“Humans were always far better at inventing tools than using them wisely”. In this line alone Yuval Noah Harari directly points out our lack of being prepared for a vast and rapidly changing world. In 21 Lessons for the 21st Century, Harari’s fear and admiration of the advances appear to go hand in hand, such as the story of competing AI chess systems; one had been give millions of known chess moves, while the other was self-taught – I won’t ruin it and say which one won, but it was brilliantly eye-opening into the directions and possibilities of AI. The realms of technology also extend into ethical based questions; do you choose a self-drive car that avoids hitting two children but instead kills you? Or do you get the car that the kills two children so that you can live? And who will decide the answers to these ethical questions; the engineer who inputs the data? Or the shareholders that decide the production?
Prepare to have your mind fully engaged, as you’re led into tomorrow’s future through our actions of today. The issues unfolding with pages of informative lessons based both on the actions and deeds of the past, whilst being held in combination with philosophy-led discussions. The author, Yuval Noah Harari, striving at times to stay on both sides of the opposing viewpoints (though this isn’t always maintained). In twenty-one chapters (each one a lesson), the topics are divided into five overarching sections, making them more manageable chunks while interconnecting them to one another – although some connections work better than others.
There are at times phrasings within 21 Lessons for the 21st Century which troubled me, such as the viewpoints on intelligence with an example made of an illiterate maid being compared to Einstein and Dawkins, proving that though they may differ in intelligence all three have free will. But why such an example? Was the “average person” not available for comparison to two well-known and versed examples of genius? This viewpoint and others suggested intelligence being linked to knowledge and job status which troubled me – with many scientific arguments opposing such thoughts. Another troubling line was; ‘nobody’s life-dream is to be a cashier’, which seemed to be a downward comparison in job levels. However, I believe these were intended to be used as innocent examples, and were thankfully early in the book, and as the lessons progressed so too did they. In addition, the further the book delved into analysis the more stories there were on history and recent developments across cultures, which helped to ground each of Harari’s topics in information, and in doing so gave the reader something tangible to hold onto. These inserts were a joy to read and showed Harari’s strengths as a historian, whilst also allowing the brain a break from the bombardment of questions that lead one into another, until there are suddenly reams of them. Harari’s investigations highlighting humanities immediate or pressing future with posed questions and perspectives, leaving us to constantly ask ‘what if?’
Hundreds of interesting points (robotic wars, nuclear weapons, climate change, etc) are produced within just a handful of pages, which is a large enough achievement alone, but Harari also has the remarkable ability to change people’s perceptions to that of a different viewpoint. An example of this can be seen in the chapter ‘Post-truth,’ for is today’s problem of fake news – actually new? Or is it a repeated tale of storytelling; one that’s layered so heavily within our daily lives that we don’t even notice? Such as believing there is more to a sport than there is – convincing ourselves of an urgency so as to have a greater action. Or on a larger scale, the tales told in religion?
Some examples in 21 Lessons for the 21st Century stood out greater than others, such as the story of fox cubs – that as a group they will stop playing with those that are too rough so as to teach them a lesson, or the tale about a pygmy chimpanzee called Kidogo, who was cared for by the other pygmy chimps – these illustrative examples of ‘humility’ seeming more direct and to the point than those preceding it in the chapter.
On occasion Harari has inserted personal anecdotes to a chapter, giving the reader a more intimate viewpoint than those of news stories, experiments, hypotheticals and history. This self-inclusion also provides a greater sense of transparency and trust. In looking at the chapter ‘Meditation,’ Harari explains its power not as an overarching solution for the twenty-one issues discussed, but how he copes with the world – in stopping it from overwhelming him, and in bringing greater interconnection between body and mind. Of course Harari discusses the benefits of meditation, but in this he purposively makes multiple insertions of ‘I’ – making it clear it’s his thoughts, opinions and experiences, and that it’s not meant for everyone – even going so far as to personally state this.
It would be easy to see the 21 lessons as essays; there is no distinctly right or wrong, or one question and answer, but a multitude of how it ‘could’ mean…? It’s not until reaching the ‘Education’ chapter that you realise the author is directing you to think for yourself and to use the four C’s that he mentions; Critical thinking – each page stimulating in thought, and although Harari may start the topic, it’s up to you to question it further. Communication – hear its philosophical arguments and stories of the past, and more than anything talk to others about the points raised within the book. Collaboration – a working society of togetherness is hinted throughout, telling of its potential and power, but also how it can misdirect. Creativity – Harari encourages you to think, to find new solutions – and to do these using the first three C’s.
At the time the book was going to print the Cambridge Analytical Scandal hit, which by its inclusion suggests changes were quickly made. It also provides proof of Yuval Noah Harari’s pressing concerns for society to look closely at our fast-approaching future, and of a need to be adaptable. For the issues posed in this book may soon become headlined debates within law. 21 Lessons for the 21st Century, is not just a book to read now but to be kept safe for the future, for what will we make of it in 2050? The book’s creation forming a working time-capsule of thoughts and directions.
