The hottest Social Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Was 8th Century China Meritocratic?

The Great Gender Divergence • 157 implied HN points • 10 Feb 24
💾 History Ancient Social Empires Scholarship Research
  1. In 8th Century China, there was a widespread belief in meritocracy and social mobility, which were endorsed by Confucius and Empress Wu Zetian.
  2. Elites might have had advantages like better education for their sons and using nepotism for promotions, which could challenge the true meritocratic nature of the system.
  3. Recent research on social mobility during the Tang Dynasty provides insights into the career paths, imperial exam pass rates, and ancestral backgrounds of individuals through tomb epitaphs.

Our World Shaken, Not Stirred: Synthetic entertainment, hybrid social experiences, syncing ourselves with apps, and more.

Implications, by Scott Belsky • 235 implied HN points • 04 Apr 23
🕹 Technology AI Entertainment Social Media Culture
  1. A new era of synthetic entertainment is coming, with AI creating sequels without actors and sparking copyright debates.
  2. Hybrid social experiences are emerging, where AI personas become active participants in our online interactions.
  3. AI is expected to play a significant role in dating, acting as a witty and smart virtual matchmaker.
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Tool libraries are about repairing communities

Fight to Repair • 98 implied HN points • 14 Mar 23
🎭️ Culture Community Infrastructure Social Neoliberalism Sustainability
  1. Tool libraries offer a low-cost option for people to access tools, fostering repair and community building.
  2. Investing in social infrastructure like tool libraries can create more resilient, sustainable, and connected communities.
  3. Funding directly to support tool libraries can confirm their value to the community, rather than heavily relying on constant fundraising efforts.

Weekly Retrospective #6

Novum Newsletter • 84 implied HN points • 12 Mar 23
📰 News Global State Politics Social
  1. The author is putting their weekly review series on hold to focus on other writing projects.
  2. The newsletter is being reorganized to make it easier to navigate, with sections like Global, State & Politics, and Social.
  3. The author expresses gratitude for the subscribers and provides an overview of the newsletter's categories.

Fixing burnouts — 7 types of rest

10x your mind • 59 implied HN points • 22 Jun 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Rest Burnout Social
  1. There are seven different types of rest that humans need: physical, mental, sensory, creative, emotional, social, and spiritual.
  2. Recognize the signs of each type of rest needed, like feeling physically exhausted for physical rest or lacking new ideas for creative rest, and find appropriate remedies.
  3. Prioritize taking care of yourself by understanding and fulfilling the various types of rest that you require for a more rested and revitalized self.

The Purpose of the Novel

Novum Newsletter • 3 HN points • 31 May 23
📚 Literature Novel Art Social History
  1. The lazy option tends to win when translating content, leading to lowered writing quality.
  2. Artificially-generated writing and art are becoming more prevalent, raising concerns about their impact on various industries.
  3. The novel is a uniquely human form of expression that AI struggles to replicate due to its social and historical origins.

Excuuuuuuuuuuuse you

Links I Would Gchat You If We Were Friends • 0 implied HN points • 02 Sep 15
🎭️ Culture Social Trends Tech Internet Entertainment
  1. Filing gender-discrimination suits to admit men to tech meet-ups reduces female participation in the industry.
  2. Prepper Pinterest is a popular forum choice for those interested in the prepper movement, combining mainstream and niche interests.
  3. 87-year-old Baddie Winkle stands out for her unconventional behavior, including wearing teen rave outfits and maintaining a rebellious spirit.