"Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind (Illustrated Edition) (Open History Series)" Reading Notes#
Author: Yuval Noah Harari
Reading Duration: 9 hours
These are the notes and excerpts I recorded while reading "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind (Illustrated Edition) (Open History Series)" on WeChat Reading.
Chapter 5 The Biggest Scam in History#
At first, they might stay for about four weeks to harvest wheat. After a generation, the quantity and area of wheat increased significantly, so they had to stay for five weeks, then six weeks, seven weeks, and finally, permanent villages were formed. Evidence of this settlement can be found throughout the Middle East, especially common in the Levant region. From 12,500 BC to 9,500 BC, the Levant had a flourishing Natufian culture, where the Natufians, as hunter-gatherers, lived off dozens of wild species but settled permanently in villages, spending most of their time diligently gathering and grinding various wild grains. They built stone houses and granaries to store food for emergencies and invented new tools, such as stone sickles to harvest wild wheat, and later invented stone pestles and mortars for grinding.
Thus, various efforts to make life easier brought endless troubles; and this was not the last time in history. Even today, it remains so. How many young college graduates dive into large corporations, engaging in various mentally and physically demanding jobs, vowing to work hard to make money so they can retire by 35 and pursue their true interests? But when they reach 35, they find themselves burdened with huge loans, paying for their children's tuition, maintaining a mansion in an upscale neighborhood, needing two cars per household, and feeling that life cannot be without fine wine and vacations abroad. What should they do? Will they drop everything and return to the wild to gather fruits and dig roots? Of course not; instead, they work even harder, continuing to exhaust themselves.
At first, they might stay for about four weeks to harvest wheat. After a generation, the quantity and area of wheat increased significantly, so they had to stay for five weeks, then six weeks, seven weeks, and finally, permanent villages were formed. Evidence of this settlement can be found throughout the Middle East, especially common in the Levant region. From 12,500 BC to 9,500 BC, the Levant had a flourishing Natufian culture, where the Natufians, as hunter-gatherers, lived off dozens of wild species but settled permanently in villages, spending most of their time diligently gathering and grinding various wild grains. They built stone houses and granaries to store food for emergencies and invented new tools, such as stone sickles to harvest wild wheat, and later invented stone pestles and mortars for grinding.
Thus, various efforts to make life easier brought endless troubles; and this was not the last time in history. Even today, it remains so. How many young college graduates dive into large corporations, engaging in various mentally and physically demanding jobs, vowing to work hard to make money so they can retire by 35 and pursue their true interests? But when they reach 35, they find themselves burdened with huge loans, paying for their children's tuition, maintaining a mansion in an upscale neighborhood, needing two cars per household, and feeling that life cannot be without fine wine and vacations abroad. What should they do? Will they drop everything and return to the wild to gather fruits and dig roots? Of course not; instead, they work even harder, continuing to exhaust themselves.
Chapter 6 Building the Pyramids#
Voltaire once said, "God is a concept by which we measure our pain."
"The bayonet can indeed do many things, but relying on it for peace of mind is not easy."
Romanticism tells us that in order to maximize our potential, we must accumulate diverse experiences. We must experience different emotions, try different relationships, taste different cuisines, and learn to appreciate different styles of music. One of the best ways to do this is to escape from daily life and work, away from familiar surroundings, to distant lands to personally "experience" different cultures, smells, foods, and norms. We constantly hear the myth of romanticism telling us, "That experience opened my eyes, and my whole life changed from then on."
Voltaire once said, "God is a concept by which we measure our pain."
"The bayonet can indeed do many things, but relying on it for peace of mind is not easy."
Romanticism tells us that in order to maximize our potential, we must accumulate diverse experiences. We must experience different emotions, try different relationships, taste different cuisines, and learn to appreciate different styles of music. One of the best ways to do this is to escape from daily life and work, away from familiar surroundings, to distant lands to personally "experience" different cultures, smells, foods, and norms. We constantly hear the myth of romanticism telling us, "That experience opened my eyes, and my whole life changed from then on."
Chapter 7 Memory Overload#
The writing of the Andean culture is vastly different from Sumerian writing, to the extent that many people do not even consider it a form of writing. These writings are not inscribed on clay tablets or paper but are represented by knots tied on various colored strings, known as "quipu." Each quipu text consists of many different colored strings, which may be made of wool or cotton. Several knots are tied at various positions on each string. A single quipu text may have hundreds of strings and thousands of knots. Through these different colors, strings, and knotting techniques, Andean culture could record a vast amount of numerical data, such as tax or property ownership data.
