The hottest Work Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Education Topics

On Speaking to The Cleaning Ladies

The Pedestrian • 357 implied HN points • 24 May 23
🎭️ Culture Work
  1. The author works as an administrative assistant at a council and has developed different relationships with colleagues based on their positions.
  2. The author faced ingratitude from the cleaning staff despite going out of their way to be friendly and helpful.
  3. Realizing the cleaning staff might be intentionally negligent, the author reported safety violations which led to positive changes in their behavior.

Cold brews in Brunswick

A Perfectly Cromulent Software Engineer • 59 implied HN points • 17 Mar 24
🍲 Food & Drink Work
  1. Third places are vital for social interaction and community, offering a space for meaningful connections.
  2. Working from home can blur boundaries between personal and professional life, highlighting the importance of having a separate 'third place' for relaxation and socializing.
  3. Discovering new places, like a cozy cafe, can provide a refreshing environment for socializing and making connections outside of work and home.

✨ The impact of AI and jobs: A Quick Q&A with … Daniel Rock of the Wharton School

Faster, Please! • 274 implied HN points • 16 Oct 24
🕹 Technology Work
  1. AI could become a general-purpose technology if it applies widely across many industries and leads to real changes in how we work. We need to see if it really changes innovation in significant ways.
  2. Many jobs could be affected by AI tools, with some reports suggesting that up to 46% of jobs could see more than half their tasks impacted. This shows how powerful AI might be in the workplace.
  3. It's likely that using AI will change not just individual tasks but also how organizations operate and make decisions. This means workplaces will need to adjust to new ways of working.

The Unremitting Monedey

The Lifeboat • 160 implied HN points • 13 Jan 25
🎭️ Culture Work
  1. Selling virtual items, like gems in games, raises questions about morality and customer responsibility. People should manage their finances wisely, even in digital spaces.
  2. Entertainment in the form of virtual games can distract people from their real-life struggles, but there's concern about the exploitative aspects of selling virtual goods.
  3. The workplace can feel mundane and draining, leading to a desire for escape or change. Many people face the struggle of balancing personal happiness with their jobs.
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The chairs that broke me

A Perfectly Cromulent Software Engineer • 59 implied HN points • 06 Dec 23
🎭️ Culture Work
  1. Lockdown experiences can lead to unexpected challenges like uncomfortable seating arrangements for work, causing physical discomfort.
  2. Investing in a good chair for home and at work is crucial for preventing or alleviating back pain. Ergonomic support can make a significant difference.
  3. Carrying a towel for back support can be a simple yet effective solution to improve comfort when sitting for extended periods.

Life is Not an Investment

Humanities in Revolt • 179 implied HN points • 06 Aug 22
📖 Philosophy Work
  1. The humanities teach us to value things that are good in themselves, like love and personal development, rather than just things that lead to something else like money or status.
  2. It's important to acknowledge the inherent value of labor and the products of that labor, rather than solely focusing on productivity or profit.
  3. Consumption and work should be aligned with fundamental human values like truth, goodness, and fulfillment, rather than being driven by a never-ending pursuit of material possessions or profit.

New strange fruit

Splattern • 59 implied HN points • 15 Sep 23
🎭️ Culture Work
  1. Starting a new work project can feel exciting but also bring sadness for what you might miss out on. It's okay to miss those joyful moments while focusing on your goals.
  2. Running to work can be a refreshing way to exercise. It feels good when your workout also helps you reach your destination.
  3. Taking ownership of your work can be empowering. It means you get credit for success and learn from failures all by yourself.

Work, Abuse, and Unwinnable Games

72 Degrees North • 39 implied HN points • 14 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Work
  1. Life can sometimes present unwinnable situations where moving on is the best option.
  2. People may engage in unwinnable games like pursuing unattainable goals in relationships or falling into abusive patterns.
  3. Corporate work under capitalism shares similarities with abusive relationships, using small rewards and big punishments to keep workers captive.

The Alliance for the Future Manifesto

From the New World • 199 implied HN points • 12 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Work
  1. The Alliance for the Future opposes blind panic and over-regulation around artificial intelligence, aiming to educate and advocate for the benefits of AI in society and politics.
  2. AI is a process, not an object, and regulating it is complex and infeasible. History shows that negative actions should be condemned, not the technology itself.
  3. Encouraging open source development in AI can lead to a diverse range of models, efficient training, and easier detection and prevention of issues, benefitting all involved.

