The hottest Ideologies Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top U.S. Politics Topics

Believing in order to Belong

In My Tribe • 546 implied HN points • 23 May 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political Beliefs Ideologies Social influence Cognitive dissonance Group dynamics
  1. We often choose our beliefs based on who we trust and want to belong to, rather than just the truth of those beliefs. Our need for acceptance can heavily influence what we believe.
  2. False beliefs can create a strong sense of identity within a group, making them appealing even if they're not true. It's easier to bond over unique beliefs that set us apart from others.
  3. Many political and social beliefs can't be easily proven or disproven, causing people to cling to their views to fit into their tribe. This makes discussions around these beliefs more about belonging than finding common ground.

Coming out of the coconut closet

Jeff Giesea • 2176 implied HN points • 21 Aug 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections Candidates Political parties Democracy Ideologies
  1. The author has changed their political stance and now endorses Kamala Harris because they believe Trump is unfit for office. They feel Trump's actions after the 2020 election crossed a serious line.
  2. The author has reevaluated their view of Kamala Harris, acknowledging her strengths in campaigning and leadership that they previously underestimated. They feel she could be a solid choice in the upcoming election.
  3. Lastly, the author sees the election as a critical choice for democracy versus chaos. They believe defending democracy is more important than any economic policies at play, and that's why they support Harris.

Returning to Origins

Unpopular Front • 103 implied HN points • 23 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political theory Political History Ideologies Totalitarianism Capitalism
  1. The idea of endless expansion is central to certain political and economic beliefs. It suggests that growth is the ultimate goal, often seen in capitalist thinking.
  2. Many thinkers, like Arendt, have been quoted and referenced without fully understanding their ideas. This results in misinterpretations of their work and less meaningful conversations about important issues.
  3. The current alliance between different societal groups, like tech-oligarchs and the mob, shows a shared mindset that prioritizes power and accumulation, often at the expense of ethical considerations.

Why liberalism and leftism are increasingly at odds

Silver Bulletin • 1339 implied HN points • 12 Dec 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Ideologies Political polarization Free speech Education
  1. Liberalism and leftism are at odds due to differences over Israel and identity politics.
  2. Classical liberalism, rooted in individual rights and free markets, is distinct from socialism and conservatism.
  3. Social Justice Leftism diverges from liberalism in its focus on group identity, totalizing tendencies, and constrained view on free speech.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

Belief exhaustion (part one)

Brain Pizza • 728 implied HN points • 05 Mar 24
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Beliefs Ideologies Psychology Neuroscience Crisis
  1. Belief exhaustion is the emotional and psychological toll on individuals rigidly adhering to extreme beliefs, resulting in mental and emotional fatigue.
  2. Some people experience belief exhaustion and end up giving up their convictions due to the demanding nature of their beliefs.
  3. The collapse of political regimes sometimes shows the phenomenon of belief exhaustion, where individuals abandon their certainties leading to a rapid disintegration of shared reality.

Hammering Trudeau won't build a better house

History's Parrot • 157 implied HN points • 14 Jan 24
🌍 World Politics Political Systems Democracy Media Ideologies Geopolitics
  1. Focusing on criticizing leaders like Trudeau isn't as effective as addressing the actual problems in society
  2. Mainstream media often fails to provide meaningful and insightful coverage, focusing on surface-level issues rather than deeper truths
  3. Current political systems are influenced by harmful ideologies, affecting democracy and the integrity of political parties

Canada's Perpetual Neoliberal Housing Crisis

History's Parrot • 98 implied HN points • 11 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics Neoliberalism Housing Crisis Ideologies Political Events
  1. Canada's housing crisis is affected by political events and refugee policies, leading to insufficient coordination between influx of refugees and available housing.
  2. Neoliberalism is deeply entrenched in Western governments, promoting wealth privatization and public debt, widening the gap between rich and poor.
  3. The misappropriation of public wealth under neoliberalism includes compromising senior care for profit, creating debt traps in poor countries, and investing in unnecessary projects like the F35 jet fighters.

Richard Cook on Bill Clinton the War Criminal, Rafiq on Atan the Revolutionary

Kevin’s Newsletter • 78 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Presidents Books Novels Ideologies Global Politics
  1. Richard Cook critiques Bill Clinton's presidency, highlighting his role in transitioning the US into a state of global domination through war.
  2. Rafiq's novel 'Atan the Revolutionary' delves into spiritual battles and the clash between indigenous wisdom and the power of the bankster-dominated Deep State.
  3. The text includes references to debates on controversial topics like 9/11 conspiracies and the challenges faced by those who question the mainstream narrative.

Cycles of Radicalization

America in Crisis • 219 implied HN points • 28 Feb 23
🎭️ Culture Ideologies Social Trends Historical Analysis
  1. Wokeness and sociopolitical instability are part of larger cycles of radicalization and cultural instability in American society.
  2. The analysis suggests that the social and cultural turmoil of the present time is likely to be temporary, with some new ideas becoming integral to the nation's fabric.
  3. Historical patterns show that previous radical ideologies that did not stand the test of time, while others, like the ideologies of the Abolitionists, became significant parts of American culture.

The Finnish Presidential Election 2024 - a short overview

Ahpocalypse Now • 58 implied HN points • 25 Jan 24
🌍 World Politics Election Foreign Policy Candidates Presidency Ideologies
  1. The Finnish Presidential Election involves nine candidates and may go to a second round if no one gets over 50% of the votes.
  2. The President of Finland serves as a moral leader, unifying figure, and representative in high-level international meetings.
  3. The top contenders in the election include Jussi Halla-aho, Pekka Haavisto, and Alexander Stubb, each with unique backgrounds and potential outcomes.

