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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
informative
slow-paced
I think this book is of its time, but certian elements are almost irrelevant now. Also it overlooks a lot of issues in the current world and places all blame on one or two issues. Lacking a holistic look I think.
I found this a fascinating book in the 21 essays. Of particular interest was Chapter 12 on Humility which is really on nationalism, and the silliness of claiming American Exceptionalism or any other sort of exceptionalism, something all nations have done and still do. The last chapter on Meditation is an interesting one especially when you add the ones on Religion, God and Meaning. It brings home that idea that no matter the distrust of conventional ideas about Religion, God and Meaning, that each person seems to find something beyond the material which they elevate and find meaning and edification through.
I think Harari is a fine mind, and good writer. this book was an easy read and one I'd recommend, as it is timely and insightful. Thanks.
I think Harari is a fine mind, and good writer. this book was an easy read and one I'd recommend, as it is timely and insightful. Thanks.
Some of my final reads of the year have been my best including this one. It really broke my mind open the way it needed to be.
After Sapiens, I found this book disappointing. The chapters weren't really "lessons". The first section of the book was quite sobering with the description how rapidly infotech and biotech are changing the world and the threats to humans (inequality, irrelevance for a substantial part of the population). The middle sections (Political Challenge/Despair and Hope) were muddied, mostly rambles about the trouble with nationalism and religions. The Truth section included interesting discussion on ignorance and the observation that propaganda and disinformation are nothing new. The last section (Resilience) makes the good point that education needs to change to help deal with too much information, but the Meaning chapter again becomes a rambling meander of the shortcoming of the stories told by religions/nationalism. The overarching recommendations seems to be to know oneself (to keep ahead of big data), and meditation can help.
Harari makes some interesting points & asks good questions but the delivery was just okay.
Harari makes some interesting points & asks good questions but the delivery was just okay.
This book will be interesting for those readers, who enjoyed the two previous books of the author and provides a quite overarching view on the world’s current affairs.
No review would ever be able to capture the extraordinary nature of this book - truly eye opening and a must read for everyone, so much information and many revelations in what feels like a very short space
Amazing. During reading I've changed my worldview at least 21 times and I enjoyed it!
This was not an easy read, by any means. But I got a lot out of it. Harari is infectiously practical so that he sets a calm tone no matter the subject.
He defines the problems more than he prescribes "lessons" to take away/do with his insight.
One clear directive is 'get to know yourself'. This is to prevent AI technology (in advertising & social media primarily, as of now) from manipulating you and to realize how we ourselves contribute to suffering in our own lives.
He defines the problems more than he prescribes "lessons" to take away/do with his insight.
One clear directive is 'get to know yourself'. This is to prevent AI technology (in advertising & social media primarily, as of now) from manipulating you and to realize how we ourselves contribute to suffering in our own lives.