Homo sapiens

By Yuval Noah Harari

Main point:

In early stage, during the evolution process, human species were compounded of Homo sapiens, Homo
erectus, homo Neanderthal, homo floresiensis, homo solonesis, and homo ergaster, and homo rudolfensis.
Homo erectus survived the most in south Asia and Homo sapiens became the wisest of all because of their
analyzing and critical thinking capabilities. It is because of the brain they survive the most, leading other
species to oblivion. These species inhabited earth side by side for millennia. After cognitive revolution, species
began to fight for territories, mates, and resources thereby resulting in extinction of other five species, living
behind Homo sapiens.

During that era, earth was home to many species having a specific hierarchic order ordained by natural
selection. Homo sapiens without following the ordained order leap to the topmost order, becoming the apex.
This process fuels anxiety and enigma which human still suffer from, by killing competent species. This results
in extinction of many species even of their own ancestors. For which many blame natural calamities and
disasters.

Every individual needs communication forum to express his or her thought, convey order and manipulate
others. Humans were capable of communicating, which makes their onerous job even easier, which in turn
emboldens relations. All species were capable of communication but humans could outshine others by
exploiting them through stupendous ways: gossip, myth, belief. Gossip was the principle tool for manipulating
others as it was taken for granted as a myth, which in turn became belief. Belief became driving force for
terrorizing people to do according to the charlatan and was indoctrinated to next generation as a paragon.
Henceforth, belief latched up individuals which gave birth to a society, albeit the political system was weak.

Human’s society was consisted of about 100 peoples, having same belief kept them under same flag.
Although, they were scattered but still communicate with each other through trade and were mainly foragers.
Neanderthels evolved into sapiens which resulted in the former extinction as sapiens were able to made tools
and weapon specially fire. Now the foragers could cook raw meat and cereal and blended it with spices, which
made the taste delicious. As the forager band grew larger, they required order and statutes, alpha male
capable of ruling and maintain check and balance became the patriarch; patriarchy didn’t require competition
or combat between contestants rather it was on seniority basis mostly.

Foragers moved back and forth in different climes in order to subsist on different nutrients and which was a
balance diet for them. Annually migrating, their diet was conglomerate of everything vital for their body
making their physique stronger and stature. Presumably, ancient sapiens were stronger and had knowledge of
everything useful for time: mushrooms, animal’s skins, and flint in steel. There sexual patterns were also not
monogamous rather they were polygamous as a child was invariably sired by many men. Thus making the
group of foragers stronger as many man would look after the child, they sired.

Foragers settled down during agricultural revolution, the prowling hunter became naïve farmer facing
paramount problems. There whole life came to agriculture. If crop was good they would survive nevertheless
would be perished if famine broke out or draught made utter detrimental adversity. For farming and taming,
they needed extra hand to achieve the goal which in turn led to serfdom which eventually boiled down to
slavery. Such onerous vocation was difficult for new settlers because of lack of knowledge of weather as every
crop depend on rain and season. There whole life was transformed totally in discrepancy with hunter gatherer
style. Agricultural revolution made human work against their nature of genes, as limbs were auspicious for
running, crawling and scrambling, and was not atoned for bearing weight and settling down.

Consequently, the settler’s population augmented by manifolds thereby forming cities and civilization:
Babylon city, Mesopotamia civilization. For such huge mass of people mere patriarchy was of no use, without
statute such city couldn’t survive for long enough, therefore imperialism came in orbit. For such large cities at
the time which subsumed such larger population need constitution, judicial system, statute, healthcare system
and storing information, which was done by political system. Political system designed laws and orders in
accordance with cultural and traditional motifs. Political system was a web which helped empires and
civilization to blend different ethnicities and religions into single nationalism and subjugate subjects according
to their satisfaction and whims. Such Roman Empire which annexed different region but the peoples weaned
to be known as roman. Similarly, Muslim Empires is also reminiscent to Roman Empire.

Along with cognitive revolution, religion was also a strong belief which removed all barriers and made the
world imagined global empire as it built trust and harmony among peoples. In a eons, peoples believed in
religion of good and bad which was complimented with animism. They believed in supernatural force ailment
was considered gods curse and anger while in converse good time: better health and food was attributed to
god’s happiness, which in turn was determined by their deeds. While in Roman epoch, polytheism was
ubiquitous and each phenomenon was controlled by special god such as Thor who could unleash lightning on
Norse mythology and Zeus in Greek mythology. Religion was incontrovertible factor which latched up peoples
of different region, by abolishing regionalism. Theologists concurred on religion to be stupendous factor in
survival of such great Empires.

Polytheism was surrogated for monotheism by majority of people after arrival of Christianity and Islam. During
their heyday, many expeditions were sent to different parts of the world to preach religion of monotheism;
this feat incurred many difficulties and was used for the first time. In retrospect, Buddhism fared well while in
pinnacle but it was rather religion of peace which dictate that we should control our fantasies and craving as it
makes the person suffer more for his carvings. To avoid fighting, killing, promiscuous sex we ought to control
our inner self as it stoke the fire of cravings. In a nutshell, suffering arises from cravings.

