The hottest Narrative Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Faith & Spirituality Topics

Achilles Sings the Hero Within

Painful Signs, Or, Joel's Substack • 79 implied HN points • 09 Dec 23
📚 Literature Mythology Narrative Storytelling Epic poetry
  1. Achilles used singing to calm his rage in the Iliad, showing the power of music as a form of self-care.
  2. The phrase 'famous stories of men' in ancient poetry was seen as providing wisdom and advice through narratives.
  3. Achilles' engagement with the 'kléa andrôn' reveals a deeper exploration of narrative blending and the interpretation of stories, highlighting the complexity of storytelling in the Iliad.

Jocasta's Silence 2

coldhealing • 353 implied HN points • 01 Apr 23
🎭️ Culture Film Narrative Family Dynamics Identity
  1. Oedipal narrative conflicts involve rejection of parental influence and adolescent identity assertion.
  2. In storytelling, conflicts with mothers focus on emotional understanding, while conflicts with fathers revolve around parental authority and judgment.
  3. Narratives like 'Everything Everywhere All At Once' explore complex mother-daughter dynamics and the generational struggle for understanding.

Success

RPG Design Theories • 334 implied HN points • 26 Apr 23
🚌 Education Game design Mechanics Narrative
  1. Game mechanics should aim to be believable, easy-to-understand, and fun at the same time.
  2. Mechanics should tie to what's important in the game, determining when dice rolling comes into play.
  3. Consider the impact of player failure on their gameplay experience and find the right balance of randomization in tasks.
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A Heroic Tale Curtailed

Painful Signs, Or, Joel's Substack • 39 implied HN points • 12 Jan 24
📚 Literature Classics Narrative Performance Mythology
  1. Homeric poetry's characteristic of digressions and narrative explorations provides context and content to a larger world, reflecting how human memory works.
  2. The intricate meanings in Homeric narratives are collaborative developments in a dynamic context between composer and audience, capitalizing on human memory and cognition.
  3. The story of Othryoneus seeking Kassandra's hand in book 13 of the Iliad reflects themes of war, glory, and futility, with details that resonate through familiar storytelling traditions.

Meaning #298

Daily Philosophy • 39 implied HN points • 12 Jan 24
📖 Philosophy Meaning Time Existence Narrative
  1. The short story delves into the meaning and significance we attribute to names, exploring how different interpretations can impact our experiences.
  2. The narrative showcases a town where buildings have names instead of numbers, reflecting unique beliefs and values of their owners.
  3. The story blends philosophical musings about time and creativity, highlighting how diverse perspectives shape the creation and perception of timepieces.

A Review of Neil Gaiman's "Norse Mythology"

Norse Mythology & Germanic Lore • 59 implied HN points • 05 Dec 23
📚 Literature Mythology Review Narrative Character development
  1. Neil Gaiman's 'Norse Mythology' book modernizes ancient Norse myths, making them more accessible and entertaining for readers.
  2. Gaiman's storytelling enhances character dynamics and adds personalities that are more engaging, although he takes creative liberties and introduces invented details.
  3. Readers should be cautious as 'Norse Mythology' may contain inaccuracies and omissions, and it is advisable to supplement with original source texts for a more accurate understanding.

Looking Up and Out

Painful Signs, Or, Joel's Substack • 39 implied HN points • 02 Jan 24
📚 Literature Analysis Interpretation Themes Epic poetry Narrative
  1. Book 12 of the Iliad provides a unique perspective by exploring themes like heroism, politics, and the inevitability of destruction, situated in the middle of the Trojan War narrative.
  2. The destruction of the Achaean walls in the future and the omen interpretation debate between Hektor and Polydamas add depth to the political and narrative themes in the epic.
  3. Sarpedon's speech to Glaukos addresses the idea of heroism, highlighting the complex nature of human actions and the cosmic perspective within the storytelling of the Iliad.

Experiments in style: Inappropriate epithets

Eclecticism: Reflections on literature, writing and life • 8 implied HN points • 17 Mar 24
📚 Literature Writing Style Genres Narrative
  1. Experimenting with writing styles by reworking text into different genres or styles can help improve writing skills.
  2. Using adjectives inappropriately can create intriguing effects in storytelling by making readers think about the words' deeper meanings.
  3. Constraints, like using adjectives from specific sections of a dictionary, can be a creative exercise to enhance writing and explore new narrative possibilities.

Mind Reading and Stolen Wits

Painful Signs, Or, Joel's Substack • 59 implied HN points • 17 Nov 23
📚 Literature Analysis Narrative Interpretation Criticism
  1. The scene between Glaucus and Diomedes in the Iliad showcases the establishment of xenia, a storytelling of ancestral lineage, and the exchange of armor to signify continuing friendship.
  2. Ancient commentators were intrigued by Zeus taking away Glaukos' wits after the armor exchange, offering various interpretations about this judgment by the Homeric narrator.
  3. Glaukos strategically uses storytelling to avoid fighting Diomedes, showcasing how narratives can be weaponized for complex outcomes, akin to Odysseus' skill in mind-reading to subjugate and manipulate others.