History, Pedagogy & Revolution

Black Lodges • 39 implied HN points • 22 Jan 24
💾 History Revolution Ideologies Political strategy Social movements Philosophy
  1. Understand historical figures like Lenin and Gramsci not for hero worship but for their ideas and methodology.
  2. The disenfranchisement growth in the past decade is related to the decay of the capitalistic system, leading to challenges and disingenuous influences.
  3. The debate continues on whether to follow a Gramsci approach of cultural hegemony or a Lenin approach of violent overthrow for societal change.

Organic & compositus belief

Philosophy bear • 71 implied HN points • 21 Jan 24
📖 Philosophy Beliefs Ideologies Thinking Revision Criticism
  1. Beliefs can be organic or compositus, with different approaches to spreading and defending them
  2. Organic beliefs are more open and less defensive than compositus beliefs, making them better at adapting and working with other ideas
  3. Compositus beliefs can lead to group fragmentation under tough times, while organic beliefs are more adaptable and open to revision

The Priest in the Arena

Breaking Smart • 165 implied HN points • 01 Apr 23
📖 Philosophy Ethics Religion Ideologies Power Society
  1. The man in the arena archetype involves individuals taking risks and making decisions in challenging situations, with potential for great rewards or losses.
  2. Priests in the arena engage in theocratic capture campaigns, seeking to wield unaccountable authority based on supposed privileged knowledge.
  3. Identifying and stopping theocratic capture involves recognizing the influence of cults that demand unquestioning deference and monopolize conversations and institutions.

The Twenty-First Century Category Error

Political Currents by Ross Barkan • 12 implied HN points • 17 Jul 23
📚 Literature Authors Criticism Ideologies Magazines Politics
  1. The essay discusses the novelist Bret Easton Ellis and his latest novel, revealing the impact of his podcast on his work.
  2. The mention of Walter Kirn in the essay raises questions about the categorization of individuals based on their political views and affiliations.
  3. Literary publications should strive to go beyond categorizing writers based on political leanings and instead focus on their contributions to literature.

Where I stand on libertarianism

In My Tribe • 1 HN point • 12 Mar 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Ideologies Values Policies Government Discrimination
  1. Favorite libertarian policies include school choice, free trade, small government, deregulation, and women's choice on abortion.
  2. Issues where the author disagrees with libertarian views are total passivity in foreign policy, open borders, privatization of security, drug legalization, and taking order for granted.
  3. The author has mixed views on non-profits and discrimination, leaning towards skepticism of non-profits and preferring a focus on treating people as individuals.

The Dangers of Left Ideologies

Wayne's Earth • 0 implied HN points • 09 Dec 22
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Ideologies Extremism Censorship
  1. Left ideologies often rely on extremism, like violence or threats, to achieve their goals, which can lead to unintended consequences for society.
  2. Left ideologies tend to be dogmatic by refusing to compromise or consider other viewpoints, causing division in society and hindering progress.
  3. Left ideologies sometimes engage in censorship by silencing dissenting voices, creating echo chambers and breeding mistrust between groups.

Communism: the God that failed? Or shall this God yet succeed?

Demodexio • 0 implied HN points • 06 Nov 23
🌍 World Politics Communism History Ideologies Social movements Revolution
  1. Communism has a history of challenging ruling elites and creating division between East and West in Europe.
  2. There are similarities between the rise of Communism and Protestantism in terms of charismatic leaders and rejection of norms.
  3. The future of Communism might involve a more profound re-thinking of societal assumptions, challenging traditional beliefs about sexuality and identity.

Bring Back HUAC

The Oasis • 0 implied HN points • 03 Oct 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Ideologies Committees Education
  1. The history of subversive ideologies in the United States continues today with Marxist concepts and calls to end Capitalism and the nuclear family.
  2. Consider reviving HUAC, a committee that worked to stop Soviet-sponsored Communism and anti-American activities.
  3. A new HUAC could provide checks and balances to identify harmful anti-American activities, such as Chinese agents and subversive teachings in schools.

Imagining New Societies in the Digital Age

The Digital Anthropologist • 0 implied HN points • 30 Mar 23
🎭️ Culture Societies Technology Ideologies Revolution Communication
  1. Throughout history, humans have created new societies, and in the digital age, this continues through online connections and shared ideas.
  2. Revolutionary technologies like the internet have connected us globally, enabling the sharing of cultural norms and the imagining of new ways to organize society.
  3. There is a trend of exploring new societal structures, with some groups seeking physical spaces, creating virtual societies, or forming communities within existing cities with more autonomy.

Book Review: Technological Slavery

Symbolic Capital(ism) • 0 implied HN points • 16 Jun 23
📚 Literature Book review Ideologies Social Critique Revolution Theory
  1. Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber, was a highly intelligent but ultimately violent individual with a tragic and impactful life story.
  2. Kaczynski's manifesto, _Industrial Society and Its Future_, though not revolutionary, had moments of clarity in critiquing societal rebellion and the co-opting of causes by the System.
  3. Kaczynski's focus on abstractly blaming 'the System' and his lack of concrete solutions or engagement with the realities of society ultimately led him to a violent and futile path.