The hottest Identity Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Culture Topics

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.

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.
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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.

Stop making your values generic and boring

Jeff Giesea • 359 implied HN points • 13 Apr 24
🎭️ Culture Values Identity Symbolism Meaning
  1. Make your values unique and memorable, instead of using boring generic terms. For example, use something like 'Hershey’s Kiss' instead of just 'love and kindness.'
  2. Using specific images or symbols can help you remember your values better. It makes them more personal and meaningful in your daily life.
  3. Regularly revisit and update your values. As life changes, your values might need to change too, so it's good to check in on them from time to time.

was she born with it or was it god damn Maybelline?

Both Are True • 192 implied HN points • 30 Jan 25
🎭️ Culture Fashion Music Media Identity Advertising
  1. Commercial taglines and songs from childhood can stick with us and shape our lives in unexpected ways. They often act like the 'gospels' we learn from as kids.
  2. It's okay to admit that you don't know something. Society often pushes us to have all the answers, but not knowing can be a valuable lesson too.
  3. High school often teaches us strange ideas about relationships and sex that can stick with us as we grow up. Many of these lessons come from silly or inappropriate sources.

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.

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.

The Transcult: II

Not On Your Team, But Always Fair • 943 implied HN points • 02 Aug 23
🎭️ Culture Feminism Academic Marxism Activism Identity
  1. Feminism and academic feminism played a major role in rejecting evolution, a key component for the Transcult.
  2. The Transcult leverages historical treatment of homosexuals to push its agenda and can be monetized as a 'consumerist civil rights' cause.
  3. The Transcult's emergence is a mix of social contagion, intense sexualization, and a contradictory relationship with feminism.

The AI doppelgänger experiment – Part 1: The training

On Looking • 184 HN points • 15 May 24
🎨 Art & Illustration AI Style Ethics Identity Creativity
  1. Communication relies on shared language, and this is especially crucial when discussing visual concepts like style and art.
  2. Training generative AI models to transfer style involves complex processes of separating denotational and stylistic aspects of images.
  3. The AI doppelganger experiment explores the tension between human-created images and machine-generated ones, raising questions about personhood, identity, and creativity in the digital age.

Cultivating Resilience by Changing How You View Your Identity

QUALITY BOSS • 59 implied HN points • 23 Jul 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health Personal Development Self-care Identity Resilience
  1. Focusing on your core values rather than roles can help you bounce back from tough times. When your identity is built around values like connection and integrity, you're more adaptable to change.
  2. People who tie their identity to their job or relationship might struggle more during transitions. If you see yourself as defined by your values, losing a job or going through a divorce feels less drastic.
  3. Building daily habits that reflect your values can strengthen your sense of self. For example, if curiosity is important to you, spending time learning new things helps keep you engaged and authentic.

immigration, immigrants, and the american way of life

bad cattitude • 241 implied HN points • 28 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Immigration Economics Identity Policy Culture Society
  1. Human capital is really important for a country's success. We need to create an environment where people's talents can grow and be used effectively.
  2. Immigration and cultural assimilation matter for maintaining a society's values. Newcomers should embrace the American way of life to keep the social fabric strong.
  3. Many Americans feel frustrated with how immigration policies and systems are set up. A fair approach that focuses on merit and recognizes everyone's contributions is needed.

'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.'

Diversity and the nation

Archedelia • 904 implied HN points • 19 Aug 23
📖 Philosophy Identity Nationalism Democracy Representation Politics
  1. Part One of the series discussed the relationship between political representation, statistical representation, and visual representations of under-represented groups.
  2. Diversity as an ideal impacts the imaginative basis of democracy and social survey research forms imagined communities rivaling the national community.
  3. The birth of the modern nation-state emphasized a uniform 'national' consciousness for self-government and the formation of an 'imagined community' based on common identity.

🐬 Reality Is What You Make of It 🐬

Default Wisdom • 251 implied HN points • 31 Dec 24
🎭️ Culture Trends Society Identity Media Technology
  1. Cultural trends take time to develop and evolve. They don't just start and finish within a single year.
  2. There's a growing belief that our thoughts and imaginations can shape reality. Many people are exploring ideas like manifestation and online connections in more spiritual ways.
  3. Political landscapes are changing, with a mix of niche ideologies emerging. People are labeling themselves more based on aesthetics rather than clear political beliefs.

