The hottest Mythology Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top History Topics

What I've Been Reading | May 2023

Caleb’s Newsletter • 39 implied HN points • 01 Jun 23
📚 Literature Mythology
  1. Poetry is not just a cerebral art form, but also embodied and auditory, with power as a spellbinding tool.
  2. Consider mental disorders as evolutionary vulnerabilities, not adaptations, challenges assumptions about treating symptoms as diseases.
  3. CS Lewis' book 'Till We Have Faces' offers a Christian re-reading of the myth Psyche and Eros and contains intellectual discussions alongside a joyous reading experience.

Monsters and Mediocrity

Breaking Smart • 47 implied HN points • 17 Jan 25
🎭️ Culture Mythology
  1. Monsters often need a vital or life-like element to exist, just like Frankenstein's monster needed a 'spark of life' to be animated.
  2. Contraptions and monsters share a relationship where both may lack design integrity and are often unnamed, highlighting their unfinished or imperfect nature.
  3. True monsters are typically derived from living beings, reflecting a recognizable perversion of something familiar, like a giant cockroach.

The Germanic Thunderweapon Part III: The Thunderstone

Norse Mythology & Germanic Lore • 19 implied HN points • 31 Dec 23
📚 Literature Mythology
  1. Thor overcame challenges without his hammer by using a stone and a staff called Grid's Wale, showing his resourcefulness and strength.
  2. Ancient folklore across many cultures has stories of thunderstones, which are stone-age tools mistaken for objects fallen from the sky during thunderstorms.
  3. There are linguistic connections between thunderstones and Thor's association with thunder, hinting at a deeper relationship between the god and these enigmatic stones.

The Germanic Thunderweapon Part II: Thunder Goes Clubbing

Norse Mythology & Germanic Lore • 19 implied HN points • 29 Dec 23
💾 History Mythology
  1. The word 'Thor' is derived from Old Norse 'Þórr' and was used for the thunder god, representing both the sound of thunder and the divine being behind it.
  2. In the ancient Germanic world, the term for thundergod, 'Þórr,' evolved into 'donar' in Old High German and 'þunor' in Old English, eventually leading to the term 'thunder' in Modern English.
  3. Archaeological findings indicate a trend of Germanic club-shaped pendants, possibly associated with Hercules, before the prevalence of Thor's hammer pendants during the Viking Age.

Insidious Inception?

Painful Signs, Or, Joel's Substack • 19 implied HN points • 22 Dec 23
📚 Literature Mythology
  1. In Nestor's speech to Patroklos in Iliad 11, he tells a persuasive story aiming to redirect Achilles' rage towards Hektor, a crucial moment in completing the plot of the Iliad
  2. The way Nestor tells his story and the structure of his speech provide insights into the effectiveness and indirect nature of his persuasion, highlighting the complexity of narrative influence
  3. Nestor's speech offers potential solutions and hedging for various outcomes, showcasing the adaptability of storytelling for different audiences and circumstances in Homeric poetry
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Why No Cassandra of Hope?

What Is Called Thinking? • 42 implied HN points • 04 Dec 24
📖 Philosophy Mythology
  1. Cassandra represents the idea of being ignored while predicting disaster, like prophets in the Bible who warn others but are often mocked or disregarded.
  2. In literature, we see more examples of ignored warnings than of hopeful messages. It seems people find it easier to mock the messengers of doom than to accept hopeful visions.
  3. People who share positive messages often focus on small, gradual changes instead of significant, sudden improvements, which makes their voices less impactful in comparison to doom-laden warnings.

Are Frigg and Freyja the Same Person?

