The hottest Ideology Substack posts right now

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Top World Politics Topics

If the Democrats Want to Win, Someday They'll Need to Give People Something to Vote For

Freddie deBoer • 13335 implied HN points • 05 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Ideology
  1. Democrats need to offer clear reasons for people to vote for them. If they don’t, they risk losing support from their base.
  2. Critics feel that Democrats often focus on attacking others instead of explaining their own policies. This makes it hard for voters to believe in the party.
  3. A lack of confidence and clear values from Democrats can lead to more support for extreme candidates. To change this, Democrats must embrace their beliefs and communicate them effectively.

Bet On It Book Club: For a New Liberty, Chapter 1

Bet On It • 150 implied HN points • 06 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Ideology
  1. The American founding is presented as rooted in libertarian principles, emphasizing the separation of the economy and many social spheres from the state.
  2. Compromises like slavery and the Civil War are portrayed as having pushed politics toward statism and socialism, causing libertarianism to lose influence until a later revival.
  3. The appeal to the Founders is criticized as hypocritical because slavery and Indigenous dispossession contradict libertarian ideals, but 18th-century political ideas still contain important truths that modern libertarianism can recover.

Political Psychology Links, 1/14/2026

In My Tribe • 258 implied HN points • 14 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Ideology
  1. Smarter people tend to be more socially liberal, partly because they are more patient and better at perspective-taking, and partly because they can make a cognitive error by not seeing how policies affect different groups unevenly.
  2. When problems are complex and uncertain, people are more likely to lean on tribal cues and motivated reasoning, which makes it easier to convince themselves of what they want to be true.
  3. Many people have a deep need to matter and try to justify their self-obsession by imagining themselves as important, and trying to satisfy that need through politics is usually not a good solution.

Doing This Again Makes Me Hate Myself and Hate You, But Yes, Something Happened to Liberalism in the 2010s, and Sometimes That Thing is Called "Woke"

Freddie deBoer • 8168 implied HN points • 14 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Ideology
  1. American liberalism changed a lot during the 2010s. People who consider themselves liberals in 2020 are not the same as those from 2010.
  2. Some people deny that these changes happened, which seems dishonest. It's clear that the ideas and focus of liberalism evolved, especially around issues like race and gender.
  3. Despite personal opinions on whether these changes were good or bad, it's strange to argue that liberalism has always been the same when the evidence of change is so obvious.
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Why Trump Declared War on Immigrants

Richard Hanania's Newsletter • 1146 implied HN points • 11 Nov 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Ideology
  1. Recent elections show many Hispanic and Asian voters are leaning more towards Democrats, impacting Republican results significantly. This trend indicates possible changes in voter attitudes.
  2. The Trump administration focused on portraying immigrants as threats, leading to divisive policies and actions against new arrivals. This has created fear and resentment in communities.
  3. Despite needing a diverse voter base, the ideology of Trumpism has pushed the Republican Party to adopt strongly anti-immigration views. This can pose challenges for their future electoral success.

Sociology's Pervasively Dubious Assumptions

Unsafe Science • 476 implied HN points • 22 Dec 25
🔬 Science Ideology
  1. The field treats social forces as the primary drivers of outcomes and assumes humans are blank slates, which sidelines biological, psychological, and other non-social causes.
  2. That framework makes inequality seem inherently unjust, privileges social change as normatively good, and centers identity categories as the main lens for explaining society.
  3. Sociology should broaden its toolkit to consider mixed causes (including biology and human nature) and study both social stability and change without presuming existing order is merely oppressive.

Political Psychology Links, 12/30/2025

In My Tribe • 349 implied HN points • 30 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Ideology
  1. Social media use and a lack of historical grounding are pushing many young adults to treat politics as a form of self-expression, which helps explain growing attraction to extremist ideas.
  2. Centrist elites are reacting to populist pressure by adopting more authoritarian, technocratic measures to defend the status quo, sometimes at the cost of democratic norms.
  3. Politics is split between a universalist, creed-based outlook and a nationalist, particularist outlook, and resolving it requires honoring both individual dignity and cultural heritage; current elite status signaling (the “woke” model) should be replaced by a pro-social, work-focused status strategy, possibly involving major reforms in higher education.

