21 lessons for the 21st century

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21 Lessons for the 21st Century is a non-fiction book published in 2018 by the Israeli historian Yuval Noah Harari . In this third book, aimed at a broad audience, Harari would like to offer clarification and enlightenment in the context of a “global agenda” with regard to important questions about current events and the immediate future of human societies: “What are the greatest challenges and opportunities today? What should we watch out for? What should we teach our children? "(P. 12)

Previous own publications and related reader reactions were included in the creation process of this work, according to Harari. The author justifies the far-reaching orientation and interpretation claim in his remarks with the pace of current change. Engineers have far less patience with philosophers - and investors even less. "If we don't know what to do with the power to manipulate life, market forces won't wait for a millennium to find an answer." (P. 17)

Chapter structure and content

Harari divided the 21 eponymous lessons into five parts of the book, each with its own heading:

Part I: The technological challenges (disillusionment - work - freedom - equality)

Part II: The Political Challenge (Community - Civilization - Nationalism - Religion - Immigration)

Part III: Despair and Hope (Terrorism - War - Humility - God - Secularism)

Part IV: Truth (Ignorance - Justice - Post-factual - Science-Fiction)

Part V: Resilience (Education - Meaning - Meditation)

disillusionment

The “ liberal narrative” that recently triumphed in the controversies with fascism and communism in the 20th century has lost its traction since the financial crisis of 2008 . (Pp. 23–25) The “twin revolution” in information and biotechnology , which has been driven by research and technology without a political mandate, is beyond the control of liberal-democratic systems. (P. 26 f.) Economic growth as a traditional liberal instrument for solving difficult social and political problems by “enlarging the cake” to satisfy general needs has become the cause of the ecological crisis. (39 f.) The chances of acceptance of any future political program depend on the fact that artificial intelligence (AI), big data and bioengineering can be integrated into “a new meaningful narrative”. (P. 42)

job

Machine learning and robotics , according to the general expectation, will change almost every profession “from yogurt production to yoga classes ”. (P. 43) Integrated computer networks will replace human individuals and intelligence in many areas, for example in vehicle control or in diagnosing and treating illnesses . (Pp. 47–49) Artificial intelligence will not only eliminate fields of employment, it will also create new ones: Drones make pilots in some cases superfluous, but require maintenance, remote control and data analysis. (P. 55 f.) The foreseeable “unprecedented technological and economic upheavals of the 21st century” must be absorbed by new social and economic models. It is more about satisfying basic human needs and protecting individual self-esteem than about maintaining jobs that are sometimes less attractive. An unconditional basic income , financed by taxing the richest and the big Internet companies, could serve this purpose as well as the monetary consideration of child-rearing work and many kinds of community service. (P. 66 f.)

freedom

In liberal-democratic societies, freedom has the highest priority as a value; the human rights associated with it. (P. 75) Free will and individual freedom of choice - which have long been in question - are marginalized in the digital revolution under the influence of big data algorithms. In this way, one's own spatial orientation is also dwindling, where navigation systems alone still indicate the direction. “The ability to find your way around is like a muscle - you have to use it or it disappears. The same applies to the ability to choose a spouse or occupation. ”(P. 87 f.) The digital surveillance that enables external control, in addition to all sorts of conveniences, opens up considerable dangers both on the part of the companies or banks using the data and on the part of a surveillance state that uses the digital Can use data material for the benefit of the citizens, for example to optimize health care, but also as a means of pressure against the citizens in order to maintain or consolidate a dictatorship. (Pp. 98–100 and 105)

equality

The increasing importance of biotechnology and artificial intelligence harbors the risk of a drastic worsening of social inequality, even in highly developed industrialized countries. While globalization, on the one hand, horizontally diminishes the importance of state borders, on the other hand, it promotes the vertical division of humanity into those who monopolize income “above” and those billions “below” who are left behind: “The richest one hundred people together own more than the poorest four billion. ”(p. 113 f.) The decisive factor for the distribution of wealth and power in the 21st century will be the possession of data that is being hoarded by data giants such as Google . (P. 117 f.) The regulation of data ownership is perhaps the most important current political issue of the future. (P. 121)

