Macroeconomics & financial crisesexplainer
How The Economic Machine Works by Ray Dalio
Principles by Ray Dalio
Documented HN sourceHN 19.0
Quick Take
HN repeatedly recommends it as the best layperson overview of debt, credit and economic cycles.
Politics & history (other)
Try to Rule Fairly and You'll Be Overthrown
CGP Grey · Discussed on HN from 2016 to 2025
Topics and ideas
- 01rules for rulers
- 02dictators handbook
- 03selectorate theory
CGP Grey's animated adaptation of The Dictator's Handbook, explaining how rulers stay in power by keeping a small group of key supporters happy rather than ruling fairly. It lays out selectorate theory and how resources shape regimes.
Read the notesSource context
Documented HN source
Video summary of The Dictator's Handbook on ruler incentives
“here's a great video, Rules for Rulers, which is basically a video TL;DR of "The Dictator's Handbook”Read the original HN comment
VladimirGolovin · 2016-12 · 15 recommenders across 15 months
Keep exploring
Information theory & signal processingexplainer
Documented HN sourceHN 18.5
Quick Take
HN's default recommendation for understanding the Fourier transform intuitively; many say it was the explanation that made it click.
Mechanical & precision engineeringexplainer
Around The Corner - How Differential Steering Works (1937)
US Auto Industry
Documented HN sourceHN 18.5
Quick Take
Held up as a marvel of pedagogy and the best explanation of differentials, recommended again and again.