0A Substack Sabbatical
2024-11-19 •
The author discusses the concept of a sabbatical year, its history, and how it is applied to people. He shares his decision to take a sabbatical from writing weekly blog posts and his plans for the future.
About:
Étienne Fortier-Dubois is the author of 'Atlas of Wonders and Monsters', a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers. The publication explores various intriguing topics, as suggested by the phrase 'Hic sunt dracones, among other things.'
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0Living on the Periphery of the Empire
2024-11-05 •
The text discusses the author's experience growing up in Quebec, a French-speaking province of Canada, and the cultural tension between French and English. It also explores the historical context of the Roman Empire and the proces...
0Hopeful Monsters
2024-10-31 •
The author discusses the idea of rebranding his blog and changing its name to Hopeful Monsters. He explains the reasons behind the potential name change and the significance of the word 'monsters' in the context of his blog's cont...
0Karl Popper’s Theory of Evolution
2024-10-25 •
The text discusses Karl Popper's restatement of evolutionary theory, which is based on the idea that all living organisms are constantly engaged in problem-solving. It also explores the implications of Popper's theory of knowledge...
0Atlas of Links #1
2024-10-16 •
The blog post is a list of links to interesting internet content. The author discusses various topics, including a book from 1753, blogging contests, historical figures, computational kindness, and more. The post also includes a s...
0Histories of the Greater West
2024-10-10 •
The text discusses the origins of writing systems and their relationships to different cultures. It explores the idea of categorizing human cultures into different civilizational blocs based on their writing systems. The author al...
0Meta-Meta-Meta-Contrarian Woke
2024-10-03 •
The blog post discusses the concept of contrarianism and meta-contrarianism, and how it applies to social discourse and political movements. The author argues that it is important to be open to changing one's opinions as new infor...
0The Great Showdown!! History vs. Science Fiction
2024-09-26 •
The text is a fictional story about a showdown between History and Science Fiction to determine who is better at predicting the future. The fight is interrupted by the Superforecaster Sisters, who claim to be better at predicting ...
0Sacred Hydro
2024-09-19 •
The text discusses the history and significance of Hydro-Québec, a state-owned monopolistic organization that harnesses the strong currents of Quebec's remote rivers to create hydroelectric power. It delves into the company's role...
0Never Index Your Own Blog
2024-09-11 •
The blog post discusses the author's decision to index his own blog, despite the advice of a fictional character in a novel. The author reflects on the purpose of the index and the process of creating it, as well as the future of ...
0Joining Elicit
2024-09-05 •
The author discusses his transition from an external contractor to a full-time permanent employee at Elicit, a company that works on automating systematic reviews. He expresses his excitement about the new position and the alignme...
The text is a poetic prose about the author's experience with a Venus flytrap, exploring the concept of evil and the plant's predatory nature. The author describes the appearance and behavior of the Venus flytrap, reflecting on it...
The text discusses how humans determine what is good and how they agree on it. It explores various methods, including intellectual theories, cultural influence, physical pleasure, and beauty. The author suggests that beauty is a h...
0Progress and Degrowth in the Rock Opera ‘Starmania’
2024-08-15 •
The blog post discusses the rock opera 'Starmania' and its themes, characters, and political messages. It explores the plot, characters, and the political messages of the opera, and how it reflects the political and social concern...
0The Enduring Prestige of Belle Époque Institutions
2024-08-09 •
The text discusses the enduring prestige of Belle Époque institutions, focusing on the Olympic Games and other prestigious sports events, as well as international organizations and awards. The author explores the historical contex...
0The First Culture Warriors
2024-07-31 •
The blog post discusses the story of Akhenaten and how it relates to contemporary culture wars. It explores the concept of cancel culture and how it has been used throughout history. The author also delves into the legacy of cultu...
0Four Ages of the Olympic Ideal
2024-07-24 •
The text discusses the history of the Olympic Games, from the ancient Greek games to the modern Olympics. It explores the idealistic vision of Pierre de Coubertin and the controversies and challenges faced by the modern games, inc...
0Love More Than You Can Keep Track Of
2024-07-18 •
The post discusses the delight of seasonal foods and the cognitive limit of human memory. It compares the cognitive limit to the number of relationships one can maintain and suggests that loving someone means constantly re-discove...
0Mythical Wealth-Creation Machines
2024-07-12 •
The blog post discusses mythical artifacts that create infinite resources, such as the Sampo from Finnish mythology, the cornucopia from Greek legend, and the Akshaya Patra from Hindu epics. The author explores the popularity of t...
0Libertarianism With the Cultural Exception
2024-07-05 •
The author discusses his shift towards libertarianism and the moral implications of government actions. He introduces the concept of 'libertarianism with the cultural exception' and argues that culture should be treated differentl...
The text discusses the sun worship of Pharaoh Akhenaten and his wife Nefertiti, and their unique monotheistic sun cult. It also explores the reasons behind the shift in religious focus, the controversial reign of Akhenaten, and th...
0How to Win an ACX Book Review Contest
2024-06-20 •
The blog post discusses the Astral Codex Ten book review contest and provides a guide on how to win it. The author shares their experiences and insights on the contest, including the lack of strict rules, the importance of choosin...