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 Politics
  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.

“Smoking Gun” Documents Point to CIA Machinations in JFK Assassination

Public • 236 implied HN points • 09 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Politics
  1. The newly released documents about George Joannides show that the CIA had more knowledge about Lee Harvey Oswald than previously admitted. This changes the narrative about the JFK assassination and the 'lone gunman' theory.
  2. The evidence suggests that the CIA monitored Oswald closely, contradicting earlier claims that they had minimal information about him before the assassination. This calls into question the integrity of past investigations.
  3. Investigative journalist Gerald Posner, who argued for the lone gunman theory, now faces challenges to his claims as new information emerges that complicates the official story of JFK's assassination.

Winter Comes For the North

Vietnam Weekly • 235 implied HN points • 25 Jan 24
📰 News 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.

Lots of People Don't Know What a Woman Is

Bentham's Newsletter • 432 implied HN points • 08 Jun 23
🎭️ Culture Politics
  1. A woman is not just someone who identifies as a woman - the definition has flaws and circularity.
  2. Defining a woman as an adult human female leads to issues and does not match common understanding.
  3. A woman can be defined by a set of feminine traits, which is practical, inclusive, and well-supported by many philosophers.

Who Do You Trust?

backstory • 533 implied HN points • 25 Jan 25
🏝 Travel Politics
  1. Trust can be complicated, especially when you feel uncertain about the people around you. It’s interesting to see how perceptions of trust can shift based on personal experiences.
  2. Cultural differences play a big role in how people express themselves and interact. The traditional clothing in Bolivia shows a strong connection to heritage and identity.
  3. Life experiences can shape our beliefs and trust in institutions. Felipe's journey from having a heroic figure in his grandfather to feeling let down by the police reflects how personal history can change one’s worldview.
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Transcript: America This Week, Episode 77, February 23, 2024

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 1578 implied HN points • 25 Feb 24
🎙 Podcasts Politics
  1. There was a discussion on the America This Week show about the 'insta-threat' from Russia and a review of 'Sonny's Blues'.
  2. The hosts mentioned a fabricated story about a Russian threat to influence the passing of a military aid bill for Ukraine.
  3. The conversation included references to apocalyptic news and the use of space nukes as a topic of fear mongering.

Odds and Ends #50: The weird thing about London's New Year's Fireworks

Odds and Ends of History • 603 implied HN points • 04 Jan 25
🎭️ Culture Politics
  1. London's New Year's fireworks have some unexpected political twists that make them more than just a fun spectacle.
  2. The British government needs a solid plan for dealing with Elon Musk's comments and actions that could affect public discourse.
  3. Generative AI is changing the way we think about video production, and its latest developments are surprisingly impressive.

15 things I consumed this thing

Maybe Baby • 550 implied HN points • 17 Jan 25
🎭️ Culture Politics
  1. A lot is happening with the Israel-Hamas conflict and there was a recent ceasefire agreement discussed in a New Yorker interview. It's interesting to learn how these agreements come about.
  2. Balancing life with a toddler can be tough, especially when they keep you up at night. It shows how parenting can be challenging and exhausting.
  3. Consuming different media can give us fresh perspectives on ongoing events. It’s good to stay informed and think about how various stories connect to our lives.

The Room and Matt Christman

De Pony Sum • 412 implied HN points • 27 Sep 23
📖 Philosophy Politics
  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.

IMPACT: PAUL, ERNST ADVANCE ROYALTY TRANSPARENCY ACT, ACKNOWLEDGE OPEN THE BOOKS

OpenTheBooks Substack • 172 implied HN points • 07 Aug 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Politics
  1. Senator Rand Paul is pushing for the Royalty Transparency Act to reveal secret royalty payments in healthcare. This act aims to show how much money changes hands between the government and pharmaceutical companies.
  2. The NIH has made billions in royalty payments to its scientists, raising questions about potential conflicts of interest. People deserve to know who benefits financially from public health decisions.
  3. The Royalty Transparency Act would require more honesty about financial dealings in the health sector. It’s important for the public to understand the interests behind the scientific advice they receive.