Fine Woke Cannibals

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 8966 implied HN points • 14 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Ideology
  1. The term 'symbolic capitalists' describes professionals who focus on ideas and narratives rather than physical labor. This group spans various fields like education, media, and consulting.
  2. The book examines modern politics, claiming that recent conflicts were more about upper-class struggles rather than genuine ideological fights. It suggests that both sides misunderstood each other's motivations.
  3. The author reflects on his role in promoting 'woke' movements, showing how political actions often come from a desire for social status rather than true concern for people on the ground.

But why do they hate you?

The J. Burden Show • 2556 implied HN points • 06 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Ideology
  1. One reason why the ruling class resents certain groups is because social engineering didn't work on them - they continued to live the way they always have despite efforts to change them.
  2. The elites want to erase cultural differences and make everyone conform to their ideology, viewing any deviation from their beliefs as a problem that needs to be fixed.
  3. The left's animating principle is egalitarianism, believing that all people are the same - when reality doesn't align with this belief, they blame others rather than questioning their ideology.

Some quick thoughts on Trump

Striking 13 • 2795 implied HN points • 16 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Ideology
  1. The battle for American democracy is crucial, especially considering the attempt to steal the election and the impact on democratic values.
  2. Coverage of US elections in the UK tends to be detached and skeptical, hindering a clear understanding of the situation and its implications.
  3. Europe is unprepared to handle the implications of a rogue US leader, showcasing its reliance on American leadership and raising questions about Europe's ability to uphold its values independently.

Is Curtis Yarvin 'influential'?

Read Max • 6033 implied HN points • 23 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Ideology
  1. Curtis Yarvin, also known as Mencius Moldbug, shares controversial right-wing ideas about government and power. His thoughts are sometimes seen as extreme, but they're based on older conservative beliefs.
  2. While some powerful figures like Peter Thiel reference Yarvin, his actual influence on politics might be overstated. Many believe he provides justification for existing power rather than directly steering political actions.
  3. Yarvin himself downplays his importance, suggesting that any influence he has works through lower-level staff and thinkers rather than powerful leaders directly adopting his ideas.

Conservatives are dumb and lonely

Sex and the State • 39 implied HN points • 20 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Ideology
  1. Research links lower measured intelligence and lower cognitive flexibility with higher social conservatism, with less cognitive comfort in uncertainty leading people to prefer rigid rules and resist rapid social change.
  2. Chronic loneliness, trauma, and poverty erode cognitive complexity and make people more vulnerable to bigotry, authoritarianism, and conspiracy thinking, creating a self-reinforcing cycle.
  3. Being less intelligent isn’t a moral failing, and practical solutions focus on reducing loneliness and strengthening social and family ties so people become more open to complex ideas and evidence-based policies.

Among The Swifties

Daily Dreher • 2338 implied HN points • 31 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Ideology
  1. The 'holy war' between Donald Trump and Taylor Swift may not be as senseless as it appears.
  2. The collective power of fanatical fandoms, like Swifties, in the age of the internet, is a force to reckon with.
  3. Enchantment by political figures or pop stars can give a feeling of completeness, blurring the lines between rationality and transcendence.

trying to replace the american dream

bad cattitude • 232 implied HN points • 03 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Ideology
  1. Tolerance is a useful virtue in moderation. Taken too far it becomes self-destructive because it lets harmful behavior go unchecked and invites exploitation.
  2. Overeducated, entitlement-prone young elites can be drawn to collectivist promises of comfort and blame-shifting, trading individual liberty and responsibility for a cozy dependency.
  3. A way to weaken a high-trust society is to erode its will to resist—by teaching guilt about success, normalizing extreme tolerance, controlling public education, and importing voters—so protecting family, school choice, and individual rights is the defense.

Political Psychology Links, 12/02/2025

In My Tribe • 394 implied HN points • 02 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Ideology
  1. Status is important to us. We care about how useful we seem to others, and we like being around those with higher status because it makes us feel better.
  2. Radical ideologies can lead people away from the truth. They focus more on being emotionally comforting than on understanding reality.
  3. Instead of silencing unpopular opinions, elites should engage with them. Censoring views can make people angrier and more resistant to change.

