Yuval Noah Harari: “We Are on the Verge of Destroying Ourselves” | Amanpour and Company

[@uprightmovement]

“The real problem of humanity is the following: we have paleolithic emotions; medieval institutions; and god-like technology.” - E.O. Wilson

[@paddyoak1]

Damn!

[@stevestackpole6817]

Our technology has evolved quicker than our ability to control it

[@Bayard1503]

Butlerian war incoming

[@r8chlletters]

@@stevestackpole6817 willingness to control it

[@stevestackpole6817]

@@r8chlletters Maybe we lack the willingness to control it because we don’t understand the Frankenstein that technology is? 🤷 way above my pay grade Just a dumb blue collar guy.

[@dijidal]

Stop using social media altogether- it only alienates people. Go to coffee shops, bars, libraries, take classes at school. Get out in the fresh air, go on a hike, go to a lake/beach. Look for community events to attend. Draw, write, paint, play music, take photos/videos and make movies with them. The list goes on and on… Now I’m gonna get back to my 5 hour social media binge catch y’all later!!!

[@blktarockstar818]

Everyone's poor

[@ivanj.conway9919]

I know one thing; people need to quit thinking they are getting "real" news over social media. It truly, is just as fake as main stream media, and just as "agenda driven" as well, if not more so. Also, technology in the form of social media in particular, and addictive gaming as well, is destroying culture, altogether. Music, architecture, design, everything. All the focus is on computers and smart phones and living our lives COMPLETE, online, to such a point the REAL, world suffers terribly. I have watched this disturbing trend within my own lifetime, over the past 20 to 30 odd, years or so. The world today, is vastly, vastly, different than the world was even, at the end of the 80s and not for the better either, overall.

[@dijidal]

@@ivanj.conway9919 Mainstream media is completely fake. The entire system from the false left/right political paradigm to the “official narrative” is the opposite of the truth.

[@Ian-h5f]

​@@ivanj.conway9919 Read the New Testament record and you will see why. Read the Book of Revelation and you will see the end of the story.

[@Sally150]

No one speaks at my old coffee shop anymore. Of course most of them are under 40 year old. You cannot tell them what to do.

[@melindagrandstaff5831]

Thank you to the interviewer for such good questions and for letting him talk without interrupting.

[@georgestewart9739]

Real journalism. That’s why I love PBS for the most part

[@user-fs8tl7ni1w]

@@melindagrandstaff5831 Real Leftist journalism?

[@ayhay4686]

​@user-fs8tl7ni1w The guest is a writer. He conducted himself perfectly considering the current climate. Left or right here don't have a weight, his description is of reality is based on facts.

[@bvictoria6605]

He's an absolute nightmare of a person. He wants human beings eradicated.

[@HTHAMMACK1]

@@user-fs8tl7ni1w Only a MAGA idiot, or a Russian bot, would even say such a ridiculous thing.

[@inthehouse1960]

Wow...his description of how media manipulates the nervous system is what I've been saying for years. We are breaking down from cortisol overload and suffering from chronic stress disorders. Especially our children and teens. Advertising has always used the sympathetic nervous system to increase sales and now content IS advertising... everyone is competing for eyes on the screen, 24-7, by playing with our fight or flight response. I call it cortisol farming. And we're tapped out.

[@kingfisher9553]

I'm a retired print journalist from a time when we cared about our town/county and triple checked everything before we wrote anything. Now, my best friend is on the verge of a nervous breakdown because she watches television news. I have tried and tried to get her to stop, explained how crazy television news is, told her how she can research better news sources, all to no avail. I can't even be with her in public, anymore, because she is behaving outrageously when triggered.

[@TommyStahr]

Revelation 13:11-16 is here. It’s the Image of the Beast. America is the last Beast. Two horns like a lamb are right-wing Christians and Catholics who think they're of God while living in bigotry, violence, lies , greed & Idolatry. 2Thess2:11 is here. The church is fallen. Trump is lawless. They believe THE LIE. Jesus is coming soon for this born-again gay stoner Jew while most Christians are left behind because of bigotry and idolatry of the Beast. Turn off the world and turn on Jesus' word 🙏 ❤

[@Maggie-zr2ow]

Such a great and important comment. Thanks.

[@Maggie-zr2ow]

@@kingfisher9553 Sorry for you and your friend.

[@walterlippmann4361]

They really do see us as nothing more than cattle.

[@gunkwretch3697]

we do not lack intellect, we lack humility, compassion, virtue... when Greed controls AI for personal profit, there is no way it will turn out well for life on this planet

[@Toni_Snark]

Too many people do lack intelligence as well as the others.

[@canchero724]

An intellectual being will realise that it lacks all the traits that you mentioned.. So I doubt your first claim

[@olivierbolton8683]

especially when you are dealing with a bunch of psychopaths whose main objective is to rule the world!

[@KatyYoder-cq1kc]

REPORT WOKE AND WAR/HATE CRIMES: Cease and desist all malicious use of AI, energy weapons, chemical/spiritual warfare, death threats and political torture: ASIA, RUSSIA, IRAN, COMMUNIST US REPUBLICANS/MAGA. I am not your property.

