The hottest Social Change Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top World Politics Topics

Reverse Dominance Coalitions

The Great Gender Divergence • 176 implied HN points • 20 Jun 23
🎭️ Culture Social Change
  1. Inequalities persist when normalized and celebrated, culture changes when people speak out together for equality.
  2. Reverse Dominance Coalitions reject patriarchy, promote equality, and challenge cultural norms.
  3. RDCs foster critical reflection, encourage resistance, build solidarity, and shift social expectations toward gender equality.

Links to Consider, 10/13/2024

In My Tribe • 273 implied HN points • 13 Oct 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Social Change
  1. Urban areas are not friendly to big families, which contributes to decreasing birth rates. When people live in cities, they often have fewer children than those in suburbs.
  2. Social views on marriage and careers have shifted. Now, many see being a single working woman as more prestigious than being a married stay-at-home mom, which can affect family size.
  3. AI is changing the job market a lot, and there’s going to be a lot of job turnover. The official job numbers might not show the full picture of these changes.

Resisting Defeatism: Ways to Foster Social Change in Everyday Life

Humanities in Revolt • 179 implied HN points • 12 Mar 23
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Social Change
  1. Educating ourselves and supporting independent media is crucial in contributing to a just and ethical society.
  2. Engaging in genuine dialogue, civic action, and political engagement in our communities can promote collaboration and resolution of conflicts.
  3. Combating suffering and injustice involves supporting worthwhile charities, ethical consumer practices, and utilizing art and music to honor our values and facilitate social change.

There Once Was an Empire

thinkinghistorically • 93 HN points • 20 Nov 23
🎭️ Culture Social Change
  1. Obsessions with decline and collapse are becoming more prominent in public discourse and literature.
  2. Memories of past empires and collapses can help us navigate uncertainty in the present and imagine different futures.
  3. Literature from the era of Austria-Hungary captures the nostalgia, chaos, and ephemerality of a world caught between permanence and collapse.

Humanities and Social Change: There is No Final Revolution

Humanities in Revolt • 159 implied HN points • 03 Feb 23
🎭️ Culture Social Change
  1. Society often focuses on the mechanics of achieving objectives, but sustaining social change requires creativity, empathy, perseverance, and purpose, which the humanities can provide.
  2. Feelings of frustration and despair are common in social justice activism, but acknowledging these emotions and turning to the humanities can offer spiritual and ethical sustenance.
  3. Victories in social-political movements are impermanent, emphasizing the need to replace the pursuit of 'victory' with a more human and sustainable approach, reflected in the idea that there is no final revolution. Revolutions are infinite and ongoing.
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I woke up tomorrow

Interesting bits • 98 implied HN points • 14 Jun 23
⚔ Fiction Social Change
  1. The benevolent AGI introduces changes such as paying for output instead of jobs
  2. Professions shift as people experiment and adapt to the new payment system
  3. AI emphasizes the importance of asking questions and implementing solutions for survival

Values Over Victory: Why We Should Prioritize Exemplifying Our Values Over Winning/Losing

Humanities in Revolt • 139 implied HN points • 10 Feb 23
📖 Philosophy Social Change
  1. Contemporary politics often focuses on superficial party affiliations and short-term gains rather than deeper values and societal changes.
  2. It's crucial to prioritize living by our values over just seeking victory, as values like justice and love are what truly bring about social progress.
  3. Making a difference involves embodying our core values consistently, even in the face of setbacks, and recognizing that our actions should reflect our beliefs.

The "letters to an anarchist" post-mortem

The Novelleist • 141 implied HN points • 06 Dec 24
📖 Philosophy Social Change
  1. Peter and Elle wrote a year-long series of letters about anarchism, discussing various topics related to the philosophy. It's an effort to understand and explain anarchism more deeply.
  2. They published their correspondence in eight parts, covering ideas like the goals of anarchism and how societies can protect themselves without traditional governance.
  3. They also held an event to share their experiences and respond to readers' feedback, highlighting the importance of open dialogue in exploring complex ideas.

Disgusting

Erdmann Housing Tracker • 337 implied HN points • 07 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics Social Change
  1. A community's shared beliefs can drive reactions of disgust and aesthetics are deeply intertwined with morals and affiliations.
  2. Local housing regulations often have classist roots, leading to unintended consequences like increased homelessness and cost of living pressures.
  3. Aesthetics in housing can be used as a tool for status, hindering change and progress in neighborhoods, but changes have historically occurred when societal attitudes shift.

Unknown Tomorrow: Doing Our Best without Expecting Perfection

Humanities in Revolt • 119 implied HN points • 17 Feb 23
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Social Change
  1. Do our best with what we have, be strategic, and recognize that even small contributions are valuable for social change.
  2. Reject the idea that perfection is necessary for worthwhile efforts, and avoid letting the pursuit of perfection lead to inaction.
  3. Social change can often defy expectations, and historic examples remind us that perseverance and action can lead to progress, even in the face of setbacks.

