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Decoding Material for Yuval Noah Harari (Patreon)

Published:
2024-03-19 01:07:36
Imported:
2026-06
Tags:

Content

Yuval is our next decoding episode and this is the material we settled on. Long-form, wide-ranging, and highlights Harari's strengths and weaknesses. I've listened and have a lot of thoughts and Matt will listen soon. We will record it sometime this week so if you want to play along here's the source material to work from.

Also, if you want to make us aware of any other material or points, please add in the comments below.

Files

Yuval Noah Harari: An Urgent Warning They Hope You Ignore. More War Is Coming!

If you enjoy hearing about the potential impact of AI on humanity, I recommend you check out my conversation with ex-Google office, Mo Gawdat which you can find here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bk-nQ7HF6k4 0:00 Intro 2:15 What Is Your Mission, and What Is Your Warning to the World? 07:58 Is This the End of Humanity as We Know It? 12:29 Connecting Computers to Human Brains 15:11 What Are Your Concerns About AI? 27:35 The Dangers of AI to the Financial System and Governments 37:56 Do Humans Have Free Will, and Will AI Take It from Us? 45:41 The Problems of AI Forging Relationships with Humans 52:42 Are We Happy? 55:42 Fighting Immortality and Its Consequences 01:00:00 Will Bioengineering Create Different Social Classes and Types of People? 01:06:30 Will AI Take Over Our Jobs? 01:12:06 What Should We Teach Our Children to Be Prepared for the Future? 01:14:29 We're Entering a Scary New Era. 01:19:31 What Should We Do to Stop/Change the Trajectory We're Heading Towards? 01:22:05 The Importance of Disconnecting from Information 01:27:10 What Media Corporations Want from You 01:30:16 We Need More Boredom in the World and Politics 01:36:49 Is There Hope for Humanity? 01:40:07 The Importance of History for Our Future 01:43:34 The Last Guest Question You can pre-order the 10th anniversary edition of ‘Sapiens’, here: https://bit.ly/48JVQ6c Follow Yuval: Twitter: https://bit.ly/3HdUxR7 Instagram: https://bit.ly/41WLbCT YouTube: https://bit.ly/3vyAwm0 Flight fund: https://flightfund.com/ Get tickets to The Business & Life Speaking Tour: https://stevenbartlett.com/tour/ FOLLOW ► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steven/ Twitter: https://x.com/StevenBartlett?s=20 Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-bartlett-56986834/ Sponsors: Huel: https://try.huel.com/steven-bartlettEight Sleep: https://www.eightsleep.com/uk/steven/ CODE: STEVEN

Comments

William Carpenter

I hope you'll touch on this recent Twitter firestorm (widely misinterpreted, I know). "Take a human being, cut him open, look inside, you will find the heart, the kidneys, neurons, hormones, DNA, but you won’t find any rights."

Will

Not sure if Bartlett himself counts as a guru but he certainly has no qualms with platforming them. Have you guys considered decoding him?

Linda Sears

Could someone clarify for me who the interviewer is?

Trees

"One of the brightest minds on Planet Earth" Well then, I guess you must try to figure out what he's talking about.

Lee Kebum

A lot of claims from Yuval feel doubtful to me. He must have intimate knowledge about all parts of humanity to be able to speak about what trends are becoming more or less prevalent in so many areas of our existence. He is also a very good guesser of the future lol

Mark K

Here’s what ChatGPT 4 gave me: Yuval Noah Harari's work, particularly his books like *Sapiens* and *Homo Deus*, has garnered both widespread acclaim and significant criticism. Here are some of the major criticisms from various sources: 1. **Factual Inaccuracies and Scientific Criticism**: Harari's work has been criticized for containing factual inaccuracies. For instance, *Current Affairs* highlights an error regarding the geographical distribution of cheetahs and chimpanzees and misrepresentations about the Waorani people's history and the role of state in reducing violence. It also mentions Harari's overly optimistic view on pandemics prior to the COVID-19 crisis, suggesting that his projections can sometimes miss the mark dramatically [oai_citation:1,The Dangerous Populist Science of Yuval Noah Harari ❧ Current Affairs](https://www.currentaffairs.org/2022/07/the-dangerous-populist-science-of-yuval-noah-harari). 2. **Philosophical and Ideological Bias**: The *Discovery Institute* criticizes Harari for presenting his own ideological biases as facts, especially his materialistic view of human history and the evolution of cognitive abilities as a matter of "pure chance." This critique focuses on Harari's naturalistic assumptions and his views on religion as an evolutionary tool for fostering group cooperation, arguing that these positions overlook the complexity and potential designed nature of religion [oai_citation:2,A Scientifically Weak and Ethically Uninspiring Vision of Human Origins: Review of Yuval Noah Harari’s Sapiens | Discovery Institute](https://www.discovery.org/a/review-of-yuval-noah-hararis-sapiens/). 3. **Intellectual Consistency and Approach**: An article from *Tablet Magazine* points out what it sees as a fatal inconsistency in Harari's work. It argues that Harari offers a grand narrative that undermines traditional narratives while failing to acknowledge his own narrative's subjective underpinnings. This critique raises questions about the intellectual and philosophical consistency of Harari's arguments, especially his views on artificial intelligence, knowledge, and human experience [oai_citation:3,A Fatal Inconsistency in the Work of Yuval Noah Harari - Tablet Magazine](https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/arts-letters/articles/yuval-noah-harari-campus-week). 4. **Relativism and the Dismissal of Human Concepts**: *Philosophy Now* argues that Harari's contention that many aspects of human society are mere "myths" — including human rights, ethical codes, and political systems — undermines his ability to effectively address anti-democratic threats. This critique suggests Harari's approach may lack a solid philosophical foundation to support the societal changes he advocates for, critiquing his relativistic stance on the objective validity of social and political principles [oai_citation:4,Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari | Issue 154 | Philosophy Now](https://philosophynow.org/issues/154/Sapiens_by_Yuval_Noah_Harari).