Three biggest productivity myths

10x your mind • 59 implied HN points • 09 Feb 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Work
  1. Having fun doesn't necessarily mean you're wasting time; it can also stimulate creativity and problem-solving.
  2. Merely staying busy without achieving tangible results is a form of 'fake work' that hinders productivity.
  3. True productivity lies in creating and sharing your work with others, not just getting lost in planning or research.

'Human intelligence'

imperfect offerings • 13 HN points • 10 Apr 24
🚌 Education Work
  1. The concept of 'artificial intelligence' has historically been used to define and value 'intelligence', leading to discriminatory practices in education and beyond.
  2. The term 'human intelligence' has been co-opted by the AI industry to alleviate concerns about job displacement, but in reality, it devalues certain types of work and people, especially those involving care and emotional labor.
  3. The comparison between artificial and human intelligence creates a double bind for students and workers, expecting them to conform to data-driven systems while also being 'more human', which can lead to confusion and anxiety.

ESSAY 9: VALUE, SOCIETY, MONEY & WORK

Engineering the Future • 39 implied HN points • 15 Jul 23
💼 Business Work
  1. Humans are hardwired to work for survival and growth.
  2. Capitalism incentivizes innovation and wealth creation but has flaws like valuing money over true value.
  3. Success in work is not just about hard work; it's about adding value, enjoying the process, and making money in a meaningful way.

The "be funny" experiment continues

Sex and the State • 13 implied HN points • 15 Aug 25
🎭️ Culture Work
  1. It's important to have fun with your work instead of grinding hard all the time. Finding joy can actually help you succeed.
  2. Making money doing what you love can be tough, especially when it's work that benefits society. It's frustrating that some easy money-making options seem less valuable.
  3. Rest and relaxation can feel irresponsible when you're not making enough money. Questioning old beliefs about work and success can lead to new, more enjoyable paths.

20251123

Curious futures (KGhosh) • 4 implied HN points • 23 Nov 25
🕹 Technology Work
  1. AI companions are becoming a central strategic battleground, and widespread control or influence over them will create huge social and intelligence advantages.
  2. Humanlike AI companions blur the line between code and emotion, shaping relationships and emotional labor while risking declines in critical thinking and changes in how people learn and connect.
  3. Wider tech and security trends — from gigification and data-labeling to sophisticated login-based attacks and drone threats — are creating economic and safety pressures that make horizon scanning, governance, and defense urgently needed.

What Next? Fifty Year Careers.

The Future Does Not Fit In The Containers Of The Past • 34 implied HN points • 09 Feb 25
💼 Business Work
  1. People are living longer, which means careers need to adapt and may last 50 to 60 years. This change requires a rethink on how we approach retirement and the 'next act' in our lives.
  2. Many people struggle with retirement because they find it hard to find purpose without their work. It's important to plan for meaning in life after the 9-to-5.
  3. To stay relevant in today's fast-changing world, we need to keep learning and upgrading our skills. Relying solely on past knowledge can lead to being left behind.

2024 Review

Ben’s Blog 🏉 🧠🧑‍💻 • 32 implied HN points • 01 Jan 25
🏥 Health & Wellness Work
  1. Being kind to yourself is really important. It helps you feel proud just for being you, not just for what you achieve.
  2. Self-compassion can improve personal growth. Accepting where you are in life brings a sense of peace.
  3. Taking a more relaxed approach to your career can lead to better results. Stop forcing things and let them happen naturally.

Life Is All About Work, Didn’t You Know?

antoniomelonio • 86 implied HN points • 13 Feb 24
📖 Philosophy Work
  1. Life involves a cycle of working to survive - from following specific rules in society to earning a living through predetermined means.
  2. Many find dissatisfaction in modern work due to its lack of purpose, fake elements, and inequality. Imagining a fulfilling work experience that is meaningful and valued.
  3. Existence is tied to being productive in a system driven by abstract concepts of growth, leading to disillusionment and a call for individual struggle for freedom and authentic living.

