In this excerpt from our discussion, which is edited for length and clarity, we dig deep into Harari’s meditative practice and how it helps him see the stories humanity tells itself. But what I didn’t expect was how central his consistent practice of Vipassana meditation - which includes a 60-day silent retreat each year - is to understanding the works of both history and futurism he produces.
Virtually everything Harari says in our conversation is fascinating. I’ve had one big question about him: What kind of mind creates a book like Sapiens? And now I know. I’ve wanted to talk to Harari since reading Sapiens. And it, too, is fantastically interesting. His new book, Homo Deus: a Brief History of Tomorrow, is about what comes next for humanity - and the threat our own intelligence and creative capacity poses to our future.
The Israeli historian’s mind-bending tour through the trump of Homo sapiens is a favorite of, among others, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and Barack Obama. They likely wouldn’t be satisfied until their $500,000 turned into $5 million, constantly reinvesting in promising ventures.Yuval Noah Harari’s first book, Sapiens, was an international sensation. They’d talk to their friends and family about what to “do” with their money, looking for investments that have potential. In the modern era, capitalism demands that you reinvest your wealth into economic growth through methods such as expanding a business, hiring employees, or investing in the stock market.įor example, if a capitalist made $500,000 today, they probably wouldn’t put it in the bank and leave it. Historically, kings and queens would either spend their money on extravagances, or store it away in chests, never to be touched. If you were a true capitalist, you’d likely choose to spend more time at work because you’d believe that money could solve any problems facing your family. Instead of promising riches in the afterlife, capitalism promises wealth on Earth at the expense of your personal life.įor example, if you had to choose between spending more time at your job or with your family, you’d have to make an ethical judgment about the importance of money. This demand for constant investment is the result of an ethical judgment: “Economic growth solves all problems.” This makes capitalism less of a science and more of a religion. The Religion of Free-Market Capitalismįree-market capitalism puts growth above all, even at the expense of relationships. One war was fought over theistic religion, while the other was fought over economic religion. In the 20th century, people fought and died over the debate between capitalism and communism. For example, people once fought and died over the debate between Catholicism versus Protestantism. While fewer people believe in the grandiose stories of theistic religions, perspectives on nationalism and economic theory now drive people’s actions. In the modern era, human beings still rely on religion to guide their perspective. In both situations, the person is led by strong beliefs that adhere to guidance created by a specific narrative. Similarly, a neo-Nazi may justify his hatred of minorities by using the words of Hitler as a guide. These structures create order, generate ethical perspectives, and allow for large-scale cooperation.įor example, an extremist Christian may justify his hatred of Muslims using the words of God as a guide. In this sense, “religion” can include scientific, economic, and socio-political ideologies. In his conception, religion is an ideology, divine or otherwise, that creates ethics and laws within a human system. Yuval Noah Harari and ReligionĪccording to Yuval Noah Harari, religion doesn’t have to be based on the belief in celestial beings. Keep reading to learn about religion, as conceptualized by Yuval Noah Harari. Rather, religion is defined as an all-encompassing story that creates ethics and laws within a human structure. What is Yuval Noah Harari’s take on religion? How is his definition different from the conventional understanding of religion?Īccording to Yuval Noah Harari, religion doesn’t have to revolve around theology or the divine.
Like this article? Sign up for a free trial here. Shortform has the world's best summaries and analyses of books you should be reading. This article is an excerpt from the Shortform book guide to "Homo Deus" by Yuval Noah Harari.