Sapiens by Harari - Enlightened and interesting viewpoint about history
Sapiens by Harari draws a big and beautiful picture about our history. It tells us how small and powerless we are as individuals by the flow of time.
Sapiens - A Brief History of Humankind, by Yuval Noah Harari. Image source: James Clear
Advancement
This book states a new and open view about our agricultural revolution. It discusses benefits of individuals and species. Sometimes, advantage of individuals does not mean advantage of species, and vice versa. Seeking for early advantages seems first beneficial. But after a long time (years or decades for individuals, many generations for species), those advantages would become huge disadvantages. Traps were activated, situation was accepted. There was no way to come back. That was a comfortable, easy-going and dangerous trap.
Agricultural revolution, the biggest trap in history. Image source: Stravaganza
Lesson learned
Before starting an improvement, as you may it is beneficial, try to think in long term. Whether it still be beneficial after many improvement round or not, or it will change into other forms? Usually re-evaluate first approach and solution, alter it, update it, look back, look forward. Never accept situation as it is. In many cases, acceptance of current situation, procrastination and lack of re-evaluation led to disasters. With a rational mind, we human should carefully think about easy movements in long term, for avoiding paying a huge price in the future.
Organization
All humans have the same origin. Nation and ethnicity difference are just imaginations. There are many things that only exist in our mind: human right, law, company and money. Their roles are to make large groups of people pursuing common targets, instead of fighting each other. Need to note that in some cases, such “common” target is not for majority of people, but only benefit a small elite, minority group. Humans are different from other animals that we can form and organize in large communities. After millenniums, we have religion, culture, governments and banks. What make us stronger and evolve is the ability to live, work and support each other.
Myths
There are some myths - which I mean unreal - should not publicly confirm or deny, even though you may know the truth. Keeping them secret and lie to the public would more beneficial for all of us. Religions, human rights and law are some of which Harari stated.
Our society is built on beliefs: God, honor, nation. People are persuaded to believe that rules come from these sources, not from other people. The purpose is quite clear: to make majority of people fit into structured societies. This method applied in many aspects of life: education, media, news, and lifestyle. The common belief method was made to secure and maintain society orders. In turn, these society orders enforce and consolidate its people’s mind.
A “real” natural rule (for example: gravity) never collapses. But an “imagined” natural rule (for example: social orders) is more vulnerable and easier to be replaced. People fight each other for these “imagined” rules, and discuss in peace the “real” ones.
There is no God, but don’t tell that to my servant, lest he murder me at night. - Voltaire
Image source: Fewer Lacunae
Myths in economics
This idea also applies in economics. Merchandisers make you think in the way that most benefit them, not you. They use advertisement, social media and marketing tools to do this. What you think may come from someone’s mind and for their interest. Not only that, they also tried and succeeded making you think that you though from inside yourself. They made you think that you are the supreme controller of your mind, your decision and your life. But you aren’t. They create societies that most financial benefit them. Societies that buy the most products and services from them; and give them not only money, but also labor, page view and personal data.
Image source: Pinterest
Benefit-oriented
Our belief is for satisfying our needs and making us feel comfortable. We believe in things that we want to believe and can get benefit from. We do not believe in things just because of the way they are.
There is a close relation between politics and economy. Between government, army, war, revolution and capital, money, job, food. People start a revolution or declare war when their government or companies (or both) do not satisfy their needs, or touch their money/food. People choose peace not because ethics or they love peace. Nowadays, people choose peace because cost of war is high and profit of winning is low.
Contradiction
Freedom and equality are two accepted basic human rights. But not many people know that these two rights contradicts each other. Equality is guaranteed by reducing freedom of more successful people. While maximizing freedom of everybody will bring inequality to unlucky ones. Politics history from 1789 to present full of attempts to solve this problem. And it seems not solved yet.
Image source: Flickr
However, contradictions have positive points. They are motivation of improvement and source of development. They encourage people to continue thinking, re-evaluating and criticizing. When something become stable, other questions will arise. A stable mind is the source of degeneration.
If you want to understand a person or country, looking at and trying to understand their internal contradictions is a good way.
Unification
Human history is a flow of unifications and separations. But starting from industrial era, unification has become the mainstream direction. Using religions, politics, and money, countries are affecting each other more than ever before. A “pure” original civilization seems no longer exist. So is “definitely” independent country. Despite of many countries are claiming so. Nowadays, there is no way to eliminate these effects without an isolation and collapse.