The hottest Internet Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

The Atomized Empire

Based Meditations • 39 implied HN points • 25 Nov 23
🕹 Technology Internet Algorithms Social Interaction Tech Addiction Digital Culture
  1. The Atomized Empire metaphorically represents how technology has enslaved us, influencing behavior through digital means.
  2. Technology, like a modern Trojan Horse, has stealthily infiltrated our lives, controlling us through addictive algorithms and impacting human culture.
  3. Our increasing addiction and reliance on technology is leading to loneliness, social disconnection, and a detachment from the real world, hindering deep human connections and meaningful interactions.

Fear, loathing, and swap satire

The Jolly Contrarian • 59 implied HN points • 16 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning Chatbot Blockchain Internet
  1. Large language models have the potential to offer fresh perspectives and open up new opportunities due to their ability to make errors.
  2. By interacting with a large language model, individuals can generate creative ideas and elaborate storylines that they may not have considered otherwise.
  3. The collaboration between human imagination and large language models can lead to the development of complex and engaging narratives, showcasing the power of technology in enhancing creative processes.

Why The Internet Divided Us And Why It Will Save Us

The Digital Anthropologist • 39 implied HN points • 03 Nov 23
🎭️ Culture Internet Technology Society History
  1. The internet didn't cause division, humans did. Culture shaped our interactions with technology, like it has for thousands of years.
  2. Technology has connected us globally, speeding up societal systems. The internet made information move faster and broke down barriers.
  3. Diverse cultures sharing stories online can create misunderstandings. Despite clashes, humanity has a history of evolving and finding common ground.
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It's TCP vs. RPC All Over Again

Systems Approach • 154 HN points • 20 Feb 23
🕹 Technology Networking Protocols Cloud Computing Datacenters Internet
  1. Debate continues on the need for a standard protocol for request/response paradigm beyond TCP and UDP.
  2. The Internet has extensively used RPC for distinct purposes like email, network management, and name resolution.
  3. Comparisons between TCP and RPC in datacenters highlight the need for a specialized transport protocol optimized for request/reply workloads.

Emoji that Can Dance 🪩

Did Someone Say Emoji? • 166 implied HN points • 02 May 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Emoji Animation Design Internet Communication
  1. The latest Noto Emoji update includes 300 animations like a throbbing pink heart and a dancing G.O.A.T.
  2. Emoji serve as important elements in online communication, helping to convey emotions and build connections.
  3. Animated emoji should be designed carefully to maintain their original communicative functions and ensure consistency across platforms.

Scrolling Toward The Divine

Reactionary Feminist • 10 implied HN points • 29 Nov 24
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Religion Internet Cognition Experience Philosophy
  1. The internet can help people feel a deeper connection to spirituality and religion. Scrolling through online content might actually draw individuals closer to God.
  2. Reading online changes how we think. It helps us recognize patterns in the world that we might have missed with traditional reading methods.
  3. This shift in how we perceive things can lead to various experiences, including a renewed interest in religious matters.

An FBI-partnered chatroom infiltration firm tried to sell me cellphone location data

All-Source Intelligence Fusion • 101 implied HN points • 14 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Surveillance Data Tracking National Security AI Internet
  1. An FBI-partnered firm tried to sell cellphone location data in a chatroom infiltration pitch.
  2. The firm touted the quality and depth of their social media surveillance data compared to competitors.
  3. The firm outsourced cellphone location-tracking to a partner and had key figures from Babel Street in their ranks.

#63 Imagining a more progressive internet

Design Lobster • 219 implied HN points • 12 Apr 21
🪑 Design Internet Philosophy Graphic design Music
  1. The internet can be more progressive by not being limited to past patterns and by focusing on helping users progress rather than staying the same.
  2. Design can move forward by reimagining past elements, such as logos, to create new and innovative concepts.
  3. Creativity and action are key - the best response to dissatisfaction is to create something new and improved.

Progressive Ownership: A Model for Application Tokens

Li's Newsletter • 60 implied HN points • 14 Nov 23
🕹 Technology Tokenization Cryptocurrency Blockchain Internet Web3
  1. Crypto has evolved through Proof of Work, ICOs, and Airdrops for token distribution, each with lessons on network growth.
  2. The concept of Progressive Ownership suggests using revenue sharing and allowing users to opt into ownership for sustainable growth.
  3. Building products that meet user needs, using revenue sharing, and transitioning loyal users to economic ownership are key steps in implementing Progressive Ownership.

Why would we want to be online forever?

Very Fine Day • 42 implied HN points • 27 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Media Internet Youth Content
  1. The assumption that the future of media will always be online is flawed as the free internet is declining.
  2. Content creation on the internet is now a crowded space with competition from all age groups and professional creatives.
  3. The future of media and content is uncertain, with possibilities like the resurgence of print and increasing skepticism towards online content.

29 things that didn’t exist last time Argentina won the World Cup.

Jon’s Newsletter • 59 implied HN points • 18 Dec 22
🕹 Technology Internet Mobile Social media E-commerce Digital Media
  1. A lot has changed since Argentina last won the World Cup in 1986, especially with technology. For example, back then, the internet and smartphones didn't exist.
  2. Major companies and services like Google, Amazon, and Netflix started many years after the 1986 World Cup. It shows how different our daily lives are now.
  3. Even social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter were created long after that victory. This highlights how we now connect and communicate in very different ways.