Norse Mythology & Germanic Lore • 19 implied HN points • 05 Dec 23
💾 History Mythology
  1. Frigg and Freyja are NOT the same person in Norse mythology, despite some theories suggesting a common origin
  2. Historical sources clearly depict Frigg and Freyja as separate characters, with no indications of them being the same individual
  3. Theories proposing a common origin for Frigg and Freyja are interesting but lack conclusive evidence, reminding us to critically evaluate motivations for such speculations

Structure and Stories

Painful Signs, Or, Joel's Substack • 19 implied HN points • 13 Nov 23
📚 Literature Mythology
  1. Book 6 of the Iliad is carefully structured and dynamic, offering a rare view into the city of Troy and the voices of its women, crucial for understanding the epic's world.
  2. The interlocking themes and structures in Book 6 effectively anticipate future events, like Glaukos and Diomedes' exchange foreshadowing later narratives and interactions.
  3. The detailed 'obituaries' of named characters in Book 6, especially the Trojan dead, not only magnify the accomplishments of the heroes but also integrate local traditions into the Homeric narrative.

The Occult Technology of the Rollercoaster

Happy Hauntology • 1 HN point • 06 Aug 24
🎭️ Culture Mythology
  1. Rollercoasters are unique machines that don't serve a practical purpose, unlike typical machines that make goods or transport people. They provide thrilling experiences instead, which some believe reflects magical rituals.
  2. The Wicker Man rollercoaster at Alton Towers is designed to feel like a rite of passage for kids. It mixes fear with excitement, symbolically helping children transition into teenagers by confronting their fears.
  3. Newer rollercoasters, like The Ride to Happiness in Belgium, focus less on fear and more on joy and freedom, offering a different kind of magical experience that emphasizes fun and personal liberation.

Box #2

What Is Called Thinking? • 34 implied HN points • 29 Nov 24
🎭️ Culture Mythology
  1. Jordan Peterson argues against subjectivism, discussing deep questions about God and meaning. He believes that simply seeing God as an idol can limit our understanding.
  2. The debate about the existence of mythological creatures, like dragons, raises important questions about our rationality. It suggests that how we view myths reflects our understanding of reality.
  3. Finding and sharing timeless, freeing ideas is essential for a good life. We should strive to help others discover what is truly lasting and liberating.

Empty Throne, Empty Tomb

The Abbey of Misrule • 71 implied HN points • 19 Mar 24
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Mythology
  1. The post discusses the collapse of the West and how it may relate to the period of Lent, which leads up to a triumph despite the catastrophe it signifies.
  2. A new program focusing on Christian mythopoetics in England, led by Martin Shaw, is highlighted. Guest teachers include well-known figures like Rowan Williams and Malcolm Guite.
  3. The unique emergence of Christian stories in new ways during tumultuous times is mentioned, emphasizing the importance of exploring such narratives.

Prophet of Evils

Painful Signs, Or, Joel's Substack • 19 implied HN points • 07 Oct 23
📚 Literature Mythology
  1. In the _Iliad_, the introduction of the seer Calchas prompts tension between Agamemnon and the expert with unwanted knowledge, a common theme in literature.
  2. The sacrifice of Iphigenia is a central motif in the tale of the House of Atreus, leading to pivotal events like Agamemnon's murder and the matricide of Orestes.
  3. Different versions of the story of Iphigenia's sacrifice exist, with variations in details like her rescue by Artemis and her transformation into a priestess.

The Legend of the Extraordinary Boots

Once Upon A News • 19 implied HN points • 04 Apr 23
🎭️ Culture Mythology
  1. The story highlights the impact of possessing something extraordinary like Maxwell's enchanted boots.
  2. The enchanted boots became a symbol of prestige and aspiration for many in the land.
  3. Maxwell's legacy with the magical boots teaches the importance of determination and hard work.

Falling out of myth: why we need the mythical misfits

The Art of Enchantment, with Dr Sharon Blackie • 658 implied HN points • 24 Oct 16
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Mythology
  1. When a cultural myth loses its meaning, individuals feel alienated and directionless.
  2. As the dominant cultural myth in Western society crumbles, there is an urgent need for a new, sustainable narrative.
  3. Mythical misfits are those pioneering the creation of new cultural myths that value intuition, imagination, and harmony with nature.

