The most important issues facing the modern world are outlined in 21 Lessons for the 21st Century. The problem is that most people don’t have the luxury of time to thoroughly research these issues. However, when they overwhelm us, all those who did not take the time to think about these problems would be left behind. So, according to Yuval Noah Harari, this book can level the playing field by providing knowledge. He wants to encourage more individuals to participate in the discussion on the status of the human race. In this future, there will be a single global society and advanced artificial intelligence. The key is figuring out how we can address these issues in tandem with AI and one another.
Growthex Summary Point #1 : Disillusionment
The book’s introduction by Yuval Noah Harari discusses the disenchantment present in contemporary culture. Consider the political disenchantment experienced in several European nations. He contends that information overload is one of the causes of this disenchantment. The processing of facts, numbers, and equations by our minds is difficult. Because people think in tales, ideologies like fascism and communism might emerge as a result of political disappointment. You should use stories in your business operations, as you may infer from this. Make sure these tales are straightforward as well.
New kinds of tales featuring humans, superhumans, and artificial intelligence are possible in the future. Harari predicts that AI will advance in sophistication. He also thinks that AI-human hybrid superhumans will be developed in the near future. Harari still thinks that the liberal narrative we see today will triumph, despite the fact that the characters in our stories have changed.
Growthex Summary Point #2 : Work
The number of computers in the workplace will increase dramatically from what it is now. Computers will be more adaptable in the workplace as we gain a greater grasp of human emotions, needs, and preferences. Self-driving cars are the example given by Harari. He makes reference to a 2012 research from the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. According to this survey, drunk driving accounted for 31% of fatal collisions, as did speeding and inattentive driving, respectively. A self-driving automobile could prevent none of these collisions.
People frequently worry that AI might entirely replace us at work and eliminate our jobs. But according to Harari, this is not the case. He thinks AI will actually aid in the creation of new human jobs. Future workplaces will be dominated by those who are willing to collaborate with AI. Harari thinks that AI will enhance both automation and human inventiveness. For instance, judges in chess tournaments are constantly looking for signs that a competitor is receiving assistance from computers. When they perform especially inventive moves, it is simplest to tell whether someone is utilizing a computer aid to cheat.
As creativity is an indication of AI influence, we can thus anticipate that AI will have a significant impact on the creative arts.
The future is bright, as we can infer from everything that has happened. We should be excited about the potential of AI in the workplace rather than concerned. These tools can free us us from having to perform menial activities that no one wants to undertake, giving us more time to work on advancing civilization.
Growthex Summary Point #3 : Liberty
Elections, in Harari’s opinion, are more about how we feel than what we think. Democracies undoubtedly have shortcomings, yet most people still think they are superior than all other options. Big data and AI, according to Harari, could eventually rule the planet. There is no need for democratic elections if we can base judgements on facts when it comes to society, work, and education. Big data is already used in big business, warfare, and personal finance. Political decisions therefore appear to be the next logical step. To support this claim, Harari gives an example of how data has been exploited in conflict.
He claims that Israeli microphones, cameras, drones, and software constantly record Palestinian phone calls and social media posts. Algorithms are then used to analyse this data. The Israeli security forces are informed by these algorithms of probable threat hotspots. The approximately 2.5 million Palestinians that Israeli soldiers currently rule over would not exist without this massive data. This is an illustration of how big data facilitates human decision-making.
Growthex Summary Point #4 : Equality
Data is more easier to get than the things we currently use as examples. People can easily gain money that is not accessible to others thanks to land, machinery, and other resources. But data can travel at the speed of light and is available everywhere. Any number of copies are permitted. Therefore, determining the right way to control data ownership will be a future challenge. Big digital corporations are already facing difficulties in making the best choices about personal data, which has brought this issue to light.
Growthex Summary Point #5 : Community
Human connection and community are being negatively impacted by technology addiction. People who are separated by distance can now stay in touch thanks to the internet. For instance, the author describes how it is simple to communicate with his cousin in Switzerland. Without technology, he might quickly lose contact with this family member. Nevertheless, technology has harmed our closer ties to one another and our communities. The author argues that because they are both constantly staring at their iPhones, technology has made it more difficult for him to converse with his partner over breakfast.
Growthex Summary Point #6 : Civilization
Humanity has historically been split up into innumerable distinct civilizations. These civilizations would have only had a small number of members thousands of years ago. Harari contends that even if the number of independent civilizations has decreased over time, there will only be one global civilization in the future. We have already reached the point where we can communicate with practically everybody on the planet. Due to heightened competitiveness, people in this form of civilization will care more about their opponents than their spouses.