The Great Migration

Altered States of Monetary Consciousness • 85 implied HN points • 01 Feb 24
🚌 Education Work
  1. A new course called Economic Life 101 will be released soon in 8 installments for premium subscribers.
  2. The course is designed to cover various aspects of money and corporate surveillance capitalism.
  3. Paid subscribers will have access to the beta version of the course.

Perhaps You Should Quit Your High-Paying, Stressful Job

antoniomelonio • 77 implied HN points • 12 Mar 24
🎭️ Culture Work
  1. Consider reevaluating the pursuit of high-paying, stressful jobs and reflect on what truly brings happiness.
  2. Question the societal emphasis on material wealth and the concept of 'conspicuous consumption' as measures of success.
  3. Examine the value of work that contributes meaningfully to society, prioritize personal well-being over societal expectations, and explore simpler ways of living for greater happiness.

What I refuse to accept about work

Sex and the State • 16 implied HN points • 07 Feb 25
🎭️ Culture Work
  1. One big fear about work is worrying about how colleagues will react or judge. It can be tough to navigate relationships in a work setting.
  2. There's a focus on understanding what is being refused or pushed aside at work that might block personal happiness. Recognizing these barriers is important for personal growth.
  3. Engaging with feedback and comments from others can be challenging but is necessary for improvement and connection in the workplace. It's a sign of growth to respond and interact with others.

Gen Z and Financial Nihilism

Kyla’s Newsletter • 65 implied HN points • 13 Jul 23
🎭️ Culture Work
  1. Generational tensions are common as each new generation faces unique challenges and experiences, shaping their perspective and approach to work and life.
  2. Gen Z has been shaped by events like economic downturns, social media, and the pandemic, influencing their views on work, society, and relationships.
  3. The younger generation seeks greater freedoms in a world dominated by corporations, values passion and fulfillment in work, and navigates a culture of hyperindividualism and constant online connectivity.

ChatGPT & the Future of Work

The Future of Life • 19 implied HN points • 02 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Work
  1. AI is unlikely to replace jobs like programming. Instead, it's expected to assist and improve how programmers work.
  2. Everyone might have their own personal AI assistant in the future. This AI will help manage daily tasks like scheduling and information gathering.
  3. Instead of making workers obsolete, AI will enhance people's productivity and efficiency, especially in white-collar jobs.

Time, Culture & The Digital Age

The Digital Anthropologist • 19 implied HN points • 27 Jan 23
🎭️ Culture Work
  1. Humans and technology have always evolved together, impacting how we perceive and manage time.
  2. Historically, time management shifted with industrialization, affecting societal structures and workers' demands for fair hours and wages.
  3. In the Digital Age, time has become an economic unit tied to productivity, influencing work dynamics, laws about after-hours communication, and the rise of time-saving technologies like AI assistants.

What does Gen Z really think about work?

Kyla’s Newsletter • 60 implied HN points • 20 Apr 23
🎭️ Culture Work
  1. Expectations about work can be drastically different from reality, leading to disillusionment.
  2. Work in today's society can lack meaning and cause existential crises for many individuals.
  3. Storytelling plays a significant role in shaping perceptions and ideologies, influencing how we view various aspects of life.

New Week #116

New World Same Humans • 34 implied HN points • 18 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Work
  1. GPT-4 is a powerful AI tool that can perform various tasks like code writing and image reasoning
  2. The integration of GPT-4 into common software like Office 365 will lead to significant transformations in how knowledge and information are processed
  3. AI advancements challenge the role of human imagination, shifting focus towards creativity and human connection

Gradient Flow: Scalability, Privacy, and AutoML

Gradient Flow • 39 implied HN points • 21 May 20
🕹 Technology Work
  1. Improving performance and scalability of data science libraries is crucial in the field. Tools like Pandas and Apache Arrow are popular choices for data scientists.
  2. Homomorphic Encryption (HE) is a promising technique for privacy-preserving analytics. It allows computation on encrypted data without decryption, but requires additional techniques for complex real-time models.
  3. Virtual conferences are becoming more prominent, offering opportunities to learn about AutoML, data tools, and industry insights from experts globally.

