN points • 03 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political theory Ideology Culture Wars Public Discourse Media Studies
  1. People with high human capital often prefer reading and writing over watching videos or listening to podcasts. This preference comes from a higher intelligence and a desire for deeper understanding.
  2. Not all groups with high human capital are liberal; some can be conservative. However, these conservative groups may create closed cultures that do not accept different views.
  3. Currently, in American politics, there is a divide between open-minded thinkers with high human capital and those who are less open and informed. This division shapes political discussions and community attitudes.
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The Dumbest Online Right In-Fighting You'll Read About This Week (I Know I Shouldn't Be Writing About It)

Default Wisdom • 266 implied HN points • 09 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Right-wing Political Commentary Culture Wars Social media
  1. The term 'Woke Right' is being used in discussions about divisions within the online right, but its meaning is unclear. It seems to link various factions' behaviors to cultural policing and identity issues.
  2. Right-wing groups have their own ways of gatekeeping and moral testing, similar to issues seen on the left. This suggests that toxic behavior can show up across the political spectrum, not just from one side.
  3. Critics from classical liberal backgrounds may not mesh well with more extreme right factions, and their differences shouldn't be ignored. Instead of labeling them as 'woke,' it's better to critique ideas based on their own merit.

joy will be mandatory

bad cattitude • 284 implied HN points • 24 Oct 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Ideology Society Culture Wars Political Discourse Public Opinion
  1. People are increasingly divided, creating separate realities that don’t share common facts or agreements. This lack of mutual understanding makes it hard for society to come together.
  2. There seems to be a strong trend of intolerance among those who claim to be progressive. They often reject differing opinions and quickly excommunicate those who think differently.
  3. A big issue is the isolation and echo chambers people find themselves in. It's important for individuals to engage with diverse perspectives to avoid losing touch with reality.

"Knowingness" and the Politics of Ignorance

The Garden of Forking Paths • 1965 implied HN points • 12 May 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Democracy Polarization Culture Wars
  1. Misplaced faith in knowingness can lead to deliberate ignorance which poses a threat to democracies.
  2. Knowingness can be more damaging than polarization as it hampers the acceptance of fresh facts and different viewpoints.
  3. Combating knowingness is crucial in promoting intellectual curiosity and a collective approach to problem-solving in society.

Building new cultures

Escaping Flatland • 1120 implied HN points • 23 May 23
🎭️ Culture Online Communities Cultural anthropology Culture Wars Social norms
  1. Building new cultures is challenging and requires careful planning and inclusion of diverse perspectives.
  2. Online communities can mirror the challenges faced by historical attempts at creating new societies.
  3. It is important to be mindful of the culture you are creating by curating your social interactions and engaging with specific information.

Election Countdown, 254 Days to Go: A Step Away from the ‘No Labels’ Brink.

Breaking the News • 615 implied HN points • 25 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Election Third-Party Impeachment Culture Wars
  1. Third-party campaigns often serve as spoilers in US presidential politics, increasing the risk of splitting votes.
  2. The idea of an 'open convention' to replace Joe Biden as a candidate faces significant challenges, like lack of clarity on alternative candidates and financial complications.
  3. A GOP impeachment bid against Joe Biden was derailed after a star witness was arrested for inventing stories about the Biden family on behalf of Russian state intelligence.

January 2, 2024

Letters from an American • 17 implied HN points • 03 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political News Civil Rights Economic Policy Government actions Culture Wars
  1. President Biden gave the Presidential Citizens Medal to 20 Americans who have shown great service to their country, focusing on civil rights and community service.
  2. Biden emphasized unity and progress in response to a tragic attack in New Orleans, while Trump and Musk are trying to deepen cultural divides in America.
  3. The political scene is shifting again as Trump returns to hardline stances on immigration and culture wars, while Democrats continue to focus on economic recovery and workers' rights.

Culture Wars Are not For Sissies

Disaffected Newsletter • 1159 implied HN points • 07 Mar 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Culture Wars Media influence Legislation Identity politics Public Discourse
  1. There is a belief that we are in a serious cultural conflict, not just a disagreement, and the left seems to control most of the media, spreading misinformation.
  2. Laws are being proposed that some believe would allow harmful medical treatments for children, sparking heated debate about child safety and rights.
  3. Some people think that a softer approach to these issues isn't working anymore, and there is a call for more direct and strong action to address the perceived dangers.