Growthex Summary Point #7 : National identity
Harari emphasises that there is a distinction between nationalism and benign patriotism. Your nation’s uniqueness should serve as the foundation for your patriotism (which is true of all countries). Problems develop when people start to think that their country is superior. The problem with nationalism is that its constrictive ideals permeate its adherents’ other worldviews. Harari gives the example of doubts about climate change. Rarely will a left-wing socialist tweet that climate change is a Chinese fabrication. The nationalist right virtually exclusively posts tweets of this nature. These nationalists would rather ignore the reality than cooperate with other nations to find a solution to a global issue.
Technology, in Harari’s opinion, has the power to address the problems it has fueled. He gives the example of meat raised in a lab. According to research, transportation alone cannot match the carbon emissions produced by animal agriculture. So, a substitute is required to combat climate change. This substitute could come from lab-produced beef. Although initially pricey, Harari adds that clean meat will likely become more affordable than butchered meat in ten years.
Harari also contends that if we wish to combat nationalism, our approach to politics needs to alter. The issue of national identity will never be addressed by national politics. Therefore, by global governance, we must globalise politics, science, and economics.
Growthex Summary Point #8 : Superstition
Harari discusses the three issues we confront in order to assist us comprehend the issue of religion in contemporary society:
- technical difficulties
- Policy issues
- Identity issues
Karl Marx had already claimed that religion doesn’t have anything to add to policy debates, as Harari reminds out. The author concurs and hence thinks that religious conflict is not a result of political decisions. Instead, it seems to be a confluence of identification and technical issues. However, religion permits even the slightest variations to have a big impact. For instance, the inclusion or omission of the phrases “and the son” in a creed caused a rift between Eastern Orthodox and Western Christians. Therefore, Harari thinks Freud might have been right when he said that religion involves a fixation with minute differences.
Growthex Summary Point #9 : Immigration
Harari begins by outlining the fundamental prerequisites needed for immigration to take place. There are three, and they are as follows:
The receiving nation accepts immigrants into its territory.
Immigrants are anticipated to adopt the customs and values of the host nation.
Eventually, if the immigrants integrate, they will be treated equally as citizens of the host nation.
According to Harari, a sizable majority of those who oppose immigration are not racists. Actually, they are cultivators. Most people who oppose immigration do so because they desire to preserve the culture that currently exists in their country. As an illustration, a large number of liberal minority will be able to immigrate to an intolerant country and be accepted by the host population. However, there will come a point where there will be enough liberal minorities to balance out the nation’s intolerance. We must acknowledge that those who oppose immigration may be more culturalisms than racists in order to comprehend them better.
Growthex Summary Point #10 : Terrorism
According to Harari, the overreaction to terrorism is a far greater threat than the actual act of terrorism. Though terrorists have only killed a few people, the political fallout from their actions can frighten billions. Since 9/11, just 50 individuals have died in the EU, 10 in the US, and 7 in China, according to the author. 7 million people die each year from air pollution and 25,000 people die from terrorism worldwide. Despite this distinction, terrorism generates much more anxiety and receives much more attention.
Therefore, Harari thinks that effective counter-terrorism should incorporate the following three factors rather than instilling fear in society:
- The government should ensure that its efforts to combat terror networks are largely covert.
- The media must be pressured to refrain from panic and excessive coverage of anything related to terrorism
- You and every other citizen must free your minds from the panic and keep in mind how rare terrorist acts are.
Growthex Summary Point #11 : War
Over the previous few decades, war has become much less frequent. Harari theorizes that this is partially caused by the shift in our culture from battling over resources to competing over knowledge. Wheat farms, gold mines, and oil fields were once obtained by fighting. Knowledge cannot be gained through force. Therefore, Harari predicts that rather than weapons and bombs, modern combat will be centered on information technology and biology.
Growthex Summary Point #12 : Humility
The best part of this chapter is how humble people are by nature. The propensity to aid the weak and needy has evolved in apes. Before the ancient Israelites were told to do the same by the Bible, they evolved these practices millions of years ago. Therefore, it is unnecessary to rely on religious texts or any other teachings to persuade society that it is important to display humility. Without religion, society will naturally display humility.
