I’m literally amazed at the breadth of Harari’s knowledge and the number of mind-opening perspectives and insights he offers. Some of them challenged my deepest beliefs and made me reconsider them.
On the other hand, the book came to a disappointing close for me. His final chapter on Meditation did little for me to offer a path forward that would accommodate itself to his virtual demolition of so many of the belief systems that, in many ways, he properly presents as our own mentally constructed stories.
As I say, there were many mind-opening perspectives for me in the book: His illumination of the challenge that automation is going to provide to the number of meaningful jobs, the way this will impact everything from healthcare to truck drivers. The need to, in one way or the other, do a better job of providing support to allow everyone to cover their basic needs. The global challenge of nuclear proliferation and climate change which requires a global or near-global response. The degree to which we overestimate the impact of terrorism, though it’s hard to mention that with what’s just happened in Sri Lanka. (And Harari does note properly the altered dimension of the risk terrorism produced by nuclear capability.)
The chapters which I found most provocative and challenging were those on God and secularism. While Harari makes the irrefutable case that it would be a supreme mistake to assert that there is only one valid religion, and while he makes the irrefutable case that many bad things have been done in the name of religion alongside good ones (and I must say, he makes this case very compellingly for every religion, including his own, Judaism), and while he acknowledges that religious beliefs have been an impetus to leading countless millions to pursue what he properly describes as the secular ethical code—a code which “enshrines the values of truth, compassion, quality, freedom, courage and responsibility,”— I believe he underestimates the degree to which religious beliefs have made the pursuit and activation of these values a reality.
Harari notes that the degree to which “human violence” caused human deaths has dropped significantly in modern times from up to 15% of all deaths during early agricultural periods to, he asserts, 1% today. I personally believe that the pursuit of religious beliefs, as imperfect as that pursuit has been, may account for a significant portion of that reduction.
Related to this, there are two of Harari’s view that I believe, sadly, are in error. He asserts, referring to religious beliefs, that, “We do not really need such complex, long-term theories to find an actual basis for universal compassion.” He goes on to explain, writing that “Emotions such as greed, envy, anger, and hatred are very unpleasant.” My marginal note on this reads: “That’s not true for some, not always.”
In the same vein, he continues, “As the last few centuries have proved, we don’t need to invoke God’s name in order to lead a moral life. Secularism can provide us with all the values we need.” My marginal note here reads: “I’m not so sure.”
In fact, I’d go beyond that; I doubt it.
In theory, yes, if lived faithfully by virtually all, the secular values would carry the day. But they aren’t going to be lived that way, because humans aren’t built that way. I believe that properly founded religious beliefs, especially for me personally as expressed in the words of Jesus, can help us live these secular values which Harari properly celebrates. In fact, Harari acknowledges this at one point.
In the end, each of us comes back to try to decide how to live a meaningful, purposeful life. I’ve reached my age knowing that I like all of us occupy a sliver of time in an amazing, bountiful universe which we’ll never fully understand. I’ve come to believe that ultimately the difference we make will lie in whatever positive contribution we’ve been able to make to others in their journey of life, especially those we’re closest to, our family.
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