Berkeley Events: Deconstructing the Tarot & Pierce the Valley

Tarot Offerings • 216 implied HN points • 12 Mar 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Events Tarot Workshop Narrative Philosophy
  1. Jessica Dore will be offering two events on Earth Day in Berkeley, Deconstructing the Tarot and Pierce the Valley.
  2. The Deconstructing the Tarot workshop will explore new meanings in Tarot cards through philosophical ideas like deconstruction and poststructuralism.
  3. Pierce the Valley event will involve storytelling of the Grail Legend and practicing 'doubly-listening' to open up to new meanings.

I'll Defend My Guy Nick Wright Against My Guy Freddie deBoer

House of Strauss • 23 implied HN points • 23 Jan 24
🎾 Sports Television Entertainment Narrative Comedy
  1. The show 'First Things First' is highly praised and successful in captivating its audience through storytelling.
  2. Successful sports talk involves taking the audience on a journey through engaging narratives rather than just shouting or acting crazy.
  3. The success of 'First Things First' is attributed to its mix of entertainment, accountability for past opinions, and the show's ability to anchor viewers in the present moment.

Night Raids and Gimmick Episodes

Painful Signs, Or, Joel's Substack • 39 implied HN points • 11 Dec 23
📚 Literature Epic Narrative Analysis Criticism
  1. Book 10 of the Iliad, also known as the 'Doloneia', explores the themes of politics, heroism, and narrative traditions through a nighttime raid by Diomedes and Odysseus.
  2. There is debate among scholars about the inclusion of Book 10 in Homer's Iliad, with some suggesting it was a later addition by Peisistratos.
  3. Gimmick episodes like the Doloneia in the Iliad serve as side quests, allowing for experimentation and expansion of the narrative world, providing a break from the main plot while still contributing to the overall story.

Stranded in Iliad 8 with Nestor and Diomedes

Painful Signs, Or, Joel's Substack • 39 implied HN points • 01 Dec 23
📚 Literature Analysis Traditions Narrative Scholarship
  1. Book 8 of the Iliad sets the stage for the crisis that leads to Achilles' return in Book 9, showcasing themes of divine control and human leadership in the face of absence.
  2. Neoanalysis in Homeric scholarship examines the original versions of the poems before they were edited or altered, shedding light on the complexities of textual transmission and interpretation.
  3. The challenges of neoanalysis include risks of oversimplification in tracing narrative connections, potentially overlooking audience experiences and the evolution of traditional narratives.

What A Dangerous Thing to Say!

Painful Signs, Or, Joel's Substack • 19 implied HN points • 16 Jan 24
📚 Literature Politics Gods Narrative
  1. Book 14 of the Iliad presents a moment of crisis with leaders making flawed decisions and the consequences of their actions.
  2. The speech by Odysseus to Agamemnon showcases themes of leadership, dissent, and the impact of recklessness in Homeric poetry.
  3. Diomedes emerges as a significant character in Book 14, embodying the exploration of dissent, consensus, and the importance of multiple voices in decision-making.

An eruption of the implicate order

Charles Eisenstein • 8 implied HN points • 28 Feb 24
📖 Philosophy Reality Narrative Conspiracy Myth Truth
  1. Encountering unexpected events can lead to a sense of synchronicity and connection to a deeper intelligence beyond everyday experiences.
  2. The traditional narrative of objective reality may limit our understanding of the world and our creative potential.
  3. Healing the world requires moving beyond existing stories and roles, embracing new perspectives, and treating others with openness and compassion.

Reductionism as a Scientific Mythos

NeuroLogos • 137 implied HN points • 29 Mar 23
📖 Philosophy Narrative
  1. Reductionism is the idea of understanding phenomena by breaking them down into small parts, but it may not fully explain the complexity of things like human biology.
  2. Myths, even if not entirely true, can serve as memory technologies and offer meaning and context to cultures.
  3. Reductionism can limit scientific imagination, lead to misconceptions about theory and experiment relations, and impact how individuals perceive their own agency and the solutions to societal problems.

Polysymphonic

Painful Signs, Or, Joel's Substack • 59 implied HN points • 20 Sep 23
📚 Literature Interpretation Translation Mythology Narrative
  1. Metaphors help us better understand complex concepts by providing multiple perspectives.
  2. Interpreting and translating Homer's epic poems is challenging due to their intricate layers of meaning and cultural nuances.
  3. Translators face difficulties in capturing the full essence of Homer's works due to the intricate wordplay and themes that resonate differently in various languages.

