The hottest Politics Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top News Topics

2.3 Francis Bacon & The Birth of Scientism

Fields & Energy • 279 implied HN points • 03 Jan 24
💾 History Philosophy Science Literature Politics Culture
  1. Francis Bacon is often called the father of scientism, which is the belief that science is the only way to know things. He wanted science to help humans gain power over nature.
  2. Bacon introduced the idea of cognitive biases, which are ways our thinking can be flawed. He identified different types of biases that can affect decision-making.
  3. His vision for science included a society where scientists could lead and guide people, similar to kings with the knowledge to improve life and solve problems.

Winter Comes For the North

Vietnam Weekly • 235 implied HN points • 25 Jan 24
📰 News Weather Health Infrastructure Politics
  1. Northern Vietnam experienced its strongest cold front in nearly a decade, impacting communities without proper heating infrastructure.
  2. Speculation about the health of top leaders in Vietnam, like General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng, can cause uncertainty until confirmed news is provided.
  3. Infrastructure projects like airport expansions are underway in Vietnam, with notable progress but challenges in transit link development.

The Room and Matt Christman

De Pony Sum • 412 implied HN points • 27 Sep 23
📖 Philosophy Existentialism Ethics Morality Politics Metaethics
  1. Matt Christman deserves appreciation for his understanding of societal injustices and the need for change.
  2. The analogy of a room with limited democracy, resources, healthcare, and foreign policy mirrors the inequalities present in the world.
  3. The message conveyed by Christman emphasizes the importance of solidarity, shared humanity, and the power to create a better world.

Merry Chrismas

Pekingnology • 105 implied HN points • 24 Dec 24
🌐 International China Globalization Media Newsletter Politics
  1. The newsletter started in 2020 and has grown from 600 to over 17,500 subscribers. It's great to see it reach so many readers.
  2. The goal of the newsletter is to provide a deeper, more nuanced understanding of China. It aims to present a true and multi-faceted view of the country.
  3. Thanks were given to readers and contributors, highlighting the importance of teamwork in creating diverse content about China.
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WEEKLY BRIEFLY NOTED: For 2024-12-11 We

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 23 implied HN points • 11 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Economics Finance War Policy Politics
  1. Quasars are super bright and energetic objects in space, powered by black holes consuming material. They help astronomers understand our universe better.
  2. Current economic policies, especially under recent U.S. leadership, are shaping the economy in complex ways, with stock market reactions being particularly important.
  3. Using AI can be helpful, but it's important to know when to rely on it. It can aid in tasks we could do ourselves but shouldn't replace deep learning and understanding.

Why Carrots and Princes Are Orange

Outlandish Claims • 59 implied HN points • 05 Jun 24
💾 History Culture Language Politics Health Propaganda
  1. Dutch people's preference for growing orange carrots influenced the global dominance of orange carrot cultivars.
  2. The House of Orange's historical significance is intertwined with German propaganda efforts during the Middle Ages.
  3. The color orange became associated with carrots due to British propaganda in World War II linking carrot consumption to improved eyesight.

Blast

L'Atelier Galita • 259 implied HN points • 17 Jan 24
📰 News Media Investigation Politics Economy
  1. Blast is an independent media outlet that focuses on various important topics like investigation, politics, ecology, and culture through videos, articles, and interviews.
  2. Blast's financing model is similar to other independent media outlets like Arrêt sur images, relying on support from members and subscribers for financial independence.
  3. Blast provides content beyond just news, including in-depth analysis, book summaries, and interviews with organizations, offering valuable insights and recommendations.

Athletes Doing the Trump Dance, Sports Journos Going to BlueSky

House of Strauss • 41 implied HN points • 20 Nov 24
🎾 Sports Athletes Journalism Media Politics Social media
  1. There is a growing separation between athletes and sports journalists. It seems like journalists are feeling pushed out or disconnected from the athletes they cover.
  2. Many sports journalists are leaving Twitter/X for a new platform called BlueSky. This shift shows concerns about the current social media landscape and its impact on communication.
  3. The changing dynamics in the sports world reflect broader societal shifts. Athletes are taking control of their narratives while traditional media is struggling to keep up.