The writing of the Andean culture is vastly different from Sumerian writing, to the extent that many people do not even consider it a form of writing. These writings are not inscribed on clay tablets or paper but are represented by knots tied on various colored strings, known as "quipu." Each quipu text consists of many different colored strings, which may be made of wool or cotton. Several knots are tied at various positions on each string. A single quipu text may have hundreds of strings and thousands of knots. Through these different colors, strings, and knotting techniques, Andean culture could record a vast amount of numerical data, such as tax or property ownership data.
Chapter 8 History Has No Justice#
Such a vicious cycle can last for hundreds or even thousands of years, making a class system that originally formed from historical accidents deeply entrenched. Over time, unjust discrimination often only exacerbates rather than improves. The rich get richer, and the poor get poorer. Education leads to further education, while ignorance only breeds more ignorance. Past victims in history are likely to be victimized again. And past privileged individuals are likely to retain their privileges.
Such a vicious cycle can last for hundreds or even thousands of years, making a class system that originally formed from historical accidents deeply entrenched. Over time, unjust discrimination often only exacerbates rather than improves. The rich get richer, and the poor get poorer. Education leads to further education, while ignorance only breeds more ignorance. Past victims in history are likely to be victimized again. And past privileged individuals are likely to retain their privileges.
Chapter 9 The Direction of History#
However, what is united must eventually divide, and what is divided must eventually unite; this is an unchanging trend.
However, what is united must eventually divide, and what is divided must eventually unite; this is an unchanging trend.
Chapter 10 The Taste of Money#
Therefore, it can be said that money is a system of mutual trust, and not just any system: money is indeed the most universal and effective system of mutual trust in history.
Therefore, it can be said that money is a system of mutual trust, and not just any system: money is indeed the most universal and effective system of mutual trust in history.
Chapter 11 The Vision of Empires#
No one really knows how to solve the thorny issue of cultural legacies. Regardless of the approach taken, the first step is to recognize the complexity of this dilemma, understanding that history cannot simply be divided into good people and bad people. Of course, unless we are willing to admit that we often follow the path of the bad.
No one really knows how to solve the thorny issue of cultural legacies. Regardless of the approach taken, the first step is to recognize the complexity of this dilemma, understanding that history cannot simply be divided into good people and bad people. Of course, unless we are willing to admit that we often follow the path of the bad.
Chapter 15 The Marriage of Science and Empire#
The indigenous people of Tasmania faced even more tragic fates. They had lived in isolation for thousands of years, but within a century of Cook's arrival, they were exterminated, with no one spared, young or old. European colonizers initially targeted the most fertile and wealthy areas of the island, then even the wilderness was not spared, systematically killing all indigenous people. The few remaining were sent to a Protestant concentration camp, where well-meaning (but not particularly open-minded) missionaries gently tried to instill in them the lifestyle of the modern world. They wanted the Tasmanians to learn to read, write, and believe in Christianity, as well as practice various "useful skills," such as sewing and farming. But they refused to learn, becoming increasingly depressed, unwilling to reproduce, completely losing hope in life, and ultimately taking the only escape route from this scientific, progressive modern society: death.
The indigenous people of Tasmania faced even more tragic fates. They had lived in isolation for thousands of years, but within a century of Cook's arrival, they were exterminated, with no one spared, young or old. European colonizers initially targeted the most fertile and wealthy areas of the island, then even the wilderness was not spared, systematically killing all indigenous people. The few remaining were sent to a Protestant concentration camp, where well-meaning (but not particularly open-minded) missionaries gently tried to instill in them the lifestyle of the modern world. They wanted the Tasmanians to learn to read, write, and believe in Christianity, as well as practice various "useful skills," such as sewing and farming. But they refused to learn, becoming increasingly depressed, unwilling to reproduce, completely losing hope in life, and ultimately taking the only escape route from this scientific, progressive modern society: death.
Chapter 16 The Dogma of Capitalism#
It sounds like a huge Ponzi scheme, doesn't it? But if you think this is just a scam, then you could say the entire modern economy is just a scam. This is not a fraud; it is another astonishing manifestation of human imagination. What truly allows banks (and the entire economy) to survive and even thrive is our trust in the future. "Trust" is the only backing for the vast majority of money in the world.