At the Edge of History

Daniel Pinchbeck’s Newsletter • 6 implied HN points • 19 Aug 25
🎭️ Culture Mythology
  1. We are at a crucial point in history where we face big challenges like climate change and technological threats. It's important to think about how we can create a better future together.
  2. The current era might feel like a shift from rational thinking to more dream-like consciousness. This change can make it hard for us to understand what's real and what isn't.
  3. There's a need to reconnect with ancient wisdom and spiritual ideas as we deal with today's issues. By doing this, we may find new ways to address the problems we're facing.

Chaos and Order

Polymathic Being • 59 implied HN points • 11 Feb 24
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Mythology
  1. Ancient archetypes depict the feminine as chaos and the masculine as order, challenging our bias towards masculine order.
  2. In psychology, the feminine is linked to creativity and intuition, representing chaos, while the masculine is associated with logic and structure, representing order.
  3. Balancing the feminine chaos and masculine order is crucial for creating antifragile systems and achieving a dynamic and flexible equilibrium.

Girardian Isekai Part 0: Into the New World

From the New World • 53 implied HN points • 01 Mar 24
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Mythology
  1. Girard's mimetic theory explains how people copy desires from others, leading to a cycle of scapegoating in communities.
  2. The Christian story transformed how societies perceive innocence and persecution, changing the axis of rulership from strong vs. weak to good vs. evil.
  3. Girard's concept of the antichrist warns of a corruption of Christian teachings, leading to persecution disguised as defense of victims.

Tolkien on Machines, Power, Language, Love, War, and Everything Else

Nothing Human • 23 implied HN points • 25 Nov 24
📚 Literature Mythology
  1. Tolkien believed that technology and machines can create more problems than they solve, leading to endless labor and new evils. He saw a deep connection between power and the fall of humanity.
  2. The themes of love and relationships in Tolkien's writings reveal the complexities and challenges in human connections, especially concerning sexuality and friendship. He emphasized that true love requires self-denial and understanding.
  3. Tolkien wanted to create epic stories that reflected deeper truths about life, death, and morality, including the idea that all stories revolve around a fall, highlighting human struggles and the search for meaning.

myths and truth

Midnight Musings • 39 implied HN points • 31 Oct 22
📚 Literature Mythology
  1. Myths and stories help us understand our own experiences better. They give us examples to relate to and can change how we see our challenges.
  2. Greatness often comes with challenges and vulnerabilities. Even heroes like Balder and Achilles had their downfalls because of their unique flaws or circumstances.
  3. The way we interpret our achievements matters. Like the dog who wanted to be a dragon, our view of success can affect our happiness. It's important to find value in our unique journey.

This Mythological Moment

Daniel Pinchbeck’s Newsletter • 16 implied HN points • 17 Jan 25
🎭️ Culture Mythology
  1. The Popol Vuh tells a myth about how humans were created and destroyed by gods, highlighting that we've faced similar cycles of failure throughout history. This can be seen today as technology and our own actions may lead to our downfall.
  2. The fires in LA symbolize more than just a tragedy; they represent a decline in American culture and the dream factory of Hollywood, which has influenced U.S. power for years.
  3. An important theme from the Popol Vuh is about the dangers of our tools. Just like the wooden figures were destroyed by their own creations, today we risk harming ourselves through modern inventions and digital distractions.

Return of the Old Gods

Reactionary Feminist • 12 implied HN points • 24 Jan 25
🎭️ Culture Mythology
  1. People often seek deeper meaning and joy in a world that feels disenchanted. They're looking for something to believe in amidst the chaos.
  2. The rise in fantasy writing reflects our desire to reconnect with a sense of enchantment that we feel has been lost. It's like finding old gods in new stories.
  3. Many individuals express a longing for love and loyalty as they navigate their emotional journeys, similar to themes found in classic poetry.