Discomforting Political Admiration

The Joyous Struggle • 375 implied HN points • 11 Jul 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Politics Interview Policy Podcast Democracy
  1. The author examines their admiration for a conservative thinker, Rory Stewart, despite their own social democratic background, highlighting the complexity of political views and personal beliefs.
  2. Rory Stewart's unique blend of experiences, from academia to politics to charitable work, offers valuable insights that challenge traditional political boundaries and encourage reevaluation of societal values.
  3. The interview with Rory Stewart reflects a broader shift in political discourse, exploring contrasts between old and new political ideologies, unveiling tensions between incremental change and the need for more profound societal transformation.

Judicial Notice (02.03.24): Musk’s Money Troubles

Original Jurisdiction • 219 implied HN points • 04 Feb 24
📰 News Legal Politics Finance Law Entertainment
  1. Elon Musk's $56 billion pay package was ruined by lawyers, led by Greg Varallo, Jeroen van Kwawegen, and David Tejtel.
  2. Litigation boutiques like Lehotsky Keller Cohn are achieving significant wins in cases like FedEx's punitive damages.
  3. ChatGPT's suggestion of non-existent legal cases highlights the need for caution when using AI in legal research.

Russell Brand's Charismatic Bullshit

Trickle-Down Wellness • 373 implied HN points • 06 Mar 23
🎭️ Culture Media Politics Entertainment
  1. Russell Brand used three charismatic persuasion techniques: constant touching, intrusive eye contact/name reference, and Gish gallop.
  2. Gish gallop is a tactic where someone overwhelms with many arguments without accuracy or strength.
  3. Brand's debate tactics involved avoiding specificity, focusing on affect over truth, and desiring the spotlight.

Lessons That Can't Be Learned

Origins of Our Time • 373 implied HN points • 03 Sep 23
🎭️ Culture History Literature Politics Society Ideology
  1. Historiography can be more than just a hazing ritual for graduate students, it's about the overall relationship between evidence and argument in historical research.
  2. Neoliberalism and conservatism have overlapping values and affiliations, challenging the idea of a rigid separation between the two ideologies.
  3. The book overlooks significant cultural and social issues like abortion and LGBTQ+ rights while focusing on economic and political aspects, revealing a limited perspective.

Why Men Don't Date Woke Women

Handwaving Freakoutery • 803 implied HN points • 08 Aug 23
🎭️ Culture Dating Politics Morality Gender Dynamics Social movements
  1. Politics impacts the dating market, affecting who people choose to date based on their ideologies.
  2. There is a rise in people unwilling to date across political lines, leading to fewer marriages and dates.
  3. Woke morality dynamics and past events like the Kavanaugh trial have influenced dating decisions, particularly in avoiding woke women due to fear of false accusations.

Reading, Watching 11.24.24

Unpopular Front • 27 implied HN points • 24 Nov 24
🎭️ Culture Literature Art History Media Politics
  1. There is a rise in 'zero-sum' thinking in US politics, meaning people see situations as win-lose rather than collaborative. This mindset can create divides and hostility among different groups.
  2. Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor discusses how minority voters are feeling pain that drives them toward the Trump coalition. This reflects a broader issue of 'national despair' that struggling communities face.
  3. Historian Marc Bloch's reflections on France's defeat in WWII highlight the failure of leadership and the media to provide clear information to the public. He emphasized the importance of informed citizens in a democracy.

Maybe we shouldn’t be ‘annoying all the right people’

Wrong Side of History • 375 implied HN points • 16 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Politics Criticism Crime
  1. London Mayor Sadiq Khan employs a style of politics that can be polarizing and lead to criticism.
  2. Critics often blame Khan for issues like crime and housing in London, even though his influence is limited, and other factors play a role.
  3. Despite differing opinions on Khan, there are those who support his transport policies and take a minority stance on urban planning.