Left Wing Authoritarians

Disaffected Newsletter • 679 implied HN points • 29 May 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Authoritarianism Social justice Personality Traits Political Psychology Culture Wars
  1. Some researchers are finding that authoritarian traits can be present in left-wing groups, not just right-wing ones. This challenges the common view that authoritarianism is only a right-wing issue.
  2. There is a difference between being politely formal and genuinely respectful. Some people use formal politeness to disguise their condescension and social judgment.
  3. The conversation touches on the reality of mortality and the challenges people face when dealing with death and funerals, especially in a financial context.

Odds and ends

Disaffected Newsletter • 639 implied HN points • 05 Oct 22
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political issues Culture Wars Cancel Culture Personal narrative
  1. The author resigned from a long-term job because they feel they are being cancelled for their views on social issues. It highlights the impact of cultural conversations on personal and professional lives.
  2. They emphasize the importance of a nonprofit they worked for that helps families with funeral planning and costs. The organization continues to do good work despite the author's departure.
  3. The author is focusing on a podcast project called Disaffected and is seeking paid subscriptions to support their work. They mention the collaborative effort with a friend to improve their show.

What is 'National Conservatism'?

Wrong Side of History • 446 implied HN points • 12 May 23
🌍 World Politics Nationalism Conservatism Culture Wars Globalization Religion
  1. Conservatism varies between places and individuals, each with their own visions to conserve specific traditions or institutions.
  2. National Conservatism is like conservatism but with a focus on the nation-state, supporting free market, nationalism, and religion.
  3. Conservatives believe in history's consequences, the importance of tradition, community ties, and the need for moral guidance from religion to maintain freedom.

Yes, the "Woke Right" is real

Reactionary Feminist • 9 implied HN points • 05 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political theory Culture Wars Conservatism Social movements
  1. The idea of a 'Woke Right' exists and may provide a better perspective than the traditional Right or Left views. It challenges the notion that all 'wokeness' is negative.
  2. Some people argue that the 'Woke Right' aligns with cultural critiques similar to those seen on the Left, but it can also strive to connect with more positive values like goodness and beauty.
  3. The discussion around the 'Woke Right' is often defensive, suggesting a pushback against new ways of thinking in politics and culture, rather than just about denying or ignoring these changes.

Don’t Lower the Ceiling, Raise the Floor

American Dreaming • 154 implied HN points • 04 Aug 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Equality Equity Political Discourse Society Culture Wars
  1. Talk of equity is becoming more popular than the traditional American ideal of equality.
  2. Young people today are disillusioned with capitalism and liberalism, favoring socialism and heavy government spending.
  3. Instead of focusing on lowering the ceiling, we should aim to raise the floor to achieve true equality of opportunity.

Who is Cancel Culture Discourse For?

Dreams in the Which House • 39 implied HN points • 20 Jul 23
🎭️ Culture Cancel Culture Discourse Culture Wars
  1. The discourse around cancel culture is well-established and transfers easily across different contexts.
  2. For certain audiences, the fear of cancel culture can dissolve democratic antinomies in a temporary and aesthetic way.
  3. The discourse on cancel culture hovers between incompatible poles, claiming both simultaneously by constructing an opposing 'culture' that few affirmatively identify with.

The Narcissistic, Murderous Parent and the Malthusian Mind Virus

Rounding the Earth Newsletter • 8 implied HN points • 08 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Narcissism Culture Wars Social Engineering Eugenics Mind Control
  1. Narcissism can lead to harmful behaviors, even including parents harming their children. This can often stem from a lack of empathy and an inability to admit mistakes.
  2. Societal issues often arise from manipulation by those in power, creating divisions among people. Recognizing these patterns can help individuals find new ways to work together instead of fighting each other.
  3. There are profound impacts from toxic belief systems and cultures. Understanding these influences can help people heal and move toward healthier communities.