The Sibylline Oracles and the Last King of Rome

Maximum Effort, Minimum Reward • 63 implied HN points • 17 Apr 23
💾 History Mythology
  1. Never underestimate the power of prophecies, like in the story of Tarquin the Proud and the Cumaean Sibyl.
  2. The Sibylline Oracles were consulted by the Romans during times of crisis, providing divine guidance for important decisions.
  3. Magic rituals and prophecies were a real and legislated part of ancient Roman society, with the Sibylline Books playing a significant role in governance.

What does Gen Z really think about work?

Kyla’s Newsletter • 60 implied HN points • 20 Apr 23
🎭️ Culture Mythology
  1. Expectations about work can be drastically different from reality, leading to disillusionment.
  2. Work in today's society can lack meaning and cause existential crises for many individuals.
  3. Storytelling plays a significant role in shaping perceptions and ideologies, influencing how we view various aspects of life.

Marrying the land: how we broke the ancient bargain

The Art of Enchantment, with Dr Sharon Blackie • 379 implied HN points • 01 Nov 15
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Mythology
  1. In Celtic mythology, women held significant spiritual and moral power, linked closely to the land and nature.
  2. The power of Sovereignty, symbolizing women's power, determined the prosperity or downfall of the land and its people.
  3. The ancient Celtic concept of a sacred marriage between the king and the land symbolized respect for nature and the importance of harmony between feminine and masculine energies.

Graham Hancock's Ancient Apocalypse Theories Are Racist At Their Core.

C.O.P. Central Organizing Principle. • 12 implied HN points • 18 Dec 24
🎭️ Culture Mythology
  1. Ancient civilizations, like those that built the pyramids, were made by Black Africans, not aliens or lost technologies. The idea that they needed slaves to build these wonders is a false narrative.
  2. Throughout history, powerful empires, like Rome, often erased or altered histories to control narratives and maintain their power. This has led to misunderstandings about ancient technologies and cultures.
  3. Nuclear testing and environmental destruction have played big roles in climate change and could potentially trigger future ice ages. Humanity often learns through harsh consequences from past actions.

Ecstatic Contact with the Cosmos

Daniel Pinchbeck’s Newsletter • 12 implied HN points • 12 Nov 24
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Mythology
  1. Many people yearn for a deeper meaning in life and feel disappointed when they can't find it. This desire for something more has been ignored in modern culture.
  2. Traditional societies had rites of passage to help individuals find their purpose and transition to adulthood. Modern civilization lacks these, which has led to feelings of alienation and chaos.
  3. Crises or disasters can bring people together and awaken a sense of community and love. We can choose to connect with each other now, rather than waiting for a catastrophe.

Are Alien Abductions Real?

Marlene’s Newsletter • 9 implied HN points • 02 Dec 24
🎭️ Culture Mythology
  1. Many people believe they have been abducted by aliens, but their experiences can sometimes be explained by psychological factors or sleep disturbances.
  2. Studies have shown that these individuals might create false memories due to suggestive techniques like hypnosis, rather than actually experiencing abductions.
  3. Despite their scary stories, many self-identified abductees feel a sense of specialness or connection to something greater, often interpreting their experiences as significant.

How To Think About the Resurrection

Skeptic • 39 implied HN points • 09 Apr 23
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Mythology
  1. The resurrection of Jesus is a claim of an empirical objective truth believed by many, but requires extraordinary evidence for belief.
  2. Historical context and lack of independent corroboration cast doubt on the resurrection miracle claim.
  3. Applying principles like proportionality and Bayesian reasoning can help in assessing the likelihood of extraordinary claims like the resurrection.

Girardian Isekai Part 2: Isekai is Two Worlds Mythology

From the New World • 16 implied HN points • 15 Mar 24
🎭️ Culture Mythology
  1. Isekai is a genre of fantasy where characters are transported to new worlds, often focused on contrasting present-world features with historical or fantastical elements.
  2. Isekai narratives can serve as a tool to explore and recover Christian heritage, highlighting true teachings amidst modern distortions.
  3. The concept of Isekai serves as a modern form of 'two worlds mythology' where Christian interpretations and themes can be reexamined in a new light.