On Political Writing

Story Club with George Saunders • 70 implied HN points • 10 Oct 24
📚 Literature Fiction Writing Art Politics Culture
  1. When writing political stories, it's important to elevate the narrative beyond just being an opinion piece. Aim for the story to resonate on a deeper, more universal level that will last beyond current events.
  2. A good story explores complexities instead of presenting a single viewpoint. This helps avoid alienating readers and opens up a space for deeper discussions within the narrative.
  3. Instead of forcing a political stance, let the story unfold naturally. Sometimes, the most powerful messages emerge when you allow the characters and plot to guide the direction.

Hamilton, Hip Hop, and the Culture of Dueling

Glenn’s Substack • 353 implied HN points • 25 Apr 23
🎭️ Culture History Music Politics Society Violence
  1. Dueling was a common practice among the gentry in early America, with social pressure making it almost inevitable to accept challenges or issue them.
  2. Attempts to outlaw dueling in the 19th century were largely unsuccessful, with laws not effectively curbing the practice due to cultural norms and individual reputations at stake.
  3. As the culture changed post-Civil War, dueling declined, with the experience of the war making the ritualized violence seem outdated and less acceptable.

Subscriber questions on 2020 Election Fallout, Simmons + Klosterman, NBA, College Football

House of Strauss • 28 implied HN points • 05 Dec 24
🎾 Sports Basketball College Football Media Politics Culture
  1. The 2020 election had huge effects, and the actor's outcomes led to unexpected issues for the winning party. Winning didn't solve problems, and there's a feeling that it was a shaky victory for Democrats.
  2. In sports, the new NBA Cup feels forced and too focused on money, which makes it less interesting for fans. Authenticity matters, and the NBA needs to do better to connect with viewers.
  3. With college football playoffs expanding, there's a worry about too many teams making games less valuable. Sometimes, having fewer teams can make the competition more exciting.

College Days, Then and Now

Restoring Truth • 176 implied HN points • 30 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Youth Education Politics Humor
  1. College life has changed with the influence of social media and modern technology
  2. Current college campuses have a significant presence of leftist ideologies among faculty and students
  3. There is a concern about the impact of radical activism on college campuses and the future of students

Changing values

The Newsletter of (Not Quite) Everything • 334 implied HN points • 22 Feb 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Election Religion Free speech Politics Individual Rights
  1. Religious people are not barred from public life, despite some claims to the contrary.
  2. Being honest about personal beliefs, even if controversial, is important in leadership.
  3. The divide in discussions about free speech and cancel culture often revolves around whether faith-based views should receive special treatment in public discourse.

Five Links for November 2024

Five Links (and three graphs) by Auren Hoffman • 40 implied HN points • 01 Nov 24
📰 News Current Events Analysis International Politics Culture
  1. Lebanon has potential wealth but struggles with chaos. A detailed explanation covers its history and issues that prevent economic success.
  2. Raising successful children means being cautious about entitlement. It's important to balance expectations in families that have money.
  3. Web scraping is a growing industry. It's evolving to create marketplaces for data, which could change how businesses use information.

Reading, Watching 11.17.24

Unpopular Front • 28 implied HN points • 17 Nov 24
🎭️ Culture Literature Philosophy Art Film Politics
  1. There's a split in how people view the middle class in America. Some see it as people who work hard for what they earn, while others think it should be about helping each other and building community.
  2. Many Trump voters still hold middle-class values, even if they feel left out. They believe having a job is important and look down on those who need government help.
  3. Hegel's ideas show a contrast between being self-centered (bourgeois) and being focused on the greater good (citoyen). It relates to how people balance their personal needs with their responsibilities to society.

What is love?

Disaffected Newsletter • 439 implied HN points • 24 Jul 23
🎙 Podcasts Parenting Culture Politics Media Society
  1. Love for children and each other should be real and caring, not just for show. Many people confuse true love with performative acts that are more about themselves.
  2. Parental rights can be complicated and sometimes unfairly taken away, as shown in the case of Ted Hudacko. This raises concerns about the impact of laws on family well-being.
  3. Current events highlight deep issues in society, like discrimination and mismanagement of resources, affecting many people's lives.

