A review by merilyn_ohtla
Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow by Yuval Noah Harari

challenging dark informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

Yuval Noah Harari's sequel to his first book, "Sapiens," titled "Homo Deus," is undeniably one of the most thought-provoking reads I've encountered. It left me feeling a mix of fascination and trepidation, especially when contemplating my own personal future. "Homo Deus" delves into the historical progress of human connections and the quest for meaning in life. Harari explores what drives people to form large communities with shared values and how these values have evolved over time.

Throughout the book, Harari traces the shift from belief in unknown higher powers to the dominance of science and humanism, leading up to the present era of dataism. This progression raises critical questions about the essence of these values and their impact on society. In the final part of the book, Harari presents two potential paths for the future. The first path involves a select group of individuals elevating Homo sapiens into a superior being known as "homo deus." The second path suggests that humans will no longer occupy the pinnacle of creation, but rather become just a part of an immense data stream.

In the context of the rapidly advancing AI technology and the relentless accumulation of personal data by companies in the year 2023, it seems likely that our position at the top of the societal pyramid may be jeopardized. With our privacy eroding and limited control over the data collected about us, the future appears uncertain, and we may find ourselves descending from the apex to a place on par with other animals.