Growthex Summary Point #13 : God
Harari believes that morality can exist without a belief in God, expanding on his argument from chapter 12 in this regard. Morality is about lessening suffering, and this can be accomplished without having faith in a myth or tale. Once more, society does not need to believe in a strong God to be frightened into acting morally. Society will always shun individuals who act immorally since it is never beneficial in the long term. No one, for instance, wants to live in a culture where strangers are routinely murdered and sexually assaulted.
Growthex Summary Point #14 : Secularism
Secularism is the alternative to establishing a society based on religion. We must keep in mind the foundation of the secular code, says Harari:
- Truth
- Compassion \sEquality
- Freedom
- Courage \ Responsibility
Truth is by far the most crucial of these qualities. Harari thinks that the ideal we should strive towards is social reality. Instead of relying on faith, social reality is based on a commitment to current science. When we discover scientific breakthroughs, we also need to value the responsibilities of these discoveries. Instead than attributing these scientific discoveries to celestial guardians, consider them to be the result of human wisdom and compassion.
Adopting this secular strategy will put to the test the notion of hopelessly pleading for change. Society can actively bring about change rather than just hope for it.
Growthex Summary Point #15 : Ignorance
Humans make most of their decisions based on emotional reactions and quick cuts, just like animals do. However, in today’s society, emotions and heuristics are insufficient. The ability of humans to think collaboratively in large groups is essential for success in the modern world. This has made it possible for us to rely nearly entirely on the skills of others. This is referred to as the “knowledge illusions” by Steven Sloan and Philip Fern Bach. Finding the truth through individual experimentation is a waste of time given what we now know collectively. We would be better off remaining uninformed as individuals and building collective knowledge.
Growthex Summary Point #16 : Post-Truth
Today’s environment is rife with false information. Harari, however, is of the opinion that some form of fake news has existed for a very long time. He defines contemporary false news as 1,000 individuals for a month believing a fabrication. Harari defines religion as when a billion people continue to follow a false narrative for a thousand years.
Nevertheless, by examining religion, we can discover more about the influence of fiction. People can connect through fiction, which opens the door for widespread human cooperation. Therefore, we must start promoting sound science through fiction. For instance, a good science fiction film is significantly more valuable than a Science or Nature article.
Growthex Summary Point #17 : Science Fiction
Harari spends considerable time discussing science fiction in further detail after the previous chapter. According to him, it is the most significant artistic subgenre of the twenty-first century. However, the most well-known science fiction, such as The Matrix and Westworld, is not often extremely true. Therefore, science fiction ought to portray scientific truths more responsibly. Without accepting responsibility in this manner, we risk having a society where the majority of people are preoccupied with the wrong issues.
Harari thinks that science fiction’s worst mistake is to conflate intelligence and consciousness. He is not concerned about a conflict between humans and robots. Instead, he thinks there might be strife among a select group of superhuman elites.
Growthex Summary Point #18 : Education
In 2050, much of what kids learn today won’t matter. Teachers must cease saturating their kids with information instead of helping them learn how to process new information. Future adults will need to sort through all the useless data to get the pertinent information.
Experts in education are now urging schools to begin teaching what Harari refers to as the “four Cs”:
- critically analysing
- Communication and Collaboration
- Creativity
Growthex Summary Point #19 : Meaning
Harari uses Buddha’s teachings to explain the ambiguity of meaning. According to the Buddha, there are three fundamental universal realities:
- Everything is always evolving.
- Nothing has an eternal quality.
- There is never perfect satisfaction.
- According to the Buddha, life has no purpose because everything is constantly changing. However, this is not a problem. You don’t need to try to make meaning; doing so only leads to suffering.
Growthex Summary Point #20 : Meditation
Harari contends that our brains are the true source of our pain, supporting the claims of classical philosophers. In actuality, misery does not exist outside of minds in an objective sense. You can challenge your mind and gain a greater understanding of this world through meditation. The biggest mystery in the cosmos is your consciousness, which this aids you in concentrating on. Harari thinks we should understand our thoughts before the algorithms generate a match for us, thus meditation also gets us ready for the future.
A book that anticipates the future is 21 Lessons for the 21st Century. Many of the issues we have faced so far in the twenty-first century, in Harari’s opinion, can be resolved by technology. Nevertheless, if we are unable to incorporate new technology into our society, some problems may result from its progress. People are concerned about AI taking our employment, for instance. Instead, Harari contends that allowing AI in the workplace will eliminate menial chores that no one wants to undertake and free up human beings to work on more significant and exciting duties. This runs across the entire book, with each lesson taking a present problem into consideration and looking to the future for potential answers.
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