Community

Humans have lived for millions of years in intimate communities made up of a few dozen individuals; these small groups have been dissolving since the 19th and 20th centuries, which is accompanied by relative isolation. (P. 127) The opportunities associated with the massive availability of online communication media such as smartphones , which commercial companies such as Facebook use to promote and offer new forms of community building, are not suitable as a substitute for traditional community life and experience, because they let the human body as a holistic organism for sensory perception and impulse processing partially understrain and atrophy. "People who have become alienated from their bodies, senses, and physical environment can easily feel isolated and disoriented." (Pp. 128–131)

civilization

The thesis of the “clash of cultures” proves to be wrong in several respects: There is no analogy to biological processes for manifestations of social history. “In truth, European civilization is everything that Europeans make of it, just as Christianity is everything that Christians make of it, Islam is everything that Muslims make of it, and Judaism is everything that Jews make of it” (p. 136 –139) In contrast to animal species that never mix, in human history innumerable isolated tribes have merged into ever larger groups and civilizations that have become closer to one another. (P. 142 f.) A thousand years ago every culture had its own narrative of the universe, today scientists all over the world have the same ideas about matter, energy, time and space. (P. 153) The organization of the Olympic Games as a global event, which was canceled only three times in the 20th century for reasons of war, represents an “amazing global agreement”: “With all the national pride that people feel when their team wins a gold medal and theirs If the flag is hoisted, one can be far more proud of the fact that humanity is able to organize such an event. ”(Pp. 148–150)

nationalism

Nation-state associations and the identification and loyalty associated with them are relatively recent phenomena in human social life, a reaction to challenges that an individual tribe was unable to face. (P. 156 f.) The development of nuclear weapons and the mutual threat of nuclear annihilation first made it clear that global problems cannot be solved by national means. Only an “internationalist world order” helps to limit wars, if not to avoid them. (Pp. 157 and 159–162) The same applies to environmental protection and especially to the urgent limitation of global warming , the necessity of which, however, is perceived very differently or ambiguously from a national perspective. (Pp. 163–168) The dynamism of nation-state egoisms could also play a fatal role in the third major threat to human existence in the 21st century, the technological disruption driven by biotechnology and artificial intelligence , and possibly lead to new forms of existence, “the Completely break with the hominid model . ”(pp. 169–171) This can only be countered with a“ globalization of politics ”that is fed by regional and local impulses and initiatives. (P. 176)

religion

Traditional religions are largely irrelevant to technical and political problems and are of great importance for identification problems, but more as part of the problem, hardly as a potential solution. (P. 178) Although they represent “universal values” and claim “cosmic validity”, they currently serve “mainly as stooges of modern nationalism”, as in North Korea, Russia, Iran or Israel. (P. 190)

Immigration

Migration movements and requests for admission by people who are looking for work, security and a better future force the target societies of migrants to “deal with strangers, integrate them or get rid of them” - a burden that increases with the number of immigrants. (P. 192) Immigration advocates and opponents lead an often exaggerated, but basically justified argument about the conditions and the socially acceptable level of immigration. The extent of cultural diversity between the culture of origin and the host culture as well as the expected extent and speed of integration and assimilation of immigrants are important. (Pp. 196–200) The European Union , which is already dealing with the handling of cultural differences between its member states, can become a model example in questions of immigration policy and successful integration - in both success and failure. (P. 197 f. And 211 f.)

terrorism

Conventional terrorism , including the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 , has only acquired far-reaching importance through the overreaction of the states affected or threatened by it. The terrorist spectacle of violence stirs up fear in millions of people and triggers counter-reactions from the state to the point of invading other countries. Overreactions are usually a greater security threat than the terrorists themselves. (P. 219) Means of effective counter-terrorism are covert actions against terror networks , hysteria-free press coverage and rational individual risk calculation . (P. 224) A completely different threat situation would only arise if terrorists obtained weapons of mass destruction . (P. 228)

war

In contrast to earlier times, wars are now hardly promising or profitable, even for great powers. In addition to the risk of nuclear annihilation, there is also a threat of cyber war with incalculable paralysis or misdirection of important state and social functional areas. (P. 238) Due to human stupidity, even a future world war cannot be ruled out; the human tendency to self-destructive activities exists on an individual as well as on a collective level. (P. 240)

humility

The exclusive validity claims of religions are relativized in view of the hundreds of religions and sects that have been created in the course of human history. “People of all creeds would do well to take humility a little more seriously” (p. 261 f.)