Sympathy for the devils

Banana Peel Pirouette • 59 implied HN points • 22 Oct 23
🎭️ Culture Social Change
  1. Identity crisis can fuel violence and separatisms as people strive to prove who they are and maintain their identity.
  2. The evolution of gamer identity shows how communities form around shared interests and act as a source of social significance.
  3. The Gamergate phenomenon highlighted how shifts in culture and inclusivity can trigger reactions from groups feeling their identity threatened.

AI for Activism

Activist Futurism • 79 implied HN points • 04 Feb 23
🕹 Technology Social Change
  1. OpenAI's ChatGPT, an AI text generation tool, has become widely accessible and raised concerns about its potential misuse
  2. Despite OpenAI's restrictions, the technology's gullibility makes it difficult to prevent its influence on politics
  3. AI, like ChatGPT, is seen as a new tool for activism, potentially aiding in creating more effective social movements

Letter #17: Coming soon -- Epstein

Charles Eisenstein • 1 implied HN point • 16 Feb 26
🎭️ Culture Social Change
  1. Intense focus on Epstein-related material has led to a recent pause in public writing and videos.
  2. There has been about two weeks of wrestling with the material and a clear intent to help collective sense-making while being careful about what is said.
  3. The situation is viewed as a critical, unusually significant moment for humanity, which explains the cautious and deliberate approach.

What We Talk About When We Talk About Tomorrow

Anima Mundi • 20 implied HN points • 02 Aug 25
🎭️ Culture Social Change
  1. Being able to imagine a better future is important for real change. Many people struggle to see past current problems and often censor their own hopes.
  2. Collective dreaming can help communities create practical changes. By working together and sharing visions, people can come up with ideas that improve their lives and neighborhoods.
  3. Small experiments in daily life can lead to bigger shifts. Trying new ways of being in community and making choices that align with personal values can inspire broader changes in society.

Do you like your ideas? Then have children

Wood From Eden • 336 implied HN points • 02 Mar 23
🎭️ Culture Social Change
  1. Pro-natalism is about preserving humanity's best ideas through having children.
  2. Culture is inherited through biological lines, impacting the spread of ideas across societies.
  3. The power of ideas may be overestimated, and effective altruism needs to consider cultural contexts for long-term impact.

Tortoise Trumps Hare

Surfing the Future • 19 implied HN points • 04 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Social Change
  1. Change can happen at different tempos - either slowly and steadily or in sudden bursts.
  2. Traditional cities evolved through trial-and-error, messily, embracing human messiness, while tech-centric areas opt for a more exclusive lifestyle.
  3. Engaging with exponential trends is important for shaping the future, but sometimes slow change can lead to radical transformation.

Rabbit Holes 🕳️ #124

Creative Destruction • 17 implied HN points • 16 Jul 25
🎭️ Culture Social Change
  1. Being responsive online is seen as a sign of care and friendship, but it can also lead to feeling overwhelmed. People often feel pressure to reply quickly, making it hard to set boundaries and take care of themselves.
  2. A shift towards digital tools is making people feel 'handless' because it limits their ability to take action in the physical world. This change leads to a disconnect from doing meaningful tasks and interacting with tangible things.
  3. There's a growing concern that society is evolving in ways that make us more like crabs, as we adapt to technology and capitalism. This change can lead to a loss of our traditional human traits and a more mechanized way of living.

The New American Revolution

Daniel Pinchbeck’s Newsletter • 31 implied HN points • 11 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Social Change
  1. The U.S. is experiencing a significant political shift, referred to as a new revolution, which is unlike previous events in history. It’s driven largely by wealthy tech leaders and is reshaping power dynamics in the country.
  2. This revolution is being executed quietly through technology rather than through violent means like armies or revolts. Important systems, such as the U.S. Treasury payment system, are major targets for those seeking to take control.
  3. The goal of this movement goes beyond just changing leadership; it aims to fundamentally reshape people's beliefs and identities. This manipulation of 'subjectivity' could lead to a very different form of governance and society in America.

Happy Birthday !

Activist Futurism • 79 implied HN points • 16 Mar 22
📖 Philosophy Social Change
  1. Adapting to major changes like the pandemic can lead to a redefinition of self and a shift in career focus.
  2. In the world of crypto, profits often come from having exclusive information that others don't possess, leading to a growing information gap.
  3. Increasing information asymmetry in society, seen in areas like Covid research and global conflicts, can make actions of the informed difficult to understand by those lacking knowledge.

No Sex and the City

Some Unpleasant Arithmetic • 26 implied HN points • 09 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Social Change
  1. Dating and relationships are changing, with fewer people getting married and starting families. This is partly due to the pressures of a modern economy and changing social norms.
  2. Women are increasingly entering the workforce and seeking partners who can match their ambitions, while many men are struggling to meet these expectations. This has led to more women opting for single motherhood.
  3. Economic factors, like housing costs and childcare expenses, heavily influence people's decisions about having families. Many people want financial stability before committing to marriage and children.

When the Old Consensus Falls Apart -

Charles Eisenstein • 1 implied HN point • 13 Jan 26
🎭️ Culture Social Change
  1. This is the third short video in the Sanity Project 2026 series, recorded during his first Instagram Live.
  2. He’s turning off comments on Substack to avoid spreading himself too thin and is directing discussion to a dedicated forum on Mighty Networks (naascommunity.org).
  3. He plans to keep posting these short videos frequently.

