The hottest Traditions Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Culture Topics

British myth and folk tales and the 'law of the land'

The Art of Enchantment, with Dr Sharon Blackie • 3574 implied HN points • 13 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Mythology Folklore Traditions
  1. British myths and folklore contain principles for living in balance with nature, even without a clear set of guidelines, evident in stories passed down through generations.
  2. The concept of a Wasteland in legends like Arthurian tales symbolizes consequences for disrespecting nature and the feminine, resulting in infertility and disruption of the natural order.
  3. Flooding and inundation in Celtic literature serve as punishments for wrongdoing or carelessness, emphasizing the need to respect the land, the Otherworld, and the feminine to avoid negative consequences.

Patrick and the Pagans

The Abbey of Misrule • 321 implied HN points • 17 Mar 24
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Saints Christianity Traditions
  1. St. Patrick's Day in Ireland is a day of celebrations and parades but visiting wells dedicated to St. Patrick can be a more meaningful experience.
  2. Wells dedicated to St. Patrick, like Cluain Patrick in County Roscommon, offer a tranquil and spiritual atmosphere, with connections to Christian and pagan history.
  3. The presence of ancient trees like yews at Christian sites suggests a blend of Christianity with pre-existing pagan beliefs, creating a unique spiritual landscape.

Spring Festival Gala Review by Chinese Doom Scroll

ChinaTalk • 429 implied HN points • 11 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Entertainment Music Comedy Traditions Dance
  1. Many people found the 2024 Spring Festival Gala to be enjoyable and a hit among the past few years' shows.
  2. The performances included a variety of acts showcasing traditional Chinese arts like drums, dancing, opera, martial arts, and folk songs.
  3. Despite some controversial comedy skits, overall the Gala featured high-quality, impressive performances and a mix of propaganda and entertainment.

A Fairy Tree Encounter: Bridging Worlds in the Island Woods

The Planet • 412 implied HN points • 08 Feb 24
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Folklore Traditions Beliefs Mythology Magic
  1. Discovering a fairy tree can feel like stumbling upon a magical portal connecting our world to that of elves and fairies.
  2. Leaving offerings at fairy trees stems from ancient Celtic traditions, symbolizing respect and a plea for good fortune.
  3. Despite skepticism, tales of mysterious happenings near fairy trees continue to spark wonder and captivate imaginations.
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Sympathetic Magic

The Abbey of Misrule • 319 implied HN points • 18 Feb 24
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Religion Beliefs Traditions Practices Saints
  1. At wells in Ireland, like St Ita's well, a practice of 'sympathetic magic' takes place where objects of the sick are brought for healing, showing a blending of ancient magical traditions with Christianity.
  2. This 'sympathetic magic' practice involves tying items like socks, handkerchiefs, and shirts to crosses or trees near the well in hopes of a saint's healing power.
  3. The story of St Ita and the lessons she imparted - faith, simplicity, and love - are tied to the traditions surrounding the well, emphasizing spiritual values.

A Meaning of Christmas

Atlas of Wonders and Monsters • 390 implied HN points • 21 Dec 23
🎭️ Culture Christmas Family Meaning Traditions
  1. Christmas carols often emphasize the birth of a baby, connecting Christmas to celebrating new life and happiness.
  2. Being pro-natalist means believing in the value of having more babies for philosophical, practical, economic, and cultural reasons.
  3. Reflecting on the declining fertility rates globally, there is a cultural importance in considering the celebration of birth and supporting the idea of having children during Christmas.

More Chinese New Year!

Moly’s Substack • 157 implied HN points • 11 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Traditions Celebrations Family Food
  1. Preparation for Chinese New Year in different regions within China and within families varies significantly, showcasing unique traditions and customs.
  2. Chinese New Year celebrations involve rituals like thorough cleaning, decorative setups, shopping for new clothes, and preparing special food like dumplings and pork jelly.
  3. Family interactions during Chinese New Year include the exchange of red pockets, offering prayers at temples or at home, and making New Year offerings to ancestors.

"I was shaking and trembling:" 5 Questions for Indigenous protester Kuthoomi Castro

The Microdose • 982 implied HN points • 10 Jul 23
🎭️ Culture Indigenous Psychedelics Social justice Protest Traditions
  1. Castro discusses concerns about the homogenization of Indigenous traditions in the modern psychedelic movement.
  2. Castro raises issues with the commercialization and appropriation of plant medicines by Western societies.
  3. Castro highlights the importance of protecting Indigenous knowledge and traditions regarding plant medicines.

Behold the Samosa

So Here’s a Thing • 884 implied HN points • 10 Jun 23
🍲 Food & Drink Cuisine Memories Family Traditions Heritage
  1. Certain foods prepared by others can bring back powerful memories from the past, similar to how music transports us to different eras in our lives
  2. Food has a unique ability to evoke deep emotional and nostalgic connections, often surpassing the effect of visual arts or writing
  3. Samosas, with their diverse variations and cultural significance, hold a special place in the author's life as a food that symbolizes history, character, and family traditions

American Tradition

Wild Holy & Free • 707 implied HN points • 04 Jul 23
🎭️ Culture Traditions Race History
  1. Traditions can be positive, but we must be honest about the negative aspects of American tradition.
  2. We need to commit to telling the truth and pursuing justice despite the challenges.
  3. Acknowledging the flaws in the system doesn't diminish our commitment to waiting for progress and celebrating when it comes.