Future Bites #4

Year 2049 • 17 implied HN points • 17 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Work
  1. GPT-4 is a powerful AI model that can process text and images, but has limitations
  2. Google and Microsoft are incorporating AI into their office apps, reshaping how we work
  3. The Netherlands transitioned into a biking-friendly country for public safety, health, and the environment

Gradient Flow #23: AI Liabilities, Data Quality, Robust Language Models

Gradient Flow • 19 implied HN points • 03 Dec 20
🕹 Technology Work
  1. Adversarial attacks in NLP models and computer vision models have been a growing concern, leading to research on generating defences and examples.
  2. Tools like the SDV library from MIT can generate synthetic data for testing various applications beyond just machine learning models.
  3. Companies and startups are increasingly addressing the importance of high-quality data through projects like Apache Griffin and Deequ.

20221217

Curious futures (KGhosh) • 8 implied HN points • 17 Dec 23
🔬 Science Work
  1. People's lives may need to change due to extreme climate conditions
  2. Advancements in technology like AI chips and ransomware attacks
  3. AI plays a significant role in various sectors like organizations, consulting, and DIY projects

Thoughts on Edmund Phelps and Mass Flourishing

The Permanent Problem • 6 implied HN points • 20 Feb 24
🚌 Education Work
  1. Edmund Phelps coined the term 'mass flourishing' to describe the benefits of capitalism bringing nonmaterial rewards through grassroots innovation and job satisfaction.
  2. Phelps and the author both agree on judging social systems by opportunities for fulfilling lives, but differ in their visions of human flourishing, values, and solutions for enhancing mass flourishing.
  3. Phelps emphasizes the importance of innovation for flourishing, while the author argues for a broader definition that includes projects, experiences, and relationships, and suggests a future where work-life balance is achieved through economic independence.

Deep Learning Platform, TinyML, Privacy ↔ Contact Tracing

Gradient Flow • 19 implied HN points • 07 May 20
🕹 Technology Work
  1. Deep learning models are being implemented in tiny devices with tools like TinyML for ultra-low-power systems.
  2. Distributed training for deep learning models is made simpler and cheaper with libraries like RaySGD.
  3. Technology like facial recognition for contact tracing can also raise concerns about privacy and mass surveillance.

All work is personal

Better After a Nap • 1 HN point • 20 Jun 23
🎭️ Culture Work
  1. 9/11 taught that work can become deeply personal during shared experiences.
  2. Building relationships at work can lead to lasting friendships and strong connections.
  3. Despite the challenges, remote work during the pandemic has shown that human interactions can make work personal.

Rabbit Holes 🕳 #33

Creative Destruction • 5 implied HN points • 17 May 23
🎭️ Culture Work
  1. Irritation can be a useful tool for reflection and insight, even if it feels annoying and inadequate.
  2. Quantitative aesthetics, focusing on numbers and stats, can overlook important aspects of life and inquiry.
  3. The decline in food diversity due to mass scaling and globalization poses risks to our food systems and resilience.

Déjame sin trabajo, psicodelia y pedofilia

Dr. Mario's patchwork • 0 implied HN points • 28 May 23
🎭️ Culture Work
  1. The content covers diverse topics like work dissatisfaction, psychedelics, and controversial themes like pedophilia.
  2. The author shared insights on their job dissatisfaction and mid-life crisis in a tech company.
  3. The newsletter also included summaries of book club readings, one on 'Ubik' and another on 'Lolita'.

GRANTED: Who to call Dr. and my least favorite buzzword

Granted • 0 implied HN points • 15 Dec 20
🚌 Education Work
  1. Some argue a woman with a doctorate shouldn't be called Dr., highlighting the issue of gender bias in titles
  2. Leaders should focus on employee well-being over buzzwords like employee engagement
  3. Tough love is a crucial skill for both leaders and parents, showing similarities in leadership and parenting

Work and Mental Health: Challenges and Opportunities

Psych • 0 implied HN points • 27 Jan 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Work
  1. Mental health issues are common in the workplace and have significant costs for individuals, employers, and society.
  2. The relationship between work and mental health is complex and requires more research and inclusive approaches.
  3. It's crucial to examine working conditions and their impact on mental disorders to promote mental health among workers.