11/24/24: Djinn Drive

Daydreams • 7 implied HN points • 25 Nov 24
⚔ Fiction Mythology
  1. To summon a ghost, you need specific items like a five-leaf clover and a particular mosquito. If you don't have the right things, it might not work.
  2. The ghost Solomon has been summoned multiple times for petty jobs by a person named Tom, including haunting tenants for being difficult. This shows how summoning can be misused.
  3. Tom's requests for haunting have led to consequences, creating a cycle of issues that may attract unwanted attention, like the potential involvement of powerful forces because of the magic involved.

Restore Your Mythological Connection

YouTopian Journey • 15 implied HN points • 03 Mar 24
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Mythology
  1. Restoring your mythological connection is essential for personal growth and fulfillment. It provides timeless wisdom and guidance for navigating life's complexities.
  2. Myths offer inspiration and creativity, empowering individuals to embark on their own hero's journey of self-realization and growth.
  3. Tapping into the symbolic language of myth helps unlock creative potential, dream new possibilities, and live a life true to one's inner myth.

The Burial of Horse-Taming Hektor

Painful Signs, Or, Joel's Substack • 1 HN point • 09 Apr 24
📚 Literature Mythology
  1. The Iliad's ending with the burial of Hektor, tamer of horses, hints at a larger story cycle and leaves room for interpretation and speculation about the narrative journey.
  2. The epic poem's reshuffling of mythical time and emphasis on Hektor's burial over other events symbolizes the end of an era and the beginning of a new one, highlighting moral complexities and divine-human interactions.
  3. Hektor's burial acts as a vessel for his fame and signifies the power of epic poetry to carry meaning and create something new, inviting readers to engage with the narrative beyond its physical end.

The Haunted Prison Cell

Marlene’s Newsletter • 4 implied HN points • 13 Jan 25
🎭️ Culture Mythology
  1. In 1872, a police cell in New Orleans was haunted after a woman named Ann Murphy hanged herself there. Following her death, many inmates tried to commit suicide in the same cell.
  2. Witnesses described seeing Ann Murphy's ghost encouraging them to take their own lives. Her appearance matched detailed descriptions given by several survivors.
  3. The haunting continued after the cell was closed for use, with reports of strange happenings and more suicide attempts in other cells, indicating that the supernatural influence may have spread.

Who is Lord Rama?

Worthy Patterns • 11 implied HN points • 27 Jan 24
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Mythology
  1. The story of Lord Rama in the Ramayana reveals truths about duty and conduct.
  2. Lord Rama is described as the most virtuous man with unparalleled qualities.
  3. The epic saga of Rama includes his exile, adventures, and battle against the demon-king Ravana.

Quetzalcoatl

the rohn report • 19 implied HN points • 26 Apr 21
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Mythology
  1. Quetzalcoatl was not just a mythological hero in Aztec history, but a symbol of wisdom and cultural influence stretching throughout Mexico and Central America.
  2. The story of Quetzalcoatl has transcended time, with representations of the feathered serpent appearing across different Mesoamerican cultures and civilizations.
  3. The legacy of Quetzalcoatl has had a profound impact on individuals like Carlos Castaneda, whose encounters with the myth inspired deep introspection and philosophical exploration.

The King of the Werewolves

Marlene’s Newsletter • 4 implied HN points • 15 Dec 24
💾 History Mythology
  1. Human sacrifices were believed to have happened at Mt. Lykaion in Greece, where a significant discovery of human bones was made in 2016.
  2. The area is linked to King Lycaon, who supposedly challenged Zeus and was transformed into a wolf as a result of his actions.
  3. This site also shows that other cultures, like the Romans, had practices of human sacrifice to please their gods, highlighting a widespread ancient belief in the need for sacrifices.