21 Lessons for the 21st Century on Brotcast

Are we going to be irrelevant?

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000

If all visions of the future are essentially about technology, you start to wonder: What relevance would I still have for those who hold control over these technologies?

Inspired from:

Ordinary people may not understand artificial intelligence and biotechnology, but they can sense that the future is passing them by. In 1938 the condition of the common person in the USSR, Germany or the USA may have been grim, but he was constantly told that he was the most important thing in the world, and that he was the future (provided, of course, that he was an ‘ordinary person’ rather than a Jew or an African). He looked at the propaganda posters – which typically depicted coal miners, steelworkers and housewives in heroic poses – and saw himself there: ‘I am in that poster! I am the hero of the future!’ In 2018 the common person feels increasingly irrelevant. Lots of mysterious words are bandied around excitedly in TED talks, government think tanks and hi-tech conferences – globalisation, blockchain, genetic engineering, artificial intelligence, machine learning – and common people may well suspect that none of these words are about them. The liberal story was the story of ordinary people. How can it remain relevant to a world of cyborgs and networked algorithms? […] Perhaps in the twenty-first century populist revolts will be staged not against an economic elite that exploits people, but against an economic elite that does not need them any more. This may well be a losing battle. It is much harder to struggle against irrelevance than against exploitation.

Better at inventing

Sun, 20 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Inspired from:

Humans were always far better at inventing tools than using them wisely. It is easier to manipulate a river by building a dam across it than it is to predict all the complex consequences this will have for the wider ecological system.

— Yuval Noah Harari (21 Lessons for the 21st Century , Chapter 1: Disillusionment)

What's the global story of today?

Sat, 19 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000

In 1938 humans were offered three global stories to choose from: The fascist story, the communist story, and the liberal story. In 1968 just two of those remained. In 1998 a single story seemed to prevail. In 2018 we are down to zero.

Inspired from:

In 1938 humans were offered three global stories to choose from [: The fascist story, the communist story, and the liberal story)], in 1968 just two, in 1998 a single story seemed to prevail; in 2018 we are down to zero.

Humans think in stories

Fri, 18 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Inspired from:

Humans think in stories rather than in facts, numbers or equations, and the simpler the story, the better.

— Yuval Noah Harari (21 Lessons for the 21st Century , Chapter 1: Disillusionment)

The invisible hand

Thu, 17 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Inspired from:

Unless you are happy to entrust the future of life to the mercy of quarterly revenue reports, you need a clear idea what life is all about.

— Yuval Noah Harari (21 Lessons for the 21st Century , Introduction)

With strings attached

Wed, 16 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Careless self-trackers risk ending up like puppets: At some point the one holding their strings can not only register their every movement but also control them.

Inspired from:

A global world puts unprecedented pressure on our personal conduct and morality. Each of us is ensnared within numerous all-encompassing spider webs, which on the one hand restrict our movements, but at the same time transmit our tiniest jiggle to faraway destinations. Our daily routines influence the lives of people and animals halfway across the world, and some personal gestures can unexpectedly set the entire world ablaze.

Sorry but too busy

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Most of us cannot afford the luxury of thinking about global warming or the crisis of liberal democracy. And of those who could, most are too busy buying things they don’t need.

Inspired from:

Billions of us can hardly afford the luxury of [thinkink about global warming or the crisis of liberal democracy], because we have more pressing things to do: we have to go to work, take care of the kids, or look after elderly parents. Unfortunately, history gives no discounts. If the future of humanity is decided in your absence, because you are too busy feeding and clothing your kids – you and they will not be exempt from the consequences. This is very unfair; but who said history was fair?

Clarity is power

Mon, 14 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000

When autumn drowns you in its sea of fog you realize:

In a world deluged by irrelevant information, clarity is power.

— Yuval Noah Harari (21 Lessons for the 21st Century , Introduction)