In this new system, humanity developed the concept of "credit," which represents goods that do not yet exist and exist only in imagination. It is the concept of "credit" that allows us to prepay the future and shape the present. Behind this lies a fundamental assumption: that future resources will far exceed current resources; as long as we use future income to invest in the present, it will bring many new and wonderful business opportunities.
Business seems like a zero-sum game. After opening a bakery, it is indeed possible to make a profit, but it must be at the expense of the neighboring bakery's interests. If Venice thrives, it must be at the expense of Genoa's resources. If the King of England is rolling in wealth, it must be at the expense of the King of France's purse. The whole world is like a large pie, cut in various ways, but in any case, there is only one pie, and it cannot get bigger.
This is actually a lose-lose situation. Because credit is limited, it becomes increasingly difficult to raise funds for entrepreneurship. Because entrepreneurship stagnates, the economy will not grow. Because the economy does not grow, everyone believes that the economy cannot grow, and even those who actually have funds are unwilling to provide credit loans to others. Thus, the expectation of economic stagnation indeed leads to the result of economic stagnation.
Adam Smith proposed the following innovative argument: If the profits earned by landlords, weavers, or shoemakers exceed the basic needs for supporting a family, they will hire more assistants to further increase their profits. The higher the profits, the more assistants can be hired. Thus, it can be seen that the profits of private enterprises are the foundation of overall social wealth and prosperity.
However, Adam Smith explicitly stated: The foundation of all human wealth lies in the selfish desire to increase personal profits. This can be said to be the most revolutionary concept in human history, and it is not only from an economic perspective but also includes moral and political perspectives. He essentially tells us: Greed is good, and when we make ourselves better off, we not only benefit ourselves but also benefit others. "Self-interest" is "altruism."
Profits should be taken out and reinvested in production. In this way, more profits can be generated and reinvested in production, leading to more profits, creating a continuous cycle. Investments can be divided into many types: expanding factories, engaging in scientific research, developing new products. But regardless, the focus is on increasing output, converting it into more profits. In the new capitalist dogma, the most sacred first principle is: "The profits from production must be reinvested to increase output."
In recent years, we have seen banks and governments frantically printing money. Everyone is worried that an economic crisis will lead to stagnation and no growth, so they have conjured up trillions of dollars, euros, and yen out of thin air, creating a large amount of cheap credit in the financial system, hoping that scientists, technicians, and engineers can come up with groundbreaking inventions or discoveries to save the day before the economic bubble bursts. All hope rests on those in laboratories. Discoveries in biotechnology and nanotechnology could create entirely new industries, bringing huge profits that could offset the trillions of virtual numbers created by banks and governments since 2008. If the pace of the laboratories cannot keep up with the speed of the bubble bursting, the economic outlook will be very worrying.
Credit funds new discoveries, new discoveries bring colonies, colonies bring profits, profits establish trust, and trust translates into more credit.
It sounds like a huge Ponzi scheme, doesn't it? But if you think this is just a scam, then you could say the entire modern economy is just a scam. This is not a fraud; it is another astonishing manifestation of human imagination. What truly allows banks (and the entire economy) to survive and even thrive is our trust in the future. "Trust" is the only backing for the vast majority of money in the world.
In this new system, humanity developed the concept of "credit," which represents goods that do not yet exist and exist only in imagination. It is the concept of "credit" that allows us to prepay the future and shape the present. Behind this lies a fundamental assumption: that future resources will far exceed current resources; as long as we use future income to invest in the present, it will bring many new and wonderful business opportunities.
Business seems like a zero-sum game. After opening a bakery, it is indeed possible to make a profit, but it must be at the expense of the neighboring bakery's interests. If Venice thrives, it must be at the expense of Genoa's resources. If the King of England is rolling in wealth, it must be at the expense of the King of France's purse. The whole world is like a large pie, cut in various ways, but in any case, there is only one pie, and it cannot get bigger.
This is actually a lose-lose situation. Because credit is limited, it becomes increasingly difficult to raise funds for entrepreneurship. Because entrepreneurship stagnates, the economy will not grow. Because the economy does not grow, everyone believes that the economy cannot grow, and even those who actually have funds are unwilling to provide credit loans to others. Thus, the expectation of economic stagnation indeed leads to the result of economic stagnation.