Better than our Fathers!

Painful Signs, Or, Joel's Substack • 39 implied HN points • 03 Nov 23
📚 Literature Epic Mythology Poetry Tradition Narrative
  1. In Homer's epic poetry, rivalry and competition between heroes play a significant role, shaping the narratives and relations between characters.
  2. The comparison between generations in Homer's work challenges the idea of valuing the past over the present, showcasing a dynamic of improvement and advancement.
  3. The Theban epic tradition, though not directly preserved in extant Homer texts, had a significant impact on the Homeric world, contributing to themes of heroism and conflict.

Tiling the universe and 'simple' theories of wellbeing plus an update on my life

Philosophy bear • 104 implied HN points • 16 Jun 23
📖 Philosophy Ethics Wellbeing Narrative
  1. Well-being theories based solely on desire satisfaction or pleasure may not fully capture what makes a life 'good'.
  2. Comparing universes with simple lives to complex lives highlights the importance of diversity, continuity, and relationships for overall well-being.
  3. Considering well-being as forming a coherent and positive narrative could provide a richer perspective than solely focusing on desire satisfaction or pleasure.

Knowledge vs. Understanding

Integrity Talk • 66 implied HN points • 27 Aug 23
🎭️ Culture Knowledge Understanding Narrative Social media AI
  1. The distinction between knowledge and understanding is essential: knowledge focuses on facts, while understanding delves deeper into the meaning behind the facts.
  2. Storytelling is a fundamental part of how humans communicate and understand the world around them.
  3. Using AI to synthesize information may lead to an increase in misinformation and a lack of in-depth understanding.

From Politics to Poetics

Painful Signs, Or, Joel's Substack • 39 implied HN points • 18 Oct 23
📚 Literature Analysis Themes Narrative Epic poetry Characters
  1. The second book of the Iliad focuses on politics and narrative traditions, with critical scenes contributing to major themes like politics, heroism, and gods interacting with humans.
  2. The Achaean assembly's actions in book 2 resolve political tension but do not fully address Achilles' absence, showcasing the resilience of the Achaeans despite conflicts.
  3. The Catalogue of Ships in book 2 serves as a reflection of mythical space and geography of antiquity, engaging with epic narrative and political dynamics, transcending the timeline of the main plot.

Insidious Inception?

Painful Signs, Or, Joel's Substack • 19 implied HN points • 22 Dec 23
📚 Literature Speeches Narrative Characters Innovation 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

The Salt and the Women

Cybernetic Forests • 139 implied HN points • 22 Jan 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Film AI Tools Narrative Interpretation Poetry
  1. The film 'The Salt and the Women' is an experimental exploration of AI tools and creativity, blending themes of mushrooms, AI, and generative cinema to tell a unique narrative.
  2. By working with AI tools to create art, the artist can steer emergent themes and create complex interactions between images, text, and music, resulting in a rich storytelling experience.
  3. Pairing AI-generated images and text can lead to stochastic resonance, where noise in the data aligns to amplify a signal, allowing artists to craft new stories by combining different elements.

The Burial of Horse-Taming Hektor

Painful Signs, Or, Joel's Substack • 1 HN point • 09 Apr 24
📚 Literature Epic Mythology Narrative Poetry Symbolism
  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.

Curiouser and curiouser

Charles Eisenstein • 5 implied HN points • 20 Feb 24
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Beliefs Authenticity Love Narrative Consciousness
  1. Reality can be perceived differently by different people - bifurcation of reality is a concept to consider.
  2. Beliefs and perceptions can shape the reality we experience - choosing the beliefs that resonate with the best parts of ourselves can be empowering.
  3. In times of societal fragmentation, creating pockets of coherence and love can help in reuniting fractured perspectives and narratives.

Toniann Fernandez & Z. Xalmoa: Ubícate

Do Not Research • 59 implied HN points • 21 Jun 23
📚 Literature Short Story Fiction Narrative Character development
  1. Yoni seemed persistent in his questioning, which created tension and intrigue during the interaction with the sea urchin.
  2. The dynamics of the characters, like Oli, Yoni, and the narrator, added depth and complexity to the storytelling.
  3. The story conveyed a sense of mystery and surrealism, with elements like simulations, unexpected actions, and intense emotions.

Why the Right Wing Needs to Abandon the Term "Mary Sue"

Trantor Publishing • 99 implied HN points • 25 Oct 22
🎭️ Culture Criticism Narrative Fiction Politics Art
  1. The concept of a 'Mary Sue' in storytelling is complex and can't be defined solely by a list of traits.
  2. The focus should be on evaluating the overall narrative and meaning of a story, rather than nitpicking character traits.
  3. Trying to label characters as 'Mary Sues' can sometimes overlook the importance of understanding the author's beliefs and intentions behind the story.