The hottest Identity Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Culture Topics

Creating insular information bubbles

Not On Your Team, But Always Fair • 943 implied HN points • 07 Jan 24
🌍 World Politics Media Migration Identity Progressivism Nationalism
  1. Narratives are about making meaning, not just facts, and protecting them from facts is crucial for them to continue to make meaning.
  2. Dysfunctional policy responses can suppress feedback and drive mainstream media narratives that may lack accountability.
  3. Internationalisation can reduce accountability in policy-making and contribute to undermining democratic systems across large populations.

The crumbling pillars of society

The Free Mind • 569 implied HN points • 03 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics Identity Antisemitism
  1. The 'Pride Pillar' at London Bridge railway station showcases confusion with its array of flags about sexual identity.
  2. Some public figures fail to address important issues like the Holocaust adequately, revealing bad pillars in society.
  3. Society is facing challenges with identity politics and the need for clear communication and genuine understanding.

Comedy and Culture Wars: Why Laughter is the Antidote to Polarisation

rebelwisdom • 648 implied HN points • 26 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Comedy Identity Social Issues Activism Art
  1. Humor can help shift polarisation in culture by allowing us to laugh at ourselves and break free from the seriousness of current societal tensions.
  2. Comedy has historically faced censorship and backlash, but the rise of social media has changed how outrage is expressed and impacts comedy.
  3. Laughter can lead to cognitive flexibility, social bonding, and breaking us free from rigid frames of thought, making comedy a powerful tool for cultural change.

Lesbians Who Only Date Men

Default Wisdom • 185 implied HN points • 18 Mar 24
🎭️ Culture Identity Online Communities Sexuality Generation Z Gender identity
  1. Sexual orientation is now defined more by feelings and affinity than by physical experience.
  2. Online affinity networks and fandoms play a role in shaping and evolving how individuals identify themselves.
  3. Shifts in identity labeling show a move from behavior-based categorization to more subjective, internal essence-based categorization.
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The Insidious Lie That We Can’t Understand Each Other

After Babel • 2074 implied HN points • 04 Oct 23
🚌 Education Philosophy Politics Identity Empathy Solidarity
  1. Identity trap ideologies suggest we can't understand each other, but it's important to challenge this notion.
  2. Standpoint theory emphasizes empathizing with oppressed groups, but it may not effectively guide political action.
  3. To argue against the identity trap, take concerns seriously, show why the ideology may fail, and propose a more noble path forward.

Autochthonous Wars

Yasha Levine • 648 implied HN points • 10 Jan 24
🌍 World Politics Identity Middle East Religion History
  1. The debate over Jewish autochthonous status to the Holy Land is complex and influenced by personal bias and politics.
  2. Genetic studies on Jewish ancestry can be interpreted in multiple ways, leading to conflicting conclusions.
  3. The issue of Jewish identity and origins is more of a cultural and political question than a scientific one.

Friday Thread: How do you find a satisfying work "why"?

The Recovering Academic • 554 implied HN points • 19 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Workplace dynamics Identity Purpose Professional development
  1. When searching for satisfying work, it's common to grapple with questions of identity, purpose, and personal values.
  2. Finding an employer or work environment that aligns with your 'why' can be challenging, even if you know your purpose.
  3. Balancing personal authenticity and branding in professional life is a complex puzzle that many individuals struggle to solve.

A Defence of Hate

Becoming Noble • 2232 implied HN points • 01 Sep 23
📖 Philosophy Ethics Religion Identity Spirituality Morality
  1. Hatred, when directed at evil and not individuals, can be a powerful force for rejecting what is harmful.
  2. According to philosophers like Aquinas and Nietzsche, properly understanding and harnessing hatred involves recognizing its role in opposing evil.
  3. It's crucial to distinguish between hating evil actions and hating individuals, as the former is aligned with rejecting what is harmful while the latter can be destructive.

The Taste Test

Desk Notes by Charles Schifano • 303 implied HN points • 16 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Opinions Identity Social Dynamics Isolation
  1. Your tastes and preferences do not define your character, despite common cultural perceptions.
  2. It's important to maintain individuality and not feel pressured to align your preferences with someone else's to avoid conflict.
  3. The core of a person's character lies in social aspects like morals, ethics, and virtues, rather than superficial preferences.

Academic Agent on 'The Anywhere-ization of all Places'

The J. Burden Show • 738 implied HN points • 24 Dec 23
🎭️ Culture Identity Globalization
  1. Culture and regional identity are being eroded by globalization and commercialization, leading to a loss of authenticity and uniqueness.
  2. The homogenization of accents and the corporatization of sports teams contribute to the diminishing of genuine culture and community connections.
  3. The transformation of local places into generic, commercialized spaces removes the individuality and character that once defined them, reflecting a broader trend of devaluation of local traditions and businesses.