How the New Left Damaged Democrats in the 1960s and 1970s

The Liberal Patriot • 1945 implied HN points • 05 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Ideology
  1. History provides lessons for today's political challenges, such as the impact of the New Left on Democrats in the past.
  2. There are similarities between the New Left of the 1960s and the new-New Left today, raising concerns for the anti-Trump coalition.
  3. Mainstream Democrats need to navigate ideological battles and focus on building a new Vital Center to preserve democracy and the American mission.

Weekend reads: Stephen Marche on the crisis in Canadian cultural institutions

Lean Out with Tara Henley • 1906 implied HN points • 04 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Ideology
  1. Stephen Marche's essay examines the politicization of Canadian cultural institutions dominated by radical leftist activists.
  2. The rise of extremist activism in Canada is leading to a decline in progressive activism's influence and support.
  3. Younger generations are turning away from progressivism towards more radical or right-wing ideologies, causing a shift in political landscapes.

Diversity Is Going To Get Us Killed

Daily Dreher • 2260 implied HN points • 10 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Ideology
  1. Excellence should be the main criteria for hiring and promotion, rather than diversity or other factors.
  2. Prioritizing excellence in hiring is crucial for critical industries like aircraft manufacturing and healthcare.
  3. Institutional leaders managing based on standards other than excellence can lead to negative consequences.

Ibram Kendi's Crusade against the Enlightenment

Glenn Loury • 3591 implied HN points • 15 Oct 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Ideology
  1. The article discusses Ibram Kendi's rejection of the western intellectual tradition and his call for a new academic discipline.
  2. Kendi criticizes standardized tests in education as a racist policy that degrades black minds and bodies.
  3. Kendi proposes a radical solution to racism in the United States, advocating for a totalitarian government run by 'formally trained experts in racism.'

Quibbling with Cofnas: I

Not On Your Team, But Always Fair • 1690 implied HN points • 21 Jan 24
🌍 World Politics Ideology
  1. The hereditarian thesis acknowledges that different human groups have varied traits, but using the term 'race realism' may not be the best way to describe this concept.
  2. Social outcomes are influenced by both genetic differences and cultural patterns, making 'race' a limited descriptor for these variations.
  3. While genes play a role in social outcomes, factors like culture and social circumstances also significantly impact these outcomes, suggesting that a broader perspective than 'race realism' is needed.

Why the Revolution Never Ends

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 1432 implied HN points • 24 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Ideology
  1. Marxism hasn't gone away; it's just evolved into new forms. Nowadays, it's showing up in different movements and ideologies that focus on social and cultural issues.
  2. People who support modern interpretations of Marxism often find new pairs of groups to classify as oppressors and oppressed. This flexibility keeps the ideology alive and relevant.
  3. The struggle for power and recognition continues to adapt, creating new labels and conflicts. This keeps the conversation about oppression active and ongoing in today's society.

Curator

Castalia • 519 implied HN points • 23 May 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Ideology
  1. Many traditional institutions, like PEN America and NPR, are struggling because they tried to overly cater to progressive demands but ended up alienating audiences. It's important for these organizations to return to their core missions and values.
  2. The New York Times seems to be adjusting its approach to reporting and emphasizing independence after a difficult period, while other outlets continue to face public trust issues due to perceived ideological bias.
  3. The so-called 'Intellectual Dark Web' has gained attention for their critiques of mainstream discourse, but many still view them with suspicion. This shows a need for open conversations and diverse perspectives, especially in today's polarized political climate.

The Race to Succeed Pelosi Is a Fight for the Future of the Democratic Party

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 255 implied HN points • 18 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Ideology
  1. Nancy Pelosi's retirement has triggered a high-profile San Francisco primary between state senator Scott Wiener and Saikat Chakrabarti, a former AOC chief of staff.
  2. The contest symbolizes a larger Democratic split between steady, establishment progressivism and newer, more radical reformers, and the result will influence the party's future direction.
  3. The race is highly nationalized and contentious, with policy proposals (like Wiener's No Kings Act) and fierce attacks from opponents shaping how voters view each candidate.

Social and Emotional Patronage

The J. Burden Show • 1557 implied HN points • 11 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Ideology
  1. Patronage in politics involves an exchange of power and support, seen throughout history with politicians granting gifts for votes.
  2. Social and Emotional Patronage explains why individuals support a regime for emotional and social status rewards, even if they don't see direct material benefits.
  3. The loyalty to a regime can be maintained through social and emotional rewards, rather than purely monetary gains, showcasing the power of status and belonging.