Lilydale

I’ll be interested to see how he is decoded! I’ve read one of his books and listened to him here and to me it all makes good sense.

Linda Sears

I have never read any of his books and only know of Harari from this interview, another interview I saw of him earlier this year, and what Matt and Chris talked about with his views about human rights being fictional, so I tried to come into this with an open mind. I really was not keen on the over-the-top begining of the episode because it creates more fear or anxiety than necessary, but that isn't Harari's fault. One thing that puzzles me is the whole idea of people's brains being directly connected to AI. Personally, I cannot imagine what it would be like to have access to constant information flooding my brain. I think I would self-destruct from overload/overstimulation. Not to mention, there are all kinds of privacy issues that come into play. As for the bulk of the interview, I didn't find much that he said to be objectional since I don't view him as predicting the future but just speculating on possibilities based on what we know right now, which is pretty much all we can do. I am probably biased since I'm a pessimist, which means I'd rather be aware of the potential dangers of any new technology than blindly walk into disasters. I really don't like the idea of us, especially the younger generation, being the guinea pigs that lead to the brighter future for people a hundred years from now. Anyway, I'm curious to hear your thoughts on this guru.

Christopher McLaughlin

I enjoyed the video. I think Harari speaks in a similar manner to a secular guru, but lacks the narcissism to build a nice cult following. Sapiens is a really easy read, so that was convenient, but then I read David Graeber and David Wengrow’s The Dawn of Everything and had to question everything I had just read in Sapiens. If only we had an anthropologist to turn to, too bad we’re stuck with a pair of psychologists. Just finished the Hassan Piker podcast. I’ve consumed a lot of leftist media over the last 20 years, and fuck if I’m gonna let that himbo be a representative for leftist Americans. This is the first time I’ve heard him speak and boy is he one dumb handsome guy! There are a lot of bright people on the left who I listen to: law/history academic Samuel Moyn, journalist Doug Henwood, intellectual historian Daniel Bessner and analyst Derek Davison, media theorist Douglas Rushkoff, historian Patrick Wyman, novelists like Kim Stanley Robinson, Iain M Banks, China Mieville, economist Steve Keen, and Friend of the Pod philosopher Natalie Wynn. To name just a few. Anyone looking for substance on the left check out these folks output, not goddamn Twitch. It’s embarrassing to be lumped in with Hassan Piker, he’s just a dumbass who loves anime, video games, and Mao.

Gaute Lund

I haven't watched video yet - just the first seconds. But I just want to throw this aspect out there, with so source material to back it up: We have the "AI doom" / transhumanist gurus, among whom Harari is perhaps an archbishop (and E. Musk the Jester). They have very much in common with old-school doomsday cult leaders: "Humankind is on a very dangerous path, not understanding what will happen. Doom is upon us in the near future. Behold, for I have insight: Only those that heed my call will have a chance, to go to Mars / merge with AI / etc. See how I know the only way to accomplish this (Mars, transhumanism etc.). See all my Followers who acknowledge my Genius and worship at my feet, feeding my Ego (which was already blown up beyond anything healthy)." Lots of other parallels can be pointed out. And to Christopher, I DO think Harari has more than enough narsissism to go around (even though neither me nor Christopher are his shrink and can't diagnose willy-nilly etc. etc.). He has a soft-spoken and almost frail appearance (hell, it seems if you sneeze on him too hard he will end up in a different time zone). Don't let that fool you.

Linda Sears

This recent interview includes many of the same ideas, but he does address the Israeli/Gaza conflict towards the end for those who may be interested. I watched it last night. In my opinion, the format is better than the Bartlett interview: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FWcJ8rTKtmw

alice

Harari is also a member of the S.N.Goenka vipassana movement, one of the cultier manifestations of the Buddhist modernism thing. It’s very culty if not a cult outright and definitely much more than the average Theravadan vipassana situation. They have centres around the world staffed by volunteers who have been made terrified of the outside world to one degree or another and all financed by donations extracted after 10 day silent retreats where all you hear is the leaders (Goenka) booming voice over the intercoms and videos of him in the evening telling you how to interpret your experience. At the end of the 10 day ‘course’ he hammers home how important to your own liberation from samsara the donating of your money and time to his organisation is, and so the centres have proliferated across the world. Harari dedicated Sapiens to S.N.Goenka and the themes of Buddhist modernism are weaved throughout his books, presented as self-evident truths