The Brothers Sun: A Look into Taiwanese Family life, Gangsters and Startups

The Hard Fork by Marvin Liao • 58 implied HN points • 30 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Family Traditions
  1. The TV show reflects the dynamics of Taiwanese families, focusing on face culture, passive aggressiveness, high expectations, and sibling rivalry for performance improvement.
  2. Taiwanese/Chinese culture can lead to emotionally stunted individuals driven by shame and anger, affecting relationships and individuals' emotional balance.
  3. Lessons for startup and life include the importance of making decisions, willingness to make mistakes, and the need for quick decision-making to reach market truth.

Norse vs. Germanic

Norse Mythology & Germanic Lore • 59 implied HN points • 04 Dec 23
🎭️ Culture Mythology Religion Languages Traditions Beliefs
  1. Germanic refers to language, culture, and religion, not just bloodlines, race, or ethnicity.
  2. Norse, a subset of Germanic, is a term for medieval Scandinavian speakers of North-Germanic languages.
  3. Germanic mythology shares similarities with other Indo-European traditions, like the thundergod motif, but divergences in stories can lead to variations in how gods are perceived.

A Pilgrimage for Book People

Castles in the Sky • 302 implied HN points • 13 Mar 23
🎭️ Culture Books Memoirs Traditions Community History
  1. The annual pilgrimage to the Brandeis Book Sale was a significant tradition for the author's family, highlighting the reverence for books and the impact of the sale on their lives.
  2. The pilgrimage involved a long road trip, unique family dynamics, and a deep appreciation for books, as seen through the eyes of the author growing up around book people.
  3. Brandeis Book Sale represented more than just a sale - it was a cultural phenomenon where book people gathered, making it a sacred space and a reflection of civilization preserved in books.

Stranded in Iliad 8 with Nestor and Diomedes

Painful Signs, Or, Joel's Substack • 39 implied HN points • 01 Dec 23
📚 Literature Analysis Traditions Narrative Scholarship
  1. Book 8 of the Iliad sets the stage for the crisis that leads to Achilles' return in Book 9, showcasing themes of divine control and human leadership in the face of absence.
  2. Neoanalysis in Homeric scholarship examines the original versions of the poems before they were edited or altered, shedding light on the complexities of textual transmission and interpretation.
  3. The challenges of neoanalysis include risks of oversimplification in tracing narrative connections, potentially overlooking audience experiences and the evolution of traditional narratives.

Perennial Problems, Projects & Philosophies - Part 2

Weekly Wisdom • 99 implied HN points • 11 May 23
📖 Philosophy Spirituality Philosophy Ethics Religion Traditions
  1. The project aims to explore the convergence and divergence of different traditions and schools of thought to understand cultural breadth.
  2. Traditional systems of thought that have endured for centuries hold value and merit consideration alongside modern perspectives.
  3. Comparative soteriology analyzes the ideals and aims of various religious, spiritual, and philosophical traditions, offering insights into different paths to attainment.

Public holidays as global travel guide

The Global Jigsaw • 19 implied HN points • 11 Sep 23
🏝 Travel Global Celebrations Traditions Cultural Diversity Demographics
  1. Public holidays around the world can provide insights into a country's culture, history, and societal values.
  2. In Japan, public holidays like 'Coming-of-Age Day' and 'Respect for the Elderly Day' reflect traditions, aging demographics, and societal changes.
  3. Celebrating diversity in public holidays can enhance cultural understanding and appreciation.

Ted Lasso & Smigus Dyngus

The Chase • 39 implied HN points • 07 Apr 23
🎭️ Culture TV shows Traditions Music Books
  1. The term Smigus Dyngus is an obscure inside joke that the author's family has used for years.
  2. Smigus Dyngus is a centuries-old pagan tradition from Central Europe involving soaking young women with water on Easter Monday.
  3. Today, Smigus Dyngus has evolved into a more gender-inclusive water fight tradition in many places around the world.

A Hymn to Hot Sauce

The Recovering Academic • 1 HN point • 27 Feb 24
🍲 Food & Drink Cooking Gardening Traditions Memories
  1. Gardening connects us to a place and its history, offering a way to transform pain into beauty through growing flowers and food.
  2. Hot sauce making is a rich tradition that involves storytelling and passing down recipes through generations, symbolizing a connection to history.
  3. Peppers for hot sauce should be harvested ripe, cured, fermented, then blended with vinegar and garlic for a personalized, flavorful homemade hot sauce.

My Father

Natural Selections • 17 implied HN points • 04 Apr 23
🎭️ Culture Family Memoir Food Travel Traditions
  1. The author reflects on her father's life, memories, and impact after his passing.
  2. The father was a strong and adventurous person, eager to teach his children but kept many of his thoughts to himself.
  3. He had a love for nature, mathematics, food, and life, leaving a lasting impression on his family.

In England's dreaming

Numb at the Lodge • 0 implied HN points • 07 May 23
🎭️ Culture Monarchy Royal Family Ceremonies Traditions
  1. The British monarchy and its rituals are steeped in history and tradition, but not everyone in England is enthusiastic about it.
  2. Prince Charles, despite his reluctance, finds himself thrust into the role of king, facing the pressures and expectations that come with it.
  3. In a modern world where politics can feel disconnected and irrational, the British monarchy serves as a reminder of the arbitrary and absurd nature of power.