Sometimes You Do Have To Punch Right

Daily Dreher • 2417 implied HN points • 28 Sep 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Ideology
  1. Sometimes it is necessary to speak out against harmful ideas, even within one's own community.
  2. Calling out toxic beliefs and behaviors, even privately, is important to protect institutions and individuals.
  3. Prioritizing virtue over political power is crucial to combatting evil, regardless of ideological alignment.

Are the ‘Liberals’ of Today Really Liberals?

QTR’s Fringe Finance • 26 implied HN points • 23 Feb 26
🌍 World Politics Ideology
  1. The word 'liberal' has shifted away from its original meaning of freedom and individual rights and now often describes people or policies that do the opposite.
  2. Many modern self‑styled liberals use controlling language and double standards—akin to Orwellian 'Newspeak' and 'doublethink'—to silence dissent and shape public opinion.
  3. Concrete examples—alleged election irregularities, opposition to voter ID despite public support, and policing of dissenting speech or prayer—show a gap between professed liberal values and actions.

What was the gothic revival?

The Common Reader • 1311 implied HN points • 24 Jun 25
🎭️ Culture Ideology
  1. The Gothic revival was a movement that brought back medieval art and architecture, blending it with modern ideas of the time.
  2. Jane Austen made fun of Gothic themes in her work, questioning why a writer in the 1790s would choose to focus on old-fashioned medieval elements.
  3. The shift from Gothic to classical styles reflected a change in thinking during the Enlightenment, where reason and science became more valued than the mystery of the past.

Quibbling with Cofnas: II

Not On Your Team, But Always Fair • 1100 implied HN points • 04 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Ideology
  1. The dominant form of equalitarian politics known as 'wokery' is rooted in the acceptance of the equalitarian thesis among intellectual elites.
  2. The rise of 'wokery' and Critical Social Justice can be traced back to historical and social processes beyond just race, like gender, feminism, and decolonization.
  3. 'Wokery' perpetuates a false equalitarian principle through lies, censorship, and intimidation, evolving into a mechanism for public policy even in the face of contrary evidence.

The Mortal Danger Of 'Yes-Buttery'

Daily Dreher • 2004 implied HN points • 24 Oct 23
🌍 World Politics Ideology
  1. The evil of Hamas's actions cannot be justified under any circumstances.
  2. Attempts to downplay atrocities like those of Hamas are dangerous and reminiscent of historical atrocities.
  3. The rise of a totalitarian mentality in the West is concerning and must be confronted to prevent further horrors.

Disaffected, Episode 164, March 23, 2024

Disaffected Newsletter • 679 implied HN points • 25 Mar 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Ideology
  1. Woke ideas are spreading in schools and other institutions, influencing future doctors and professionals. This is concerning because these ideas can be harmful.
  2. In Washington state, aspiring lawyers won't have to take the bar exam anymore, which raises questions about equity in the legal profession.
  3. The Mayo Clinic is reportedly prioritizing hiring convicts and refugees for certain medical positions, showing a shift in hiring practices.

DEI Is Destroying My University

Reality's Last Stand • 1965 implied HN points • 16 Feb 23
🚌 Education Ideology
  1. The author expresses concerns about DEI initiatives impacting academic freedom and professional standing in universities.
  2. The author discusses the pressure to conform to diversity requirements in academic curricula, leading to challenges in maintaining academic integrity.
  3. The author highlights instances of intolerant behavior and ideological conflict in academia related to DEI measures.

“To the Finland Station”

Global Inequality and More 3.0 • 2627 implied HN points • 07 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Ideology
  1. The post suggests that Trump represents a shift away from global neoliberalism, which dominated since the 1980s. It argues that this new ideology is still taking shape and its full impact won't be clear for years.
  2. Neoliberalism is criticized for creating wealth inequality and pretending to support equality while actually benefiting a ruling class. It is seen as a false promise that is now coming to an end.
  3. The new political landscape might resemble 'global Caesarism,' which may keep lower classes content with limited political participation while benefiting elites. This approach is different from traditional political parties and appears to offer fresh cynicism.