Who Were the ‘We the People’ Back in 1787?: Race, Law, & Original Constitutional Sin

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 238 implied HN points • 21 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Politics
  1. The concept of 'We the People' in the U.S. Constitution originally referred mainly to white citizens, with racial exclusion being a key part of that history.
  2. Some legal arguments today echo past ideas about racial citizenship, questioning who is included in the legal definitions set by the Constitution.
  3. There's ongoing debate about the historical voting rights of free Black men during the time of the Constitution's ratification, showing complexities in understanding who had a voice back then.

The Insidious Lie That We Can’t Understand Each Other

After Babel • 2074 implied HN points • 04 Oct 23
🚌 Education Politics
  1. Identity trap ideologies suggest we can't understand each other, but it's important to challenge this notion.
  2. Standpoint theory emphasizes empathizing with oppressed groups, but it may not effectively guide political action.
  3. To argue against the identity trap, take concerns seriously, show why the ideology may fail, and propose a more noble path forward.

Twitter and Content Moderation

Life Since the Baby Boom • 461 implied HN points • 18 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Politics
  1. Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg have changed how fact-checking is done on their platforms. Instead of having official fact-checkers, they are relying on community input.
  2. Many suggested corrections on these platforms seem to just be people having different opinions. Often, they don't provide clear facts and can be more about arguing than informing.
  3. The interaction with these community notes doesn't seem to attract much attention. Most users appear to prefer the regular replies over community notes, which might indicate a lack of interest in these corrections.

Why Carrots and Princes Are Orange

Outlandish Claims • 59 implied HN points • 05 Jun 24
💾 History Politics
  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.

Thinking Under Fascism

Dada Drummer Almanach • 505 implied HN points • 28 Jan 25
🎭️ Culture Politics
  1. Thinking creatively during tough times can help us hold onto our reality. It's important to find a personal truth even when the world feels distorted.
  2. Art can be a powerful tool against oppressive forces, as shown by Chaplin's famous speech in 'The Great Dictator.' Speaking out against injustice can attract both support and backlash.
  3. History shows us that silencing voices of opposition is a strategy used by fascists. We must stay connected and support one another to resist these challenges in the present.

Blast

L'Atelier Galita • 259 implied HN points • 17 Jan 24
📰 News Politics
  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.

I Don't Need Guns I Need Fire Extinguishers

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 1387 implied HN points • 08 Mar 24
📰 News Politics
  1. The author creatively uses the analogy of fire extinguishers to call for solutions to global crises, emphasizing the need for healing and peace over violence.
  2. There is a critique of the military-industrial complex and the prioritization of weapons over humanitarian aid and environmental protection.
  3. The text advocates for prioritizing efforts to restore a healthy planet for future generations, highlighting the urgency of addressing current global challenges.

Discomforting Political Admiration

The Joyous Struggle • 375 implied HN points • 11 Jul 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Politics
  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 Politics
  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.

Donald Trump, the Smokers’ President

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 519 implied HN points • 07 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Politics
  1. Some people see nicotine as a popular choice and want to defend it against government rules. This has made smoking a topic that some conservatives rally around.
  2. A new cigar company recently launched and did really well, showing that there is still interest in nicotine products, despite overall sales being down.
  3. Media figures like Tucker Carlson argue that nicotine can actually improve life, pushing back against efforts to regulate its use.

Russell Brand's Charismatic Bullshit

Trickle-Down Wellness • 373 implied HN points • 06 Mar 23
🎭️ Culture Politics
  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 Politics
  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.

Links for January

DYNOMIGHT INTERNET NEWSLETTER • 515 implied HN points • 09 Jan 25
🎭️ Culture Politics
  1. Jimmy Carter once told a funny story about a rabbit that scared him while fishing, and it became a big deal in the news, even though he only shared it privately.
  2. There's interesting talk about how we classify mental disorders nowadays and if labels like 'ADHD' will still be relevant in the future.
  3. Recent studies show that drinking alcohol can lead to a higher risk of cancer, and it's great when reports present this information clearly and let people draw their own conclusions.