Humanist religion linked to natural religion in utter different way which gave rise to racism thereby resulting in
global pandemic of civil wars. Relentlessly, people still practice racism without remorse. The liberal humanism,
socialist humanism and evolutionary humanism constituted humanist religion. Liberal humanism which
teaches voice of humanity arises from the inner core of human to resolve dilemmas and the self-thoughts
should be protected. Ostensibly, human is the principle pillar of society and should be respected for his
freedom of thought without second thought. Social humanism belief is about egalitarianism, believing in
equality as humanism is all about the survival of human species. Like liberal humanism, social humanism is
also revamped version of monotheism which actually ratified equality of all souls before god. The only sect
broken loose from belief of monotheism is evolutionary humanism. Evolutionary theory was propounded by
Nazi they thought of human species as capable of mutation and to prevent human evolution to subhuman,
they boasted how they are intelligent, capable and exalted one giving birth to racism.

Economy is the backbone of every empire and country, to make it stronger economist conjectured myriad
theory. Ancient ones gathered a lot of wealth spending on building pyramids and other luxuries but concept of
capitalism was new and unknown to many. The difference between capitalism and wealth is, capitalism
consist of money, goods and investment for production whilst wealth is tangible object which is unproductive.
After formation of banking system, medieval peoples espoused to it by building trust between customer and
consumer. Trust was the only cumber in transition to capitalism. Before which communism was famous but it
horribly failed to run country economy. Capitalism was either the only option statesman opted for or it was
beneficial and benevolent system. In contrast, there are still drawbacks of capitalism as it is totally dependent
on free market devoid of any constrains. Free market will eventually get mushroomed which could result in
dual economy and serfdom as in Europe in 18th century. As many people were procured as slave by European
to increase the productivity and eventually capital. As the productivity increased the only question of which
patron ponder was, ’who is going to buy product?’’. Economy is totally trust dependent because of peculiarity
of stock exchange.

On earth, earthlings face two chaotic systems which sound trivial but are of great essence. Level one chaos is
predictable by equations and instruments. Weather forecast is an epitome of such system. Conversely, Level
two is unpredictable as its course cannot be detected such stock exchange market, recession, and fiscal deficit.
So the free market has to face brunt of such chaos which in turn can default a country by bankrupting it. In a
nutshell, the history is not working to benefit human rather it increases the cravings of which peoples are still
suffering.

Prosperity and jubilancy of nation is not only determined by its economy rather inner stability also
contributes. Happiness of people is the correlation between objective condition and subjective expectations.
Development of country arouses lust and greed among the upper class, leading to infighting and civil wars
making the country recede into the oblivion. Similarly, according to game theory, the actions of one country
are counterfeited by their counter country in response to make power balance while people suffer. If one
country buys nuke the other will respond in-kind, similarly, if one gets ship the other will follow same pursuit.
This enigma led the countries to deprivation from education, quality health and stability.

An aphorism, ‘egoism is altruism’ is example of today’s world’s economy. According to Adam smith, in his
book the wealth of nation, nudge the point that as the productivity of an artisan, businessman or investor
increases he will hire more people to increase his productivity which in turn will benefits the lower echelon.
Thus, it transpires that the greed, self-interest and lust of inextricably and detour profits his worker without
despoiling others wealth. This theorem decentralizes capital to grass root level. Thus, it can be speculated that
cynicism of upper niche can prosper and lessen the incurring of lower class.

Human pacing revolution in economic strategies was stupendous which can’t be rivaled. From start there was
scarcity of even staple product and austerity was ubiquitous. Consumerism changed austere ethnic into more
product consumption. The dragged people into imagined communities as like and dislike made this
playground. Peoples having similar like and dislike became new imagined communities of consumerism. As a
coke can have fans from everywhere around the globe, it can be from Australia, Pakistan, etc. consumerism
breaks the regional barricades for instance if a vegetarian French female is propose by non-vegetarian French
male and a vegetarian German male, she will more like choose to marry vegetarian German.

Empire’s success and longevity can be attributed to its research and technological advancement. The first and
foremost advent was conversion of energy from one form to other to elicit power and harness it to reduce
time of production. The above mentioned principle was applied to engine. Harnessing power played a vital
role in empire economy, as the more power consuming empire has increased productivity buttressing its
economy. Power is infinite; one can say it dependent upon ignorance of people. The more ignorant the person
is the more curious he become. Ironically, curiosity deciphers mysteries by enhancing intrinsic brain
capabilities thereby acquiring knowledge which can be pioneered.

Knowledge is power but entangled in politics. This intermarriage between knowledge and politics sufficiently
affect our world both in terms of destruction and technological advancement. For knowledge, empirical
research is imperative for which funding is also of great essence which is controlled by statesman and can be
also frown upon. Researches which can increase country’s productivity, hence, embolden economy are most
likely to be patronage by elites. Manhattan project is Gilgamesh epitome: Nuclear bomb could change the
course of 2nd world war thereupon ratified by incumbent government.

Knowledge is based on ignorance to acquire more one should break stereotypes. During colonial era, most
expedition circumnavigated across in order to explore flora and fauna and study different terrains and their
crops as well. Researcher of Spaniard conquistador, after subjugating Aztec and Incus, studied most of that
plain. Similarly, Britain also sent expedition to India, consortium of soldiers and scientists, who studied terrain
as well as custom and tradition of colorful land. Henceforth, using their products to benefit themselves as
subcontinent has ample production of silk clothes. These all expeditions were to explore rather a curiosity of
what lay beyond the Atlantic Ocean.

The evolution by natural selection and survival of the fittest is superseded and surrogate by technological
evolution. The then era of modernization be adapted for those who are technologically advance and not
adamant, can adopt new things.