God didn’t create us. We simply evolved.
[PART 1]- Not critique, but a simple review on the book- Sapiens: A brief history of mankind.
We are Homo sapiens.
Yes, it’s important to remind yourself of that. After all, we are not the only species who have derived from our ancestor. In fact, we were never unique and separated from the rest of the animal kingdom, as we had always thought. Going back to 150,000 years, as the author has pointed out the humans were insignificant.
However, Homo sapiens has come a long way emerging as the most powerful, surpassing the Neanderthals and others reaching the top of the pyramid. The transition over the course of 70,000 years, especially the Cognitive ability has pushed our kind of species to the pinnacle.
But, for how long we will reign as the superior species, only time will tell…
The Cognitive revolution took place 70,000 years ago. It unleashed the potential of Homo sapiens like never before. They learned to interact, weave stories, form close relationships and cooperation.
Yuval Noah Harari, the author provides an insight into the life of the ancient humans. They were foragers; hunting, gathering and wandering. Supported by simple examples, he writes how foragers were far more skillful at an individual level. Their mental agility and physical dexterity were far more remarkable than its modern descendants. They had mastered the understanding of their own bodies and their surroundings to know which plant to eat and which insect to kill.
Sapiens: A brief history of Humankind is a terrific read so far. I think the way Mr. Harari has segregated the intense vast history of human evolution is amazing. His writing is lucid and easy to visualize.
For a 464-page book with a plethora of information to absorb, for my own convenience, I have divided the book in 2 parts to ponder upon it, understand each chapter in steps.
Initially, I thought I would be lost in some boring historical details. But, this historian has distilled the information in such a brilliant fashion that I couldn’t wander anywhere other than enjoy every bit of this book.
I believe to be able to break down a complex data in a vivid manner is not an easy job. An art in itself. It is quite skillful of Mr. Harari to make his work digestible and understandable.
I am sure any person who carry this notion that history is boring could pick up this book once for his own good.
While reading, certain thoughts came to my mind:
1. Can the modern human become smarter and skillful at an individual level just like the ancient forager?(We, modern humans, are superior when we work collectively. We depend on other person’s skills where we lack at an individual level. But, the ancient forager could light his own fire, hunt down his food, run as fast as the big cat and keep an acute sense of his environment.)
2. Can we ever, avoid death due to malnutrition/ deficiency or hunger by not depending on a particular type of crop or food? (Ancient foragers weren’t depended on a single type of food which saved them from hunger)
3. Mr. Harari gives an interesting piece of information. When Cognitive revolution happened, people started weaving stories, talk about things that didn’t exist. This has led to cooperation among people. Because that imaginary thing drives them and they believe in it. So, myth became an intrinsic part of everyone’s life.
Things like Religion, United Nations, Human Rights, Law are just the figments of our imaginations. Of course, these are the things that keep us sane. But, at the end of the day they have formed out of our imagination, our belief system.
A poignant information!
And, if things that drive us are fictions and if religion has not come from a higher soul. Then, some hundred years down the line, we might have new entities to drive our daily lives.
Because human minds will keep on evolving. Humans will keep creating complex stories that might lead to something new. Not to undermine, Artificial Intelligence is on its way.
Who knows the way Homo sapiens drove the Neanderthals to extinction some 30,000 years ago. There could be some species who might be undergoing some genetic mutation. They could be carrying superior genes and intelligence far wider and predominant that could wash us away completely.
Only time will tell…
To be continued…