Adam Smith proposed the following innovative argument: If the profits earned by landlords, weavers, or shoemakers exceed the basic needs for supporting a family, they will hire more assistants to further increase their profits. The higher the profits, the more assistants can be hired. Thus, it can be seen that the profits of private enterprises are the foundation of overall social wealth and prosperity.
However, Adam Smith explicitly stated: The foundation of all human wealth lies in the selfish desire to increase personal profits. This can be said to be the most revolutionary concept in human history, and it is not only from an economic perspective but also includes moral and political perspectives. He essentially tells us: Greed is good, and when we make ourselves better off, we not only benefit ourselves but also benefit others. "Self-interest" is "altruism."
Profits should be taken out and reinvested in production. In this way, more profits can be generated and reinvested in production, leading to more profits, creating a continuous cycle. Investments can be divided into many types: expanding factories, engaging in scientific research, developing new products. But regardless, the focus is on increasing output, converting it into more profits. In the new capitalist dogma, the most sacred first principle is: "The profits from production must be reinvested to increase output."
In recent years, we have seen banks and governments frantically printing money. Everyone is worried that an economic crisis will lead to stagnation and no growth, so they have conjured up trillions of dollars, euros, and yen out of thin air, creating a large amount of cheap credit in the financial system, hoping that scientists, technicians, and engineers can come up with groundbreaking inventions or discoveries to save the day before the economic bubble bursts. All hope rests on those in laboratories. Discoveries in biotechnology and nanotechnology could create entirely new industries, bringing huge profits that could offset the trillions of virtual numbers created by banks and governments since 2008. If the pace of the laboratories cannot keep up with the speed of the bubble bursting, the economic outlook will be very worrying.
Credit funds new discoveries, new discoveries bring colonies, colonies bring profits, profits establish trust, and trust translates into more credit.
Chapter 17 The Giant Wheels of Industry#
Before the Industrial Revolution, humanity's energy market relied almost entirely on plants. It was like living next to a reservoir with a capacity of 3,000 megajoules per year, trying to draw out as much water as possible. However, there is a clear total capacity. But during the Industrial Revolution, humanity discovered that the usable energy was not a reservoir but an entire ocean, with a capacity of possibly hundreds of billions of megajoules. All we needed was a better pump.
Before the Industrial Revolution, humanity's energy market relied almost entirely on plants. It was like living next to a reservoir with a capacity of 3,000 megajoules per year, trying to draw out as much water as possible. However, there is a clear total capacity. But during the Industrial Revolution, humanity discovered that the usable energy was not a reservoir but an entire ocean, with a capacity of possibly hundreds of billions of megajoules. All we needed was a better pump.
Chapter 19 Living Happily Ever After#
Thus, we must consider a possibility. Although humanity has made significant improvements in material conditions over the past two centuries, the collapse of families and social disarray may have caused the effects of both to cancel each other out. If this is true, people today may not be any happier than they were in 1800. Even the "freedom" we value so much today may be a reason for our unhappiness. Although we can choose our partners, friends, and neighbors, they can also choose to leave us. In modern society, everyone has unprecedented freedom to decide which path to take, but it also makes it increasingly difficult for us to truly keep our promises and remain committed. As a result, the cohesion of communities and families declines and disintegrates, leaving us feeling increasingly lonely.
Speaking of this biological theory, the essence is best captured by the famous New Age slogan: "Happiness comes from within." Money, social status, cosmetic surgery, mansions, and powerful positions do not bring you happiness. To achieve long-term happiness, one can only rely on serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin.
As Nietzsche said, as long as there is a reason to live, almost anything can be endured. Life is meaningful, and even in adversity, one can find joy; life is meaningless, and even in prosperity, one can feel like time drags on.
Rousseau's statement can be considered classic: "What I feel is good is good. What I feel is bad is bad."
DNA is like Satan, using fleeting pleasures as bait to make people submit.
According to Buddhism, most people place too much importance on their feelings, believing that pleasure equals happiness and unpleasant feelings equal suffering. Thus, humanity craves pleasure and seeks to avoid unpleasant feelings. However, this is a significant misunderstanding. The fact is that human subjective feelings have no substance or meaning. Subjective feelings are merely fleeting fluctuations, changing with every moment, like waves. Whether you feel pleasure or discomfort, whether you think life has meaning, these are just momentary fluctuations.