God

The ideas of God are diverse and sometimes contradicting one another. On the one hand, it functions as an enigmatic and mysterious answer authority for unresolved questions in human existence, about which concrete cannot be said; from another side he is treated as a strict earthly legislator with extensive regulatory competence in all life contexts. (P. 263) However, moral behavior is not necessarily conditioned by religion, but can also be observed in all social mammals. (P. 267)

secularism

What is characteristic of a secular worldview or way of life is that truth is sought and found through observation and the establishment of facts and “is not based on mere belief” (p. 273) . Secularists reject traditional hierarchies and privileges . “Suffering is suffering, no matter who experiences it; and knowledge is knowledge, no matter who discovers it. ”(p. 275) Active action and assumption of responsibility are part of the model of secular people and their cosmopolitan concept of education. (Pp. 275–279) Non- dogmatic secular movements know that they are imperfect and are therefore content with gradual changes and relatively modest promises for the future. (P. 284)

Do not know

The special position of humans among the other living beings on earth is based on group-based thinking, which enables the collection and transfer of practical and theoretical knowledge from generation to generation. Individuals in today's society based on the division of labor, on the other hand, tend to overestimate their personal knowledge and are actually often dependent on the expertise of others. (P. 290) Group thinking, which on the one hand expands the individual horizon, leads in the rivalry and confrontation with other groups of people and their ways of thinking but also to shortening and falsifying the perspective, as can be found, for example, in political camp thinking. (P. 292) A distorted picture of the truth is particularly associated with the exercise of social and political power . "Because power means above all to change reality and not to see it as it is." (P. 294)

justice

An individual lifestyle committed to justice does not only require a coherent set of values, but also an understanding of cause-effect relationships in an everyday life that is meanwhile co-determined by globalized economic and trade relations. (P. 298) Today's world economic system based on the division of labor means that “those who make no effort to know something can remain in a state of blissful ignorance and that it is quite difficult for those who strive for knowledge to To find out the truth ”(p. 299)

Post factual

The arbitrary, interest-based dissemination of factual assertions is perceived in its new manifestations as a serious evil, but it is a widely used propaganda tool in human history . (Pp. 307–309) Religions in particular have brought something very long-lasting into the world in this regard. (Pp. 310–313) The messages circulated by advertising in continuous loops also reflect a very unique truth and reality. (P. 316) It is up to the scientists of the various specialist disciplines to contribute to enlightenment in the social discourse. (P. 324)

Science fiction

The dominant position of people in the world is based on their special ability to cooperate; “And they can cooperate so well because they believe in fictions.” This explains the important role of poets, painters and playwrights. “People go to war and build cathedrals because they believe in God, and they believe in God because they have seen images of God and because they were fascinated by plays about God.” The same applies to the interaction of modern film- and pop industry with a capitalist way of life. “We believe that it makes us happy when we buy more and more things, because we have seen capitalist paradise with our own eyes on television.” Science fiction is perhaps the most important art form at the beginning of the 21st century But come closer to reality than the related filmmaking so far, so that the wrong ideas are not conveyed and a wrong awareness of the problem is generated. (P. 325 f.)

education

Developing an educational offer for the next generation that meets the challenges of the future is more difficult now than ever before, because the prospect of technological manipulation of body, brain and soul no longer makes anything seem safe. (P. 341) The endeavors of too many schools to cram their protégés with information are recognizably outdated. The 21st century offers - regardless of school - information in abundance. (P. 343) What is currently required, however, is the ability to interpret information, to distinguish between important and unimportant and to develop a realistic worldview from the information offered. "If this generation lacks a comprehensive idea of ​​the cosmos, the future of life will be decided at random." (P. 344) It will be of elementary importance in the future to deal with change. It's not just about new ideas and products, but also about the ability to keep reinventing yourself. (P. 345) Anyone who does not want to be dominated by the ubiquitous big data algorithms in the future will have to follow the old principle: Know yourself , thoroughly investigate in good time. (P. 352 f.)

