The hottest Existentialism Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Philosophy Topics

My Rule of the 6 Spheres

The Honest Broker • 23072 implied HN points • 02 Feb 24
📖 Philosophy Personal Development Ethics Existentialism Spirituality Values
  1. The rule of the 6 spheres focuses on balancing six key aspects of life like vocation, community, family, mind, body, and spirit.
  2. Balancing these spheres is crucial for a fulfilling life, and neglecting any one of them can lead to feelings of imbalance and quiet desperation.
  3. Constructing a personal worldview based on your own values and virtues is important for guiding your daily life and decision-making.

Playing in the ruins

Sasha's 'Newsletter' • 3992 implied HN points • 19 Jan 24
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Personal Growth Acceptance Self-discovery Existentialism Reflection
  1. Facing and accepting the breakdown of expectations can lead to a new way of being, a state of 'Playing in The Ruins'.
  2. Experiencing challenges and destruction can shatter illusions and preconceptions about the future, leading to a more authentic understanding of oneself and life.
  3. Encountering wreckage and failures is a common part of life's journey, and happiness often lies beyond achieving childhood dreams or societal expectations.

The Most Important Skill in the 21st Century

The Algorithmic Bridge • 668 implied HN points • 12 Mar 24
📖 Philosophy Human nature Existentialism Ethics Self-awareness Knowledge
  1. Boredom was never the problem, but not experiencing it is a challenge in the modern world.
  2. The most crucial skill in the 21st century is learning how to be bored and find tranquility in silence.
  3. Constant external stimulation has made us fear boredom, but embracing it can help us grow and stand out in a world of overwhelming entertainment.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

Coach Industrial Complex

thestoa • 727 implied HN points • 13 Jan 24
📖 Philosophy Self-help Spirituality Friendship Existentialism
  1. Approach the 'coach industrial complex' with cynicism and criticism due to toxic positivity and overpromising.
  2. There is a market demand for 'space holders' like coaches, therapists, and philosophical counselors.
  3. The coach industrial complex has the potential to improve interpersonal skills and lead to widespread positive regard without the need for paid services.

The Inner Life of the Future

The Joyous Struggle • 1106 implied HN points • 14 Nov 23
📖 Philosophy Metaphysics Spirituality Consciousness Existentialism Ethics
  1. The future for humanity is often viewed through the concept of 'the third attractor,' which aims to divert the default trajectories of collapse and dystopia.
  2. The third attractor represents a disposition not to give up on the future, encompassing diverse visionary ideas for societal transformation and renewal.
  3. Attention to the 'third reality,' encompassing the inner subjective experience, and the cultivation of spiritual sensibility, is crucial for envisioning and shaping a more sustainable and meaningful future.

Moloch in Therapy

The Joyous Struggle • 691 implied HN points • 08 Dec 23
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Philosophy God Existentialism Love
  1. Moloch is a complex demonic figure invoked to represent negative outcomes from competitive logic and lack of imagination.
  2. Moloch reflects on his identity crisis and the misunderstanding surrounding him, seeking love and power but feeling the pain of his oppositional nature.
  3. Despite craving power, Moloch also longs for love and struggles with his role in resisting God, revealing a desire for maternal love and the ability to create.

Interpreting Yonder

Orbis Tertius • 172 implied HN points • 03 Feb 24
📚 Literature Philosophy Reality Interpretation Existentialism
  1. Julio Cortázar's novel Hopscotch has an unconventional structure with different reading options
  2. The novel explores the limits of explanation for understanding reality and life, touching on perspectivism and subjective interpretation
  3. Science and quantum mechanics highlight the subjective nature of interpretation and the limitations of objective reality

Write Like A Normal Person, Please

A Mug of Insights • 1513 implied HN points • 19 May 23
📖 Philosophy Language Communication Understanding Thought Existentialism
  1. Philosophy often seems obscure and complex to regular people due to its unique language and terminology.
  2. Understanding philosophy is akin to learning a foreign language, with its own set of definitions and interpretations.
  3. Mastering philosophy involves a shift in mindset, where the complexities of the language eventually click and become a new way of thinking and understanding.

Principles and pragmatism

CB • 1777 implied HN points • 06 Mar 23
📖 Philosophy Principles Pragmatism Idealism Responsibility Existentialism
  1. It's important to balance ideals and pragmatism to create valuable work. Having ideals without practical implementation is self-centered, while being solely pragmatic can lead to lack of direction.
  2. Embracing the discomfort of integrating ideals and practicality is necessary for achieving greatness. This path may not guarantee success, but avoiding it can lead to mediocrity.
  3. Pursuing ideals can uncover unexpected practical solutions, while building practical things can reveal profound ideal truths. The challenging path is often the most rewarding one.