Porn Is Inevitable

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 491 implied HN points • 14 Jan 25
🎭️ Culture Politics
  1. The Supreme Court is reviewing laws that require age verification on porn sites, but porn will likely continue to exist regardless of the outcome.
  2. Many states have introduced laws to prevent minors from accessing pornography, citing concerns about the impact on youth.
  3. Despite these regulations, the history of porn shows it's always been around and is easily accessible online, making these laws largely ineffective.

‘I say the Americans really won the war’

Wrong Side of History • 417 implied HN points • 08 Feb 25
💾 History Politics
  1. Many people in Vietnam felt that the U.S. helped them realize they preferred American presence over communism after the war. This shows how complex feelings about the war can be.
  2. After the war, Vietnam faced many issues due to communist policies that hurt its economy, leading to hunger and poverty for many years. The country struggled with efficiency and food shortages at that time.
  3. Vietnam saw a big change when it shifted towards a market-based economy in the 1980s. This led to significant economic growth and lifted many people out of poverty.

Hamilton, Hip Hop, and the Culture of Dueling

Glenn’s Substack • 353 implied HN points • 25 Apr 23
🎭️ Culture Politics
  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.

College Days, Then and Now

Restoring Truth • 176 implied HN points • 30 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Politics
  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

What people are getting wrong about bro comedy podcasts

The Rubesletter by Matt Ruby (of Vooza) | Sent every Tuesday • 570 implied HN points • 13 Nov 24
🎙 Podcasts Politics
  1. Not all comedians lean right. Many are just looking for attention and will say what they think audiences want to hear.
  2. Standup comedy is diverse, with many different styles and viewpoints. Watching it live shows a wider range than what you might see online.
  3. Comedians aren’t modern-day philosophers; they're entertainers. They crack jokes and often push boundaries, but it's all in good fun.

Changing values

The Newsletter of (Not Quite) Everything • 334 implied HN points • 22 Feb 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Politics
  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.

Against Mathiness

The Honest Broker Newsletter • 1364 implied HN points • 02 Jan 24
🔬 Science Politics
  1. Mathiness can allow for academic politics to masquerade as science.
  2. Good empirical research can eventually win out in truth battles, even if it takes time.
  3. It's possible to distinguish between good policy research and mathiness, despite potential professional benefits and political challenges.

What is love?

Disaffected Newsletter • 439 implied HN points • 24 Jul 23
🎙 Podcasts Politics
  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.

The rise of New Statesman Man

Odds and Ends of History • 2010 implied HN points • 22 Jun 23
🎭️ Culture Politics
  1. New Statesman Man is a character who is well-educated and politically engaged, but tends to focus more on image and status than actual ideas or beliefs.
  2. He is critical of capitalism and advocates for degrowth, but has a smug attitude and lacks concrete solutions for improving the lives of actual poor people.
  3. Despite claiming to be focused on materialism, New Statesman Man's actions and beliefs often betray a disconnect from the reality of poverty and inequality.

See No Evil

Disaffected Newsletter • 479 implied HN points • 26 Jun 23
🎙 Podcasts Politics
  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.

Is The Truth Out There?

Some Unpleasant Arithmetic • 14 implied HN points • 07 Jan 26
🎭️ Culture Politics
  1. People turn to conspiracy theories when life feels scary or unfair; anxiety, isolation, and normal thinking biases make hidden explanations seem satisfying.
  2. Belonging and status drive belief too — being "in the know" bonds people into groups, and social media and echo chambers amplify and spread those beliefs.
  3. Conspiracy beliefs cause real harm like lost trust, public-health failures, and political extremism, but they often grow from genuine grievances about economic decline and failing institutions.

Charlotte's satirical crusader for social change

The Charlotte Ledger • 157 implied HN points • 03 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture 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.

Our Dumb Century

Justin E. H. Smith's Hinternet • 1520 implied HN points • 14 Oct 23
🎭️ Culture Politics
  1. Avoid personally targeted combative writing to maintain dignity.
  2. Genius in literature accrues over centuries, can't be rushed or self-proclaimed.
  3. Value the cultivation of tradition and great works for a deeper understanding of humanity.