Saturday Commentary and Review #153

Fisted by Foucault • 313 implied HN points • 03 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Music Language History Identity Art
  1. Democracy promotion efforts by the US have faced setbacks in various countries like Yugoslavia, Egypt, Libya, and Syria, leading to negative outcomes.
  2. Asia's strategic significance in the US-China competition is leading to a focus on democracy promotion in the region as a competitive advantage for the US.
  3. The evolution of music criticism, the effects of ideological capture on platforms like Pitchfork, and the changing landscape of American accents show the complexity of cultural influences over time.

The NPC Question 4: I Have No Mind and I Must Think

Egg Report • 1238 implied HN points • 25 Sep 23
🎭️ Culture Social media Technology Behavior Communication Identity
  1. The concept of 'NPC' explores a reported lack of internal monologue and the impact of social media on cognition and thinking processes.
  2. Engaging in social media performances like recording oneself and seeking validation may lead to weakening internal reflection and dependence on external validation.
  3. The use of smartphones and social media can contribute to a sense of brain damage, hindering genuine self-expression and promoting a cycle of self-performance and externalized thinking.

Between Race Abolition and Racial Essentialism

Glenn Loury • 786 implied HN points • 14 Nov 23
🎭️ Culture Identity Society Race Politics History
  1. Race is a social construct that some are trying to do away with, aiming towards a future of racelessness.
  2. We live in a society where race is a reality and needs to be addressed, finding a middle ground to identify with racial or ethnic communities without confining oneself to them.
  3. Creating opportunities for interaction across different racial groups is key to breaking down prejudices and building understanding.

The Conversational Nature of Reality

The Joyous Struggle • 592 implied HN points • 05 Dec 23
📖 Philosophy Reality Identity Dialogue Theory
  1. The Antidebate project aimed to create a space for more meaningful public conversations, bridging the gap between debate and dialogue in addressing modern challenges.
  2. The concept of 'the conversational nature of reality' by David Whyte emphasizes the importance of the interaction between self and the world in shaping our existence and relationships.
  3. The evolution of the Antidebate project showcases the struggle of translating theory into practice, highlighting the complexities and uncertainties of introducing new social practices.

Japan's "untouchables"

The Global Jigsaw • 235 implied HN points • 03 Feb 24
🌐 International Society History Culture Discrimination Identity
  1. Japan has a marginalized group called Burakumin, similar to India's untouchables, with a history of discrimination and social exclusion.
  2. Japanese belief in racial purity and homogeneity is rooted in historical constructs and national identity myths.
  3. Despite efforts to eliminate discrimination, Burakumin still face societal stigma and prejudice in Japan, impacting aspects like marriage and social status.

Schrödinger's Gender

ajkay • 982 implied HN points • 07 Oct 23
🎭️ Culture Identity Ethics Reality Society Fantasy
  1. Failing to validate the preferred gender of trans-identifying people can impact their existence.
  2. Material reality is measurable and observable, different from what exists solely in one's imagination.
  3. Refusing to validate trans-identifying individuals is an ethical choice, even if it amounts to denying their existence.

Why We Don't Trust Each Other Anymore

Kyla’s Newsletter • 154 implied HN points • 22 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health Community Emotions Identity Relationships
  1. Language plays a significant role in shaping reality and impacting how we understand the economy and each other, ultimately affecting trust.
  2. The disconnect between words and concepts, especially concerning economic terms, can lead to confusion and misinterpretation in society.
  3. The overuse of technology, social media, and the attention economy, alongside the lack of genuine human interaction, contributes to a sense of loneliness, isolation, and decreasing trust within communities.

Jews for killers of Jews...and other thoughts on post-Soviet nationalism

Yasha Levine • 1061 implied HN points • 25 Sep 23
🌍 World Politics Nationalism Identity Genocide Symbols
  1. Recent events in Canada brought attention to Ukrainian nationalist controversies involving Nazi symbolism and history.
  2. The adoption of nationalist symbols in Ukraine stems from an identity vacuum post-Soviet collapse, with a rebranding to align with modern values.
  3. Nationalism remains a dominant organizing principle for countries post-monarchies, shaping identities and symbols to reflect specific historical narratives.

'What is associated with Deansgate Square is, well, pretty people'

The Mill • 884 implied HN points • 15 Oct 23
🎭️ Culture Society Urban living Architecture Community Identity
  1. Deansgate Square luxury apartments attract a mix of residents, including working professionals, families, footballers, and influencers.
  2. Residents of Deansgate Square describe a lack of community and a divide between working professionals and influencers/footballers.
  3. There is a perception of a certain expectation of how Deansgate Square residents should look, often associated with being 'pretty people.'