To escape suffering and attain happiness, one must understand that all subjective feelings are merely momentary fluctuations and stop pursuing any particular feeling. In this way, although one may feel pain, they no longer feel miserable; although one may feel pleasure, it no longer disturbs the peace of the mind. Thus, the mind becomes clear and free. The power of this mental tranquility is so strong that those who have spent their lives frantically pursuing pleasurable feelings can hardly imagine it. It is like someone who has stood on the beach for decades, always trying to catch the "good waves," hoping to keep them forever, while also trying to avoid certain "bad waves," wishing they would never come close. Day after day, this person stands on the beach in vain, exhausting themselves to the brink of madness. Finally, utterly exhausted, they collapse on the beach, allowing the waves to come and go freely. Suddenly, they realize how peaceful it is!
Buddhism advises us not only to stop pursuing external achievements but also to stop pursuing those pleasurable feelings.
Thus, we must consider a possibility. Although humanity has made significant improvements in material conditions over the past two centuries, the collapse of families and social disarray may have caused the effects of both to cancel each other out. If this is true, people today may not be any happier than they were in 1800. Even the "freedom" we value so much today may be a reason for our unhappiness. Although we can choose our partners, friends, and neighbors, they can also choose to leave us. In modern society, everyone has unprecedented freedom to decide which path to take, but it also makes it increasingly difficult for us to truly keep our promises and remain committed. As a result, the cohesion of communities and families declines and disintegrates, leaving us feeling increasingly lonely.
Speaking of this biological theory, the essence is best captured by the famous New Age slogan: "Happiness comes from within." Money, social status, cosmetic surgery, mansions, and powerful positions do not bring you happiness. To achieve long-term happiness, one can only rely on serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin.
As Nietzsche said, as long as there is a reason to live, almost anything can be endured. Life is meaningful, and even in adversity, one can find joy; life is meaningless, and even in prosperity, one can feel like time drags on.
Rousseau's statement can be considered classic: "What I feel is good is good. What I feel is bad is bad."
DNA is like Satan, using fleeting pleasures as bait to make people submit.
According to Buddhism, most people place too much importance on their feelings, believing that pleasure equals happiness and unpleasant feelings equal suffering. Thus, humanity craves pleasure and seeks to avoid unpleasant feelings. However, this is a significant misunderstanding. The fact is that human subjective feelings have no substance or meaning. Subjective feelings are merely fleeting fluctuations, changing with every moment, like waves. Whether you feel pleasure or discomfort, whether you think life has meaning, these are just momentary fluctuations.
To escape suffering and attain happiness, one must understand that all subjective feelings are merely momentary fluctuations and stop pursuing any particular feeling. In this way, although one may feel pain, they no longer feel miserable; although one may feel pleasure, it no longer disturbs the peace of the mind. Thus, the mind becomes clear and free. The power of this mental tranquility is so strong that those who have spent their lives frantically pursuing pleasurable feelings can hardly imagine it. It is like someone who has stood on the beach for decades, always trying to catch the "good waves," hoping to keep them forever, while also trying to avoid certain "bad waves," wishing they would never come close. Day after day, this person stands on the beach in vain, exhausting themselves to the brink of madness. Finally, utterly exhausted, they collapse on the beach, allowing the waves to come and go freely. Suddenly, they realize how peaceful it is!
Buddhism advises us not only to stop pursuing external achievements but also to stop pursuing those pleasurable feelings.
Chapter 20 The End of Homo Sapiens#
Biologists around the world are now fighting against the trend of intelligent design. Intelligent design opposes all that we learned in school about Darwinian evolution, believing that since life is so complex and diverse, there must be some creator who planned all the details of life from the beginning. Biologists may have been right about the past, but ironically, when it comes to the future, intelligent design may be correct.
There are three ways that intelligent design could replace natural selection: biological engineering, cyborg engineering, and inorganic life engineering.
Biologists around the world are now fighting against the trend of intelligent design. Intelligent design opposes all that we learned in school about Darwinian evolution, believing that since life is so complex and diverse, there must be some creator who planned all the details of life from the beginning. Biologists may have been right about the past, but ironically, when it comes to the future, intelligent design may be correct.
There are three ways that intelligent design could replace natural selection: biological engineering, cyborg engineering, and inorganic life engineering.
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