See No Evil

Disaffected Newsletter • 479 implied HN points • 26 Jun 23
🎙 Podcasts Media Culture Politics Society Mental health
  1. There's a focus on young people in fast food jobs and how they seem disconnected from reality.
  2. A guest talks about the challenges of finding good help in a confusing mental health landscape.
  3. A new therapy service is launching that aims to be more supportive of traditional views without the political agenda.

"Woke" Is Not The New Reformation

Reactionary Feminist • 24 implied HN points • 22 Nov 24
🎭️ Culture Social Issues Philosophy Religion Literature Politics
  1. Wokeness shouldn't be seen as a new movement but rather as an outdated belief system. It's stuck in the past and isn't really helping people today.
  2. A genuine new Reformation is on the way that will challenge wokeness and bring back useful truths, both scientific and spiritual. This shift aims to improve society instead of causing division.
  3. Several recent books highlight these ideas and show that many smart thinkers agree that a significant change in thought is coming soon.

The Long Run.

Trying to Understand the World • 8 implied HN points • 08 Jan 25
🎭️ Culture Philosophy History Politics Society Religion
  1. Modern Western culture tends to focus on short-term gains and immediate results, making it hard to think about the long term. This has led to misunderstandings of world events and a lack of solid planning.
  2. The belief that everything is about power can create a negative outlook on the future. This mindset makes people feel helpless and less willing to take action for improvement.
  3. Examples from geopolitics, like the struggles in South Africa and the rise of political Islam, show how long-term strategies are essential for success. The inability to grasp this often leads to confusion in the West about global dynamics.

Charlotte's satirical crusader for social change

The Charlotte Ledger • 157 implied HN points • 03 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Satire Civil Rights Literature History Politics
  1. Harry Golden used humor to advocate for civil rights and social justice in Charlotte during the 1950s and '60s.
  2. Golden's satirical essays in 'Carolina Israelite' addressed societal inequalities and injustices in a humorous way, gaining him fame and recognition.
  3. Golden's approach of using satire to highlight issues like segregation and discrimination made him a well-known champion of the oppressed, with a wide readership and impact.

3 médias bonus

L'Atelier Galita • 199 implied HN points • 20 Jan 24
📰 News Media Journalism Funding Politics Online Platforms
  1. The Media is an alternative cooperative media outlet with a focus on independence, collaboration, and diversity.
  2. The Media faced challenges with funding due to a dysfunctional economic model and a shift towards advertising.
  3. Blast, a media outlet created by a former dissident of The Media, gained more popularity despite both facing similar issues.

Oscars: Scrap "Top Gun"

Diane Francis • 599 implied HN points • 10 Mar 23
🎭️ Culture Film Propaganda Politics Media War
  1. The Ukrainian World Congress wants 'Top Gun: Maverick' removed from the Oscars because it is funded by a Russian oligarch.
  2. They believe the film's lack of direct mention of Russia as an enemy is misleading and supports propaganda.
  3. The Congress is asking for a broader rejection of films tied to Russian money due to the ongoing war in Ukraine.

College leaders should say what they stand for

Science Forever • 298 implied HN points • 03 Apr 23
🚌 Education Leadership Higher education Politics Institutions Challenges
  1. College leaders should clearly communicate their values and beliefs, even in the face of political pressure. Staying true to one's values can lead to respect and support from the community.
  2. Presidents who stand up for their beliefs may face challenges, but they often land in new fulfilling positions. Those who prioritize the board's wishes over campus values may not fare as well.
  3. Institutions benefit from leaders who stick to their principles. Even if presidents are let go, they usually find other positive opportunities as long as they remain aligned with their beliefs.

All art isn't political

Thoughts on Writing • 439 implied HN points • 12 Apr 23
🎭️ Culture Art Education Politics
  1. Art education is being influenced by former politicians pushing specific agendas onto creative realms.
  2. The focus on purpose-driven art can limit creativity and innovation by narrowing the scope of artistic expression.
  3. Creativity thrives when approached with an open mindset, allowing for exploration, unexpected detours, and connection beyond politics.