Otherness and control in the age of AGI

Joe Carlsmith's Substack • 157 implied HN points • 02 Jan 24
📖 Philosophy Ethics Existentialism AI Values Control
  1. The series explores questions about how agents with different values should interact, especially in the age of increasingly powerful AI systems.
  2. It discusses topics like deep atheism, control-seeking behavior, and the ethics of influencing the values of others.
  3. The essays aim to prompt deeper thinking about existential risks from misaligned AI and the broader issues of otherness and control in shaping the future.

The Room and Matt Christman

De Pony Sum • 412 implied HN points • 27 Sep 23
📖 Philosophy Existentialism Ethics Morality Politics Metaethics
  1. Matt Christman deserves appreciation for his understanding of societal injustices and the need for change.
  2. The analogy of a room with limited democracy, resources, healthcare, and foreign policy mirrors the inequalities present in the world.
  3. The message conveyed by Christman emphasizes the importance of solidarity, shared humanity, and the power to create a better world.

Dealing with Uncertainty

Tessa Fights Robots • 18 implied HN points • 15 Mar 24
📖 Philosophy Existentialism Ethics Metaphysics Epistemology Spirituality
  1. Uncertainty is a fundamental part of life, and we should connect with our inner selves to navigate it.
  2. Warm, caring people, a strong sense of inner goodness, and reliance on loving spiritual powers can help us withstand uncertainty with courage.
  3. Predators thrive on spoiling communities and creating insecurity, but emphasizing our spiritual connection and goodness can protect us and bring peace.

Five questions that will change your life

Figs in Winter: New Stoicism and beyond • 805 implied HN points • 06 Mar 23
📖 Philosophy Existentialism Stoicism Hedonism Virtue ethics
  1. Death is a universal human preoccupation, but certain arguments and perspectives can help alleviate the fear of death.
  2. Handling pain and grief requires acknowledging and accepting the inevitability of suffering and loss, while finding ways to endure and grow from these experiences.
  3. Emotions can be challenged or encouraged based on their alignment with reason, and developing emotional resilience involves cognitive evaluation and management.

When "yang" goes wrong

Joe Carlsmith's Substack • 58 implied HN points • 08 Jan 24
📖 Philosophy Existentialism Ethics Power Dynamics Metaethics
  1. The article discusses the connection between deep atheism and the desire for control, particularly in the context of AI risk.
  2. It explores the theme of power-seeking and control in rationalist and accelerationist ideologies.
  3. There is a cautionary tone about the risks and potential negative consequences of power-seeking and wanting too much control over the future.

Hyperion and boring techno futures

Yasha Levine • 412 implied HN points • 02 May 23
📚 Literature Science fiction Critique Existentialism
  1. The story of Hyperion explores a conflict between a traditional civilization reliant on AI technology and a post-humanist society embracing genetic tinkering and self-directed evolution.
  2. The author questions the idealized futuristic utopia presented in the Hyperion series, highlighting the potential downsides and complexities of a tech-driven society.
  3. There is a comparison drawn between the themes in the Hyperion series and ideologies of technology-driven utopias seen in history, pointing out the different perspectives and potential outcomes.

A Whole New Cope

Breaking Smart • 107 implied HN points • 21 Oct 23
📖 Philosophy Existentialism Ethics Agency
  1. Thanks to globalization and the internet, we now feel more involved in global events.
  2. Our reactions to distant events can be influenced by a sense of general disequilibrium in the world.
  3. The balance between constraint and agency in our lives can be disrupted by external factors, leading to heightened reactions.

In Defense of Repression

Litverse • 379 implied HN points • 05 Feb 23
📖 Philosophy Identity Psychology Meaning Belief Existentialism
  1. Our cells constantly die and renew, questioning our identity continuity - Are we the same from day to day?
  2. Around 20% of Americans receive mental health treatment, with generational differences in therapy acceptance.
  3. Repression can be seen as a means to connect to a greater meaning beyond the self and as a tool for survival.

Personal Grief Creates Heroes. Collective Grief Creates Revolutions

Anxiety Addiction & Ascension • 98 implied HN points • 03 Oct 23
📖 Philosophy Existentialism Spirituality Adversity Grief Revolution
  1. Personal grief is often an individual experience, and it can be uniquely isolating, but it can also strengthen us as we navigate through it alone.
  2. Adversity, whether from personal loss or external challenges like tyranny, can be faced with practical steps that bring order to chaos, making us stronger and more capable.
  3. Collective grief, experienced together during challenging times, can lead to a shared resilience and solidarity that can fuel movements and revolutions.

In Defense of Repression II

Litverse • 279 implied HN points • 06 Feb 23
📖 Philosophy Psychology Existentialism Psychoanalysis Anthropology Self
  1. Repression could be a tool for building a new self by accepting and integrating past pain, according to Marcel Proust's Impressionist painter Elstir.
  2. Ernest Becker theorizes that repression is crucial not just for personal growth but also for maintaining societal agreement on fundamental truths, preventing a future with conflicting values.
  3. Projection, seen as a defense mechanism by Freud, is viewed optimistically by Becker, who believes it fulfills human narcissism and helps find purpose by prioritizing the outer world as part of the inner self.