Maybe we're already too far gone

Links I Would Gchat You If We Were Friends • 159 implied HN points • 26 Mar 21
🎭️ Culture Media Social media Art Entertainment Internet
  1. The culture of likes and reactions on social media platforms may be contributing to outrage and polarization, and possibly removing likes altogether could be a solution.
  2. The NFT craze in art raises questions about benefiting artists versus making cryptocurrency holders richer, showcasing a shift in ownership dynamics.
  3. The consequences of online shopping and the rise of music streaming services are being explored through topics like cargo loss and ownership models.

Dear algorithm

Links I Would Gchat You If We Were Friends • 19 implied HN points • 22 Oct 23
🎭️ Culture Internet Social media Content creation Digital Platforms Media Critique
  1. The 'Dear Algorithm' posts on Threads reveal how users are trying to shape their content feeds and connect with specific audiences through an appeal to the algorithm.
  2. These posts also highlight the convergence of targeted advertising logic and individuals' attempts to curate their online presence, creating a more niche approach to reaching desired followers.
  3. The tone of these posts often carries a spiritual element, resembling prayers or appeals to a higher power, emphasizing the mysterious yet influential nature of algorithms in online platforms like Threads.

The ocean, the flood

Nick Merrill • 19 implied HN points • 09 Apr 23
🕹 Technology AI Internet Climate Ethics Environment
  1. The internet and AI are interconnected, each influencing and shaping the other.
  2. The relationship between the internet and war is intertwined, with each being a cause and an effect of the other.
  3. Human impact on the climate is tied to the myth of human dominance over nature, reflecting in our actions and environmental consequences.

The Internet Is Still Wide Open

The Digital Anthropologist • 19 implied HN points • 31 Jul 23
🕹 Technology Internet Innovation Communication Social media Decentralization
  1. The internet is still a very creative place with vast open spaces for new and innovative ideas to flourish.
  2. Communication technologies, like the internet, have evolved over time, but the essence of sharing ideas and innovation remains constant.
  3. Despite the presence of Tech Giants and walled gardens, the internet continues to be a wild, untamed space where diverse cultures and societies interact and create.

Are You Living in Musk's Simulation?

Sector 6 | The Newsletter of AIM • 19 implied HN points • 07 Aug 23
🕹 Technology AI Software Innovation Data Internet
  1. Elon Musk recently acquired a key domain, ai.com, which might shape the future of AI significantly. Controlling AI means having a major influence on global events.
  2. There's a lot of discussion around whether we could be living in a simulation, and Musk has jokingly suggested avoiding those talks in casual settings.
  3. Many believe that whoever controls AI technology controls important aspects of society, which raises questions about power and responsibility.

Paul Sutherland: LARP Politics and Hyperreality

Do Not Research • 4 HN points • 06 May 24
🎭️ Culture Art Politics Society Aesthetics Internet
  1. LARPing in politics refers to engaging in political actions that are disconnected from the goal of creating tangible change, often becoming more about aesthetic value and personal style.
  2. The concept of LARPing in the 21st century is tied to Baudrillard's idea of simulation and hyperreality, blurring the lines between the world of images and the world of reality.
  3. Ruptures from the hyperreal world of LARP politics into actual events, like the Capitol Hill riot, showcase the collision between simulated political actions and the real material consequences, leaving society perplexed.

This Week in Vegas: DEF CON Does Repair

Fight to Repair • 39 implied HN points • 09 Aug 22
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Right-to-repair Hacking Internet
  1. DEF CON is a significant hacking conference where cybersecurity community discusses important topics and works towards a more secure future.
  2. The right to repair movement is gaining traction and challenging monopolies on service and repair by big corporations, promoting a circular economy and enhancing security and privacy protections.
  3. Other discussions at DEF CON also focus on the importance of medical device repair and the need for patients to have the ability to modify and improve their own technology.

A new coding regime is being created

Sunday Letters • 1 HN point • 21 Jul 24
🕹 Technology Software Development Programming Artificial Intelligence Internet
  1. Coding has evolved from a simple one-person setup to complex applications that multiple users can access at the same time. This shift has changed how we think about what an application really is.
  2. The arrival of the internet brought new challenges like data outages and scaling issues, leading to new practices like Agile development. This adaptation took time and created many best practices that we now rely on.
  3. With the rise of AI and LLM-based coding, we face new questions about how to create and maintain software. It's crucial to remain open and adaptable as the industry figures this out.

Nothing gold can scale

Links I Would Gchat You If We Were Friends • 119 implied HN points • 29 Jan 21
🎭️ Culture Internet Media Memes Social media
  1. WeRateDogs started as a Twitter account quipping about dogs, but grew into a successful media brand by adapting to commercial pressures.
  2. The rise of meme stocks like Gamestop showcases the gamification of trading and the influence of online communities like r/WallStreetBets.
  3. Exploration into anti-MLM YouTube content and coverage of various cringey internet subcultures offer intriguing insights into online dynamics and behaviors.

Rabbit Holes 🕳️ #67

Creative Destruction • 15 implied HN points • 14 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Internet Pollution Nature Technology Activism
  1. A call for a more human-run internet with a return to a diverse and personal-scale online experience, away from the dominance of giant corporations.
  2. Noise pollution, particularly from cars, is a serious issue affecting humans and animals, emphasizing the need for grounding in space to combat its negative impacts.
  3. Highlighting the shift from viewing the human body as a commodity to embracing it as an integral part of nature, encouraging a sense of belonging and a move away from control and domination.