sense

People usually tend to stay within the framework of a narrative or theory that makes sense to them. (P. 364) “A story that ignores almost all of time, all of space, the big bang , quantum physics and the evolution of life is at best a tiny part of the truth.” But because people quickly reach their limits with large numbers When their imagination arrives, they are usually content with what is easier to grasp. In order to gain meaning from life, it is enough for many to assume that you are leaving something lasting or helping others or giving or receiving love. (Pp. 365–368) Finding meaning is less tied to truth than to exercising a role within one's own socialization spectrum. (P. 369 f.) “The stories that provide us with meaning and identity are all fictional, but people have to believe in them.” (P. 371) Related rituals and sacrifices made for them serve to strengthen such belief . (Pp. 372–381) Access to “the truth about the universe, about the meaning of life and about one's own identity”, on the other hand, leads through the perception and exploration of suffering. "The big question that everyone faces is not: 'What is the meaning of life?' But rather: 'How do we end suffering?'" (Pp. 401 and 404)

meditation

A meditation directed towards the conscious perception of one's own body functions and signals , beginning with breathing in and out, can lead to deeper insights into the whole of life, into what holds life together. "The more consciously one perceives oneself, the more obvious it becomes that nothing lasts even from one moment to the next." Body, brain and spirit are in a constant process of change; and the flow of mind is closely linked to physical sensations. (Pp. 406–409) However, serious meditation requires the highest level of self-discipline. Calming the mind so far "that it can begin to perceive itself systematically and objectively" takes a long time, but it is a worthwhile effort, especially given the dubious future prospects. (P. 415)

reception

Commercial win

That translated into more than 50 languages book could just after publication in Germany in September 2018 among the top 10 non-fiction books on the mirror - bestseller place, reached in October 2nd and was conducted over 30 weeks in the Top 10th It was listed in 7th place in the most successful non-fiction books of 2018 and was therefore as successful as Homo Deus , the author's non-fiction book published the year before.

Contemporary criticism

Wolfgang Frindte , who reviews Harari's 21 lessons for socialnet.de , calls the book exciting and well-translated in the conclusion of his detailed review. The arguments are not new - as Harari's earlier publications already contain them - but his universal knowledge and the transdisciplinary bridges that he has created are impressive. The book is undoubtedly not lacking in readers, with the exception of those "who seek their salvation and the meaning of life in the post-factual, nationalism, fundamentalism or other messed up worldviews."

Sebastian Meißner certifies Harari in literaturkritik.de to ask the really big questions "as usual with powerful language". His factual knowledge made it possible for him to “create interesting and surprising connections, break up familiar thought patterns and look at things in a new light.” For the reader this is usually very illuminating and enriching. In some places, however, Harari became tiresome. “Some lines of thought remain crude, as entertaining as they may be.” But the author always finds his way back and ultimately to his goal.

Thorsten Jantschek said on Deutschlandfunk that there was "something really ingenious, how big and extensive the universal historian Yuval Noha Harari thinks". For the radical uncertainty of the present it is necessary to invent a new narrative for the future. In Harari's case, this essentially amounts to a secular attitude with a double obligation to search for truth and to compassion for the suffering of others - an “enlightened moral of compassion”. The problem with high-flyers like Harari is mostly the altitude. To the reviewer, the many positions that Harari discusses look like a woodcut: The “real complexity of discourses and positions” is barely visible. Harari himself sat on a great story, the epistemological Cartesianism , "against which at least half of modern philosophy has run storm".

For Christoph Bartmann in the Süddeutsche Zeitung , what Harari has to say is “neither entirely wrong nor uninteresting, but it is rarely new.” The author has disconnected from historiography without using other scientific methods and terms in their place would have stepped. Harari now acts as a "global suggestion box" for ordinary readers as well as for the political elite who like to show up with him. "Harari advises calmness, but only after he has made hell hot for us beforehand." In the purgatory of meditation, according to Bartmann, at the end of the day one can recover from the unreasonable demands of the 21st century.

Wolfgang Schneider calls Harari a virtuoso of the context in the Tagesspiegel . "With him, the most exhausted stimulating topics get a new, bold twist." He brings current topics into broad perspectives, for example the looming "age of dataism" with the worrying consequences for the elementary concepts of work , freedom and equality . Schneider sums it up: “These '21 lessons' bring skeptical and enlightened thinking up to date. Even if they don't make a big hit this time, they offer a witty reading pleasure. "

Claudia Mäder takes from Harari's 21 lessons for the Neue Zürcher Zeitung above all alarmism , "spread over 400 pages in tiring redundancy." The "shooting star" with the reputation of one of the most important contemporary intellectuals pretends to be an educator. Despite frequent drifting into platitudes , Harari is a gifted writer, telling vividly and clearly. However, he painfully misses historical thinking. Instead of fine analysis, he unfortunately prefers the broad arc. At least interesting thoughts and useful advice such as this: "If any question seems particularly important to you, try to read the relevant scientific literature."

