The hottest Human nature Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Philosophy Topics

Humans are good (except for that one guy)

The Novelleist • 1075 implied HN points • 04 Mar 24
📖 Philosophy Human nature Ethics Anarchism
  1. There are good people who do positive things, but also 'that guy' who causes harm and makes rules and regulations necessary.
  2. Bad actors may be a small percentage, but their impact can be significant, leading to the need for larger systems to handle such individuals.
  3. While rules and regulations are essential for addressing bad behavior, they can sometimes become burdensome due to the actions of a few individuals.

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.

Recommended Reading, Part II: Anthrophysiocracy

Contemplations on the Tree of Woe • 1040 implied HN points • 28 Feb 24
📖 Philosophy Human nature Political Ideologies Genetics
  1. Anthrophysiocracy explores the idea that there are objectively better social structures for human flourishing based on human nature, which varies across populations.
  2. The concept of constrained and unconstrained viewpoints on human nature influences political ideologies and social debates, with implications for societal structures and governance.
  3. Biological differences among human populations impact behavior and societal organization, challenging the notion of a universal governing system and emphasizing the importance of diverse self-governance.

Ordinary People Do Terrible Things

Perspectives: Past, Present, and Future, by Patrick Wyman • 2535 implied HN points • 16 Jan 24
💾 History Empires Genocide Military Conflict Human nature
  1. Evil acts are easily normalized throughout history by ordinary people.
  2. Ambitious rulers and conquerors had ordinary individuals as underlings to enforce their will and commit abhorrent acts.
  3. In various historical campaigns of mass violence, ordinary individuals can become willing participants in horrific acts under certain circumstances.
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The New Hereditarian Man

From the New World • 237 implied HN points • 19 Feb 24
📖 Philosophy Social theory Human nature Eugenics Rule of Law
  1. The New Soviet Man concept was imaginary, as evident from the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
  2. Egalitarian sentiment persists despite evidence of biological differences, leading to challenges in discussing individual disparities.
  3. Institutions like rule of law and free markets can serve as solutions to counteract egalitarian pathologies and promote rational behavior.

Throwing People Out Windows in the Time of the Plague

Good Reason • 113 implied HN points • 13 Mar 24
📖 Philosophy Ethics Morality Justice Human nature
  1. People often focus on harm caused by others rather than systemic issues, leading to skewed priorities in addressing problems like disease during historical events.
  2. Our instinct to protect social order and punish those who harm it is crucial for maintaining peace and preventing individuals from causing significant harm.
  3. While outrage at harm caused by people is important, it's also essential to pay attention to systemic issues and larger threats like disease, to prevent neglecting significant problems in society.

Genetic Justice

Parrhesia • 799 implied HN points • 11 Nov 23
🔬 Science Genomics Human nature Social justice
  1. Polygenic scores can predict genetic traits but work better for populations they are 'trained' on.
  2. Social justice advocates stigmatizing genetic research may hinder opportunities for certain ethnic groups.
  3. Taboos around genetic research on traits like intelligence can limit the use of polygenic scores for reproductive decisions.

Darwin the Cynic

Everything Is Bullshit • 904 implied HN points • 24 Oct 23
📖 Philosophy Human nature Idealism Morality Ethics
  1. Being a Darwinian cynic means believing people are motivated by self-interest, family-interest, and group-interest.
  2. Darwinian cynicism challenges the idea of pure altruism, suggesting that human actions are ultimately selfish, nepotistic, or groupish.
  3. Moral progress and idealism are seen as accidental byproducts rather than deliberate desires in the lens of Darwinian cynicism.

Can open societies survive?

Hypertext • 59 implied HN points • 27 Feb 24
📖 Philosophy Liberalism Human nature Governance Diversity
  1. Liberal democracies have faced challenges in recent years due to the rise of ideologies hostile to the liberal order, resulting in increased doubt among defenders of liberal democracy
  2. In his final work, Gerald Gaus argued that open societies can address challenges through a liberal framework and highlighted the importance of public justification for moral justification in a diverse society
  3. Gaus proposed that open societies, despite facing complexity and governance issues, can succeed through bottom-up moral reasoning, local-level social contracts, and reliance on markets and democracy for collective self-governance

Creatures and Machines

New World Same Humans • 114 implied HN points • 14 Jan 24
📖 Philosophy Technology Human nature Ethics
  1. The next great division could be between those who want to live as creatures and those who want to live as machines.
  2. The ongoing technology revolution could lead to a conflict between those embracing human-machine fusion and those wanting to remain fully human.
  3. New stories, visions, and ways of coexisting are needed to navigate the differences in attitudes towards technology and human nature.

The Jellyfish Tribe

The Abbey of Misrule • 411 implied HN points • 16 Mar 23
📖 Philosophy Populism Human nature
  1. Growing skepticism towards authority figures is becoming more common.
  2. Many people are losing faith in institutions and leaders in the Western world.
  3. Events like the Iraq war, the 2008 financial crisis, Brexit, Trump's presidency, and COVID-19 have contributed to a decline in trust in traditional systems.

Relinquishing control

Random Minds by Katherine Brodsky • 84 implied HN points • 10 Sep 23
📖 Philosophy Human nature Critical Thinking Ethics Values Leadership
  1. Relinquishing control can lead to blind compliance, which has historically resulted in significant atrocities.
  2. Human nature inclines people to seek charismatic leaders, but it's important to maintain personal identity and critical thinking.
  3. To resist manipulation, individuals should develop critical thinking skills, recognize psychological manipulation tactics, and build independence.

Freedom

Black Lodges • 19 implied HN points • 12 Jan 24
📖 Philosophy Freedom Human nature Liberation Reality
  1. Freedom is important and requires a deeper understanding beyond what we are taught in the West.
  2. Question the indoctrination about capitalism and the free market that we have grown up with.
  3. Explore the historical context of freedom from the bourgeois revolutions to Marx's work on the subject.