The hottest Norms Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways

An Investigation into Species HS01

Contemplations on the Tree of Woe • 1108 implied HN points • 20 Dec 24

Drones are being spotted in major U.S. cities, but there's a lot of confusion about their purpose. Some people think they could be military drones from other countries, while the government insists they are just civilian drones.
A strange theory suggests that aliens are invading Earth, and they'll reveal themselves in 2025. This idea comes from a researcher studying our species, who claims aliens are worried about our civilization.
The reproductive patterns of humans show a big divide. While some populations are rapidly growing, others are declining due to cultural and social changes that discourage having children.

Preemptive Pardons Are a Terrible Idea

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 741 implied HN points • 09 Dec 24

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Justice Biden Trump Parties Norms

Preemptive pardons for a whole group of people have never happened in U.S. history. This could change the way the justice system is viewed.
If Biden issues these pardons, it might make the justice system feel unfair and could invite future abuse from other leaders.
This situation reflects a worrying trend where both political parties are using the justice system against each other, which can harm democracy.

Should the 50-Something Year-Old Woman Tell the Young Man to Take His Shoes Off the Train Seat?

Brent and Michael are Going Places • 412 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24

🎭️ Culture Society Norms Political divide Social media Behavior

The story sparks debate on America's cultural and political divide.
Enforcing social norms should be done consistently and fairly.
Different reactions to the incident reflect divisions along America's political spectrum.

Meta-rational practices: Overview 1

Meaningness • 219 implied HN points • 09 Mar 24

📖 Philosophy Meta-rationality Norms Practices Reasoning

Meta-rationality is different from traditional rationality and requires an open-ended inquiry and responsiveness to various contexts and purposes.
Meta-rationality involves ongoing consideration of when and how to apply rationality, recognizing situations where rational methods may not be sufficient.
The norms of reasonableness, rationality, and meta-rationality differ in terms of accountability, formal rules adherence, and responsiveness to context and purpose.

Assimilating Women into Male Institutions

In My Tribe • 865 implied HN points • 10 May 23

🎭️ Culture Gender Institutions Behavior Norms Psychology

Before the 1960s, important American institutions were male-dominated.
Observations suggest that men and women have distinct patterns of personality traits.
Both men and women need to adapt to preserve institutional values.

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Not Supporting the Arts

Desk Notes by Charles Schifano • 364 implied HN points • 02 Feb 24

🎭️ Culture Art Market Value Norms Marketing

The idea of 'Supporting the Arts' is often vague and lacking in tangible action.
Art is fundamental to life and society, not just something to enjoy after essential tasks are done.
Artists struggle with valuing their work financially, and the wider public often underestimates the importance of art in their lives.

Links to Consider

In My Tribe • 318 implied HN points • 28 Jan 24

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Compromise Norms Antisemitism Education Free speech

Compromising on social norms is harder than on material goods.
Apple Vision Pro offers a high-quality home theater experience at a lower cost.
Implementing reward systems in classrooms can improve behavior without destroying intrinsic motivation.

Polarization Saves You From Qanon-DEI

From the New World • 177 implied HN points • 22 Jan 24

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Compromise Polarization Norms Bipartisan

There are two types of compromise: one based on exchange and one based on norms.
Compromising on norms can lead to irrational decisions driven by emotions and collective delusions.
Polarization in politics can sometimes prevent compromises that mix conflicting beliefs, which may help avoid extreme or incoherent policies.

Who Can Best Destroy America?

Fake Noûs • 312 implied HN points • 24 Jun 23

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Election Democracy Leadership Norms Corruption

Trump's appeal includes insults and disrespect for social norms.
America's success is due to well-designed institutions, constitutional rights, and liberal democratic norms.
Trump's attempts to overturn the 2020 election results threatened the orderly transfer of power in the U.S.

10% More Social Conservatism

From the New World • 140 implied HN points • 12 May 23

📖 Philosophy Tradition Ethics Human nature Norms

Social conservatism can lead to happier and more engaged communities.
Enforcing social norms can encourage people to focus on more meaningful activities.
Communicating socially conservative ideas culturally may be more effective than logically.

Single Point of Failure

The Radar • 19 implied HN points • 23 Jan 24

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Supreme Court Electoral process Norms

In the US presidential election system, a loophole exists that could result in a legally stolen election, if not addressed
The system relies on electors to cast their votes based on the popular vote in their state, but sometimes electors break their pledges, creating vulnerabilities
The Supreme Court has highlighted the potential vulnerability in the system where state legislatures could manipulate electors' votes, circumventing the will of the people

OSD 234: Accidental rebels

Open Source Defense • 63 implied HN points • 14 Aug 23

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Regulation Norms Government Relations

Gun laws that are easy to break accidentally with severe punishments attract the most attention.
Stigmatizing gun ownership can be done by creating laws that are easy to violate accidentally, thus deterring new gun owners.
The unwritten norms and interpretations in laws and regulations play a significant role in shaping relationships and enforcement actions.

Parent shaming causes the demographic collapse

Wood From Eden • 9 HN points • 05 Mar 24

🎭️ Culture Society Parenting Norms Social Issues

Parent shaming can lead people to avoid having children to prevent shame and judgment from society.
Societal norms and expectations around parenting can influence people to delay having children or opt to have fewer children.
Praising good parents instead of shaming bad ones could be a more effective way to address low fertility rates in society.

You Go Girl

Natural Selections • 24 implied HN points • 25 Jul 23

🎭️ Culture Gender Entertainment Society Norms Identity

Different cultural events can reveal surprising similarities.
Surface appearances and illusions play a big role in drag and Barbie shows.
Pushing boundaries in social norms should be done thoughtfully to avoid negative consequences.

Our threshold of repugnance

Internal exile • 23 implied HN points • 24 Mar 23

🎭️ Culture Social Behavior Entertainment Emotions Norms

The emergence of the idea of civility traced back to a book by Erasmus of Rotterdam.
New media platforms commercialize by revealing how others behave and teaching us how to live appropriate lives.
Generative AI lacks the depth of human connection and practical applicability found in human interactions and specific contexts.

Why Is Plagiarism Wrong?

Unboxing Politics • 1 HN point • 25 Feb 24

📖 Philosophy Ethics Deception Ownership Norms Consequences

Plagiarism is wrong because it harms the original author by denying them credit for their work and the opportunity to build their reputation.
Plagiarism is wrong as it hinders the ability of readers to assess the accuracy of academic work, impacting the integrity of scholarly scrutiny.
Plagiarism is wrong because it deceives others about the competencies of the author or misleads about the originality of the work presented.

Must Civilization be Based on a Lie?

Mon0’s Substack • 0 implied HN points • 03 Jul 23

📖 Philosophy Ethics Society Human behavior Norms Religion

Norms are the shared rules that help organize societies, and they can come from people known as norm entrepreneurs who want to change or create new norms.
Sometimes norm entrepreneurs face challenges convincing everyone of new ideas because people naturally resist change and prefer the familiar.
Interestingly, some norm entrepreneurs might use intuitive appeals or even reinforce norms through religion to bypass the need for rational debates, suggesting that manipulation might occur for the perceived greater good.

In defense of looking like shit

Alex's Personal Blog • 0 implied HN points • 18 Sep 23

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Conservatism Norms

Senator Fetterman challenges outdated dress norms in the Senate.
Clothing should not determine a person's worth; ethics, work ability, and kindness matter more.
Norms can change for the better, embracing authenticity over traditional attire.