AI Storytelling and Social Change

Daniel Pinchbeck’s Newsletter • 1 implied HN point • 11 Dec 25
🎭️ Culture Social Change
  1. A new six-week workshop will teach practical AI storytelling skills, especially how to produce short-form, AI-generated videos about current issues.
  2. AI is already causing big societal shifts but can be harnessed as a powerful tool to address the meta-crisis and to create critical, politically engaged media.
  3. There’s a live discussion tomorrow at 2 pm EST where people can ask questions, and the program offers a limited discount plus partial or full scholarships for those in need.

Comparing Women's Choice in Career and Family in China, U.S.

Pekingnology • 37 implied HN points • 23 Jan 24
🌍 World Politics Social Change
  1. In China, women's career development is limited by the 'career funnel' due to traditional culture and lack of flexible work policies.
  2. Historical data shows gradual increase in American women's employment rates over a century, with challenges like gender wage gap persisting.
  3. Comparison between Chinese and American women on family choices reveals differences in marriage rates, age at first marriage, and lifetime childlessness.

What's the Plan?

Daniel Pinchbeck’s Newsletter • 11 implied HN points • 18 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Social Change
  1. The old political and social systems can't adapt quickly enough to tackle big problems like the ecological crisis, and change is needed.
  2. Right-wing populism is rising everywhere, fueled by issues like immigration and declining quality of life, creating uncertainty about the future.
  3. Even though things seem bleak, there is hope for a better society that is participatory and regenerative, but we have to be careful not to fall into authoritarian control.

Recap: November 2024

Creative Destruction • 3 implied HN points • 04 Dec 24
🎭️ Culture Social Change
  1. There is a growing desire for significant change in society. People want to break free from shallow comforts and embrace a new vision for their lives.
  2. Shifting from worrying about aging to focusing on living fully can improve our outlook. We should celebrate life instead of fearing getting older.
  3. We need to create a new narrative around aging that inspires positivity. It's all about finding joy and purpose at every stage of life.

Yêu nước

Thái | Hacker | Kỹ sư tin tặc • 19 implied HN points • 20 Jan 16
🌍 World Politics Social Change
  1. Love for one's country is more than just a feeling; it involves a sense of connection and unity with people who share similar culture, language, and origins.
  2. Patriotism involves sacrifice and a desire to protect common rights and values for the benefit of oneself and future generations.
  3. Contributing positively to society and tackling significant issues can be a form of loving one's country, even transcending national boundaries.

On little-known books with large political impacts

Matt’s Five Points • 0 implied HN points • 06 Sep 11
📚 Literature Social Change
  1. Some little-known books have had big effects on politics, like _The Impending Crisis of the South_ by Hinton Helper. This book challenged the idea that all white people in the South benefited from slavery.
  2. Helper's ideas created fears among plantation owners, as they showed that non-slaveholding whites could be united against them. This was a big threat to the existing power structure.
  3. The spread of Helper's book led to more control in the South and fear of anti-slavery movements, changing the political landscape as groups like the Republican Party gained strength.

Michael Bikeal: Skitching w/NPCs

Do Not Research • 0 implied HN points • 15 Feb 22
🎭️ Culture Social Change
  1. Psychogeography encourages unconventional ways of engaging with infrastructure to reconnect with more inventive and fun ways of navigating the world.
  2. Skitching involves riding a bicycle and getting pulled by a moving car, offering a unique and thrill-inducing DIY transportation experience.
  3. The concept of NPC memes dehumanizes individuals and reflects a societal struggle with dissociation caused by modern capitalism's impact on our minds and experiences.

Is transformational change the only thing that matters?

Hypertext • 0 implied HN points • 27 Mar 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Social Change
  1. Transformational change is difficult in various aspects of life, and most attempts do not lead to significant outcomes, but persistence is key to progress.
  2. Research and evaluation play a crucial role in understanding the effectiveness of interventions and innovations, although measuring programmatic effectiveness can be challenging.
  3. Randomized experiments, while powerful, are not the only form of high-quality evidence; various types of evidence contribute to building knowledge and understanding incremental changes over time.

The Abyss

The Weekly Dish • 0 implied HN points • 23 Jan 26
🎭️ Culture Social Change
  1. A fundamental break has happened — who we once were is finished. We are now living in a new, different reality.
  2. The change feels like passing through the looking glass: everything is unfamiliar and possibly inverted. What once made sense no longer does.
  3. This is a decisive, final rupture that must be acknowledged. There’s no going back to the way things were.

Confronting radical uncertainty

Hypertext • 0 implied HN points • 27 Mar 24
💼 Business Social Change
  1. Social science research needs a recalibration with a focus on feedback, reflection, and improvement.
  2. There is a significant amount of uncertainty in understanding how change happens in people's lives, challenging traditional evidence-based policy approaches.
  3. Collaboration, customer feedback, and adaptability are key in creating effective social programs rather than relying solely on evidence-based interventions.