Homo Deus by Yuval Harari

2024-07-20 3 min read Sincheenz

Homo Deus or Human Gods is a book that discusses what would follow us Homo sapiens as species and the consequences we should be prepared for. It’s an interesting, thought-provoking, and at times, an absurd read. Published in 2016, before the Covid-19 crisis, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and the recent intensification Israel-Palestine conflict, the book confirms the fragility and uncertainty of the world we live in. Yuval Harari claimed then less than a decade back, that the future will only focus on intellectual wars rather than armed conflicts. People would prioritize technological advancement over bombing each other. I wish that were true. We did enjoy a long period of peace, with conflicts concentrated in a few regions, but as of 2024, we cannot say this - Things have only gone from bad to crazy.

Historians, political analysts, and economic experts can only predict the future to a certain extent. Unfortunately, only the positive predictions are advertised. It’s not that they didn’t consider the possibility of war or a pandemic, but everyone prefers reassurance that everything will turn out great. The solution always lies in positivity.

There are things that I agree with. We, as Homo sapiens, are altering the natural course of evolution. We look for means to live longer, healthier, and have capabilities to ensure that our offspring are born healthier and more capable. The gap between the industrial nations and the developing countries might get smaller over a period of time. Political systems need to think beyond immediate capitalistic and political goals. Although a lot more can be done towards climate change and privacy policy, we have a long way to go. Unfortunately, given the situation in 2024, the fact that policies with such huge impacts are in the hands of a few not-so-far-thinking individuals and organizations is a scary thought. However, progress has been made in the last decade, and changes are happening. There is no denying this.

The chapter on why God is disappearing is very interesting, and one sentence I found amusing is: God needs us humans because if everyone stopped believing in God, then there is no God anymore.

As to whether human and human skills will become redundant by 2050 is debatable. Some skills will diminish while new jobs will emerge, as has always been the case. But whether people will become obsolete and if machines and technology will take over is still not very convincing to me. One point that makes absolute sense is our tendency to over-depend on technology. How often do you actually read a map? We tend to follow navigation systems without verifying, leading to cases where people drive into lakes and sumps. Is it the fault of technology, or our choice to accept the convenience without questioning it?

The current training data of AI models are mostly from industrialized regions. Most of the outcomes are based on the studies conducted on the “WEIRD” group. If everyone were to give in to the technology without questioning it, will diversity be lost? Languages, skills, and customs are disappearing every decade. If we are heading towards homogeneity, it is a sad thing.

Our attention span is getting shorter and shorter, and our impatience is growing. More and more companies are focusing on providing us with this constant dopamine high. We have always sought convenience and ease, and that is what has driven us to make technological advances compared to the species around us.

The book tells you to be wary, to be aware of the things happening around you. To ask yourself if you know what you are getting yourself into. Nothing is free; it always comes with a hidden cost. Overall, a great book.