Other Notable Works by Yuval Noah Harari:
- Homo Deus: A History of Tomorrow 2016
- Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind 2011
Book Edition Information:
Publisher: Vintage (part of Penguin Random House)
ISBN: 9781784708283
Presented Edition: 2019 Paperback
Cover Painting: Marc Quinn from We Share Our Chemistry with the Stars series
Cover Design: Suzanne Dean
Background image courtesy of Amanda Marie on Unsplash
21 Lessons for the 21st Century by Yuval Noah Harari (2018)
“Humans were always far better at inventing tools than using them wisely”. In this line alone Yuval Noah Harari directly points out our lack of being prepared for a vast and rapidly changing world. In 21 Lessons for the 21st Century, Harari’s fear and admiration of the advances appear to go hand in hand, such as the story of competing AI chess systems; one had been give millions of known chess moves, while the other was self-taught – I won’t ruin it and say which one won, but it was brilliantly eye-opening into the directions and possibilities of AI. The realms of technology also extend into ethical based questions; do you choose a self-drive car that avoids hitting two children but instead kills you? Or do you get the car that the kills two children so that you can live? And who will decide the answers to these ethical questions; the engineer who inputs the data? Or the shareholders that decide the production?
Prepare to have your mind fully engaged, as you’re led into tomorrow’s future through our actions of today. The issues unfolding with pages of informative lessons based both on the actions and deeds of the past, whilst being held in combination with philosophy-led discussions. The author, Yuval Noah Harari, striving at times to stay on both sides of the opposing viewpoints (though this isn’t always maintained). In twenty-one chapters (each one a lesson), the topics are divided into five overarching sections, making them more manageable chunks while interconnecting them to one another – although some connections work better than others.
There are at times phrasings within 21 Lessons for the 21st Century which troubled me, such as the viewpoints on intelligence with an example made of an illiterate maid being compared to Einstein and Dawkins, proving that though they may differ in intelligence all three have free will. But why such an example? Was the “average person” not available for comparison to two well-known and versed examples of genius? This viewpoint and others suggested intelligence being linked to knowledge and job status which troubled me – with many scientific arguments opposing such thoughts. Another troubling line was; ‘nobody’s life-dream is to be a cashier’, which seemed to be a downward comparison in job levels. However, I believe these were intended to be used as innocent examples, and were thankfully early in the book, and as the lessons progressed so too did they. In addition, the further the book delved into analysis the more stories there were on history and recent developments across cultures, which helped to ground each of Harari’s topics in information, and in doing so gave the reader something tangible to hold onto. These inserts were a joy to read and showed Harari’s strengths as a historian, whilst also allowing the brain a break from the bombardment of questions that lead one into another, until there are suddenly reams of them. Harari’s investigations highlighting humanities immediate or pressing future with posed questions and perspectives, leaving us to constantly ask ‘what if?’
Hundreds of interesting points (robotic wars, nuclear weapons, climate change, etc) are produced within just a handful of pages, which is a large enough achievement alone, but Harari also has the remarkable ability to change people’s perceptions to that of a different viewpoint. An example of this can be seen in the chapter ‘Post-truth,’ for is today’s problem of fake news – actually new? Or is it a repeated tale of storytelling; one that’s layered so heavily within our daily lives that we don’t even notice? Such as believing there is more to a sport than there is – convincing ourselves of an urgency so as to have a greater action. Or on a larger scale, the tales told in religion?
Some examples in 21 Lessons for the 21st Century stood out greater than others, such as the story of fox cubs – that as a group they will stop playing with those that are too rough so as to teach them a lesson, or the tale about a pygmy chimpanzee called Kidogo, who was cared for by the other pygmy chimps – these illustrative examples of ‘humility’ seeming more direct and to the point than those preceding it in the chapter.
On occasion Harari has inserted personal anecdotes to a chapter, giving the reader a more intimate viewpoint than those of news stories, experiments, hypotheticals and history. This self-inclusion also provides a greater sense of transparency and trust. In looking at the chapter ‘Meditation,’ Harari explains its power not as an overarching solution for the twenty-one issues discussed, but how he copes with the world – in stopping it from overwhelming him, and in bringing greater interconnection between body and mind. Of course Harari discusses the benefits of meditation, but in this he purposively makes multiple insertions of ‘I’ – making it clear it’s his thoughts, opinions and experiences, and that it’s not meant for everyone – even going so far as to personally state this.
It would be easy to see the 21 lessons as essays; there is no distinctly right or wrong, or one question and answer, but a multitude of how it ‘could’ mean…? It’s not until reaching the ‘Education’ chapter that you realise the author is directing you to think for yourself and to use the four C’s that he mentions; Critical thinking – each page stimulating in thought, and although Harari may start the topic, it’s up to you to question it further. Communication – hear its philosophical arguments and stories of the past, and more than anything talk to others about the points raised within the book. Collaboration – a working society of togetherness is hinted throughout, telling of its potential and power, but also how it can misdirect. Creativity – Harari encourages you to think, to find new solutions – and to do these using the first three C’s.
At the time the book was going to print the Cambridge Analytical Scandal hit, which by its inclusion suggests changes were quickly made. It also provides proof of Yuval Noah Harari’s pressing concerns for society to look closely at our fast-approaching future, and of a need to be adaptable. For the issues posed in this book may soon become headlined debates within law. 21 Lessons for the 21st Century, is not just a book to read now but to be kept safe for the future, for what will we make of it in 2050? The book’s creation forming a working time-capsule of thoughts and directions.
Other Notable Works by Yuval Noah Harari:
Book Edition Information:
Publisher: Vintage (part of Penguin Random House)
ISBN: 9781784708283
Presented Edition: 2019 Paperback
Cover Painting: Marc Quinn from We Share Our Chemistry with the Stars series
Cover Design: Suzanne Dean
Background image courtesy of Amanda Marie on Unsplash
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