Between Race Abolition and Racial Essentialism

Glenn Loury • 793 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.

Normalyze This

utopian drivel • 825 implied HN points • 06 Sep 23
🎭️ Culture LGBTQ+ Identity Social norms Equality Sexuality
  1. Normalizing gay men and relationships was a gradual process that involved marketing strategies and societal shifts.
  2. The idea of 'normalizing' behaviors can be complex, as seen in the evolution of societal views towards online dating and sexual expressions.
  3. Resisting normalization is about embracing the diversity of identities and behaviors without conforming to a narrow definition of 'normal.'

Sticks and stones

Disaffected Newsletter • 1578 implied HN points • 17 Apr 23
🎭️ Culture Identity Media Communication Society Feminism
  1. Not everyone has to like the same things. It's okay for someone to dislike flamboyant expressions without it being a moral issue.
  2. It's important to appreciate criticism and differing tastes instead of getting offended. Many people can still support you while having their own preferences.
  3. Everyone has different opinions, and that's normal. We should focus on common ground instead of getting upset over personal tastes.

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.

MAGA, Brain Drain, Not Practicing Law, My First Book, and More

Richard Hanania's Newsletter • 1194 implied HN points • 08 Mar 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Policy Government Ideology Education Identity
  1. The author discusses various topics in response to reader questions, such as why he didn't practice law after obtaining a J.D. from a top school and the value of his law school education.
  2. There's an interesting perspective shared on MAGA and the concept of 'Bullying Grandma,' highlighting the author's view on the emotional dynamics within the movement.
  3. The author shares insights on the likelihood of new educational institutions like University of Austin Texas and the Peterson Academy successfully challenging traditional educational systems.

Southern Bridge and Fort Sumter

Jeff Giesea • 179 implied HN points • 21 May 24
🎭️ Culture Literature History Art Identity Nature
  1. Nighttime walks can evoke a mix of real-life experiences and imaginative thoughts. It's a great time to reflect on history while enjoying the beauty around you.
  2. The connection between past events, like the Civil War, and present political feelings can be profound. It often leads to questions about our current society and history.
  3. Interactions with people during walks can vary, but kindness often shines through. Engaging with others can add a positive touch to the experience.

The Problem of the "New Elite"

Paroxysms • 798 implied HN points • 19 Apr 23
🎭️ Culture Society Identity Activism Social justice Workplace
  1. The term "elite" carries multiple and complex connotations, reflecting a historical evolution from positive to negative associations.
  2. New elites are often misunderstood and oversimplified, leading to challenges in addressing the broader issues they represent.
  3. The new elite class navigates complex dynamics of power, ethics, and cultural influence, reshaping corporate and institutional landscapes in response to societal demands.

The Stories We Tell: Myth, Memory, and the Self

Mind & Mythos • 159 implied HN points • 04 May 24
🎭️ Culture Mythology Identity Psychology Narrative Self-Improvement
  1. The stories we tell about ourselves are important for understanding who we are. They help us make sense of our experiences and give our lives meaning.
  2. Everyone creates a personal narrative or myth that shapes their identity. This story involves past events, emotions, and lessons learned, influencing how we view ourselves and our future.
  3. Rewriting our personal story can improve our mental health. By changing how we interpret challenges and failures, we can craft a more positive narrative that enhances our sense of purpose.

Kum & Go is dead. Long live, Kum & Go

Men Yell at Me • 144 implied HN points • 12 Jan 25
🎭️ Culture Media Trends Society Brands Identity
  1. Kum & Go gas stations are getting a new name after being sold to Maverik. This change is part of a rebranding effort.
  2. The new branding has been criticized for stripping away the fun and unique aspects of the Kum & Go name. Many feel it's becoming just another boring corporate brand.
  3. People are nostalgic about the old name and believe it added character to the gas station experience. There’s a sense of loss over the personality it had.

When You're Done with that Condom, Just Throw it Anywhere

Both Are True • 183 implied HN points • 30 Dec 24
🎭️ Culture Literature Art Identity Youth Society Tradition
  1. Condoms are often discarded carelessly in places like parking lots. This shows a lack of respect for the environment and the community.
  2. Kids can have misunderstandings about adult behaviors and items, which can create confusion and fear. It's important to explain things clearly to children.
  3. Feeling isolated or rejected during childhood experiences can have a lasting impact on someone. These moments can shape how a person views themselves in social situations.