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Sapiens

a Brief History of Humankind
Feb 14, 2020carolwu96 rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
Harari divides world history into four sections: the Cognitive Revolution, the Agricultural Revolution, the Unification of Humankind, and the Scientific Revolution. These are roughly arranged in chronological order, but their effects overlap and still heavily influence us today. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ This is a horrendous oversimplification of his ideas but: ⁣⁣ 🍍The Cognitive Revolution allowed humans to believe in things that do not physically exist (myths, religions, government, money, etc) which encouraged us to work in bigger groups. Although humans are physically weak, we can hunt bigger animals and increase our population because we collaborate more. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ 🍍The Agricultural Revolution changed our diet for the worse but tied us to our lands, which further allowed social systems to evolve. We also began to heavily alter the surrounding environment to our benefit. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ 🍍 The Unification of Humankind through global trade systems, colonization and capitalism assimilated the lifestyles of distinct communities. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ 🍍 The Scientific Revolution started with a curious mindset that admitted ignorance and believed in progress. It was such a one that pushed European sailors to go “explore” and one that still powers our experiments today. Since capitalism pushes science to spur technological advances, our lives are also guided by such changes. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Harari not only delineates these revolutions but also consistently returns to two questions: ⁣⁣ 🐋 Where does the future of humankind lie?⁣⁣ 🐋 Did we actually increase human happiness through these revolutions? ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Unfortunately, these questions are very difficult to answer, and after evaluating both sides of the argument I just want to say that prospering as a species does not mean increased happiness for individuals, and vice versa. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Since the book’s publication, many of the ideas in this book have seeped into our daily thoughts and conversations, but it is still enlightening to read and understand the context behind them. An eloquent writer, Harari makes reading this book both an inspiration and a pleasure. ⁣ ⁣⁣ Highly recommended. For more book and movie reviews, visit me on Instagram @ RandomStuffIRead !