Hans-Jürgen Jakobs sees Harari in the Handelsblatt as an influencer ("But influencers are also all those modern (pre-) thinkers who put thick books, live appearances and press articles in front of their social media presence") who is his audience in this book would like to help to an overview of a world that has fallen out of joint, "to a spiritual helicopter flight over a battered landscape that has long since lost its inner order." what people want to read ”. But it is anything but agreed and many scientists doubt whether the complex biochemical processes of the brain will really one day be simulated by software. In the question of the meaning of life raised, the problem is merely passed back to each individual by the author.

Elke Schmitter rated the book very positively in Spiegel magazine . She finds it ravishingly argued, with the author striking a good balance between horror and optimism.

theatre

Yael Ronen and Dimitrij Schaad had their piece (R) Evolution, which will be premiered in 2020 at the Thalia Theater in Hamburg . A guide to surviving in the 21st century. be inspired by the book.

Web links

References and comments

  1. ↑ "If we manage to tie a general economic safety net with strong communities and meaningful activities, the fact that we lose our work on algorithms could in fact prove to be a blessing." (P. 74)
  2. ↑ “And it could get worse. As already shown, the advance of artificial intelligence could undo the economic value of most people. At the same time, improvements in technology could make it possible to translate economic inequality into biological inequality. [...] If new treatments to extend life and improve physical and cognitive abilities prove to be costly, humanity could split into biological castes. ”(P. 114)
  3. ↑ "If Greeks and Germans cannot agree on a common purpose and if 500 million wealthy Europeans cannot take in a few million poor refugees, what chances do people have of overcoming the far deeper conflicts that plague our global civilization?" (P. 212)
  4. ↑ Global debates about climate change and artificial intelligence, for example, are having an impact on people all over the world, so that perspectives from everywhere must be taken into account. “But how is anyone supposed to do that? How can anyone understand the web of relationships between thousands of interwoven groups around the world? ”(P. 303)
  5. ↑ "Anyone who lives in any provincial town in Mexico and has a smartphone can spend several lives browsing Wikipedia, watching TED talks , and taking free online courses." (P. 343)
  6. ↑ “A very important requirement for avoiding suffering is to avoid illusions about ourselves. Including the illusion that our desires reflect a 'free will'. ”( Harari warns of future people without empathy. Die Zeit , September 18, 2018, accessed on April 28, 2020 .
  7. ^ Socialnet reviews, January 31, 2019
  8. ↑ book report bestseller archive. book report , accessed on August 26, 2019 .
  9. ↑ Wolfgang Frindte: Review of January 31, 2019 to: Yuval Noaḥ Harari: 21 lessons for the 21st century In: socialnet reviews; accessed on April 30, 2020.
  10. ↑ Sebastian Meißner: Who we are today. After the past and the future, Yuval Noah Harari dedicates himself to the present of man in “21 Lessons for the 21st Century”. In: literaturkritik.de No. 11, November 2019; accessed on April 30, 2020.
  11. ↑ Thorsten Jantschek : Small elite and a class of the useless. Deutschlandfunk , September 18, 2018, accessed April 30, 2020 .
  12. ^ Christoph Bartmann: Global suggestion box. Süddeutsche Zeitung , October 7, 2018, accessed April 30, 2020 .
  13. ↑ Wolfgang Schneider: Homo useless. Plea for a new universalism: Yuval Noah Harari gives "21 lessons for the 21st century". In: Der Tagesspiegel , October 14, 2019, p. 29. ( Online version; accessed April 30, 2020. )
  14. ↑ Claudia Mäder: From astute historian to omniscient educator. Neue Zürcher Zeitung , October 24, 2018, accessed on August 26, 2019 .
  15. ↑ Hans-Jürgen Jakobs : This history professor wants to explain the 21st century to us. Handelsblatt , September 20, 2018, accessed on April 28, 2020 .
  16. ↑ Elke Schmitter : For the bedside table of the presidents. Der Spiegel , September 29, 2018, accessed on August 26, 2019 .
  17. ↑ (R) evolution. Retrieved March 14, 2020 .