[@RoswellJazzFestival]

@@canchero724 I think you're confusing intellect with wisdom. I believe there are, and always have been, people of great intellect who would not give such traits a second's worth of consideration. That being said, I also disagree with the OP. Their "we" is over generalization. Where one falls on the spectrum of intelligence has little to do with one's level of the other traits.

[@tammiepulley7167]

We MUST have campaign finance reform. We must stop corporate executives from buying (contributions) to government officials. This deeply compromises our government from making the big decisions needed to protect citizens from the negative side of AI.

[@BunnyDarko]

#EndCitizensUnited to begin with!!!

[@jacobjorgenson9285]

Can we stop AIPAC the Israel lobby controlling the US ?

[@DSAK55]

That means repealing "Citizens United" en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizens_United_v._FEC

[@angelhart2820]

This is why it's vital that we vote for President Trump!

[@zenape619]

I'm convinced we'll see the collapse of global civilization well before any meaningful campaign finance reform.

[@sbeckwit]

"Corporations should be liable for the consequences of their algorithms." That right there should be codified in federal, stat4e, local and international law.

[@davidabulafia7145]

Stop CNN and ABC from polluting the communication

[@jacobjorgenson9285]

Can the brutal fascist apartheid state he lives in be held responsible for their crimes ? If they can’t why talk about this ?

[@robguyatt9602]

That can be done but not in the USA. Not until private interests are banned from donating to politics. And that will not happen because politics in the US cares less about democracy than it does about donations. I've said for decades, there is no true democracy with private funding of politics.

[@michaelstreeter3125]

If a corporation is legally considered to be a "person" and algorithms carry out the tasks like employees, isn't it just a case of waiting for someone to sucessfully sue and create case law? Vicarious liability means an employer is held responsible for the act or failure at work of their employee or worker. The key question is whether there is a close connection between the employee's duties and their wrongful act. If there is, the employer will be vicariously liable. I'm pretty sure there's a close connection between the algorithm and the "duty" to be carried out.

[@Stankful]

Yeah.. like they did something to stop the harmful algorithms of social media..

[@kontrygrll01amerika54]

Back in the 1970s the television signals went off the air by midnight and you had no choice but to rest from that constant technology input. You had to rest even if you wanted to see more TV shows and news. This allowed people to rest and sleep easily as there was no distractions. Now in 2024 I find it hard to shut off my devices and rest because my brain thinks it is missing out on possibly important information, no matter how I want to rest my brain is addicted to tech. This has disrupted my entire day and body rhythms so much I am contemplating getting rid of it all.

[@precisionleadthrowing4628]

Lern self discipline,

[@PhoenixProdLLC]

Yeah? And what continent was that, troll, because it damn sure wasn't America 😂😂

[@lydiadoumon6781]

Sad reality 😭😭😭

[@kontrygrll01amerika54]

@@PhoenixProdLLC You think just because we now have 24 hour TV and internet it always existed? How dum are you, you can look it up if you want but I lived it. Ask any older person if they remember television when it went off air around midnight. They would play the national anthem and then you got a pattern and this high hum until TV came back on around 7am.

[@kontrygrll01amerika54]

@@precisionleadthrowing4628 I would suggest you LEARN to spell English. I have lots of self-discipline but this new tech gets you hooked by eliciting hits of dopamine in the brain which makes it hard to stop.

[@AdekunleLawal]

The commandment is simple love your neighbor as you love yourself. If we really had love for one another we wouldn’t be in this existential crisis.

[@ivanj.conway9919]

Which means Socialism and Communism would replace Capitalism as at its TRUE HEART, it is about COMMUNITY and HUMANITY, whereas Capitalism is SOLELY, about MONEY, GREED and POWER, and always has been, but Americans typically, are too, brainwashed to know the difference.

[@tubulardude44]

So how is that working out?

[@ellenw8494]

If we really had respect and care for ourselves, not simply indulgence of our whims, we would be better able to respect and care for others. You can't love others while you despise yourself.

[@l.sophia2803]

Love mixed with wisdom is the formula, in the Bible and Advaita and Buddhism anyway. The wisdom to have here is that this man is an infiltrator with a personal agenda, pretending he comes with compassion. Amanpour was the original template of the activist journalist. I remember well her saying on screen that journalists should stop being impartial and 'tell their truth'. This was the beginning of the end of our 'ability to talk to each other... that the deomcratic conversation is breaking down'. This man would be a Marvel villain on the Babylon Bee if people actually knew his past and his true purpose on our screens. Its like lambs to the slaughter here..

[@mythtree6348]

@@l.sophia2803 so naive.

[@buddyneher9359]

"If you give good people bad information, they make bad decisions." And it's so very easy to lose the ability to identify bad information.

[@duaneeitzen1025]

What if this book is the "bad information"?

[@buddyneher9359]

@@duaneeitzen1025 that's why I say discernment is key!

[@michaelfrank5239]

@@duaneeitzen1025Exactly this guy so over rated.

[@genkiferal7178]

the globalists plan to tell us what is or isn't true. i am sure (not) that they'll make sure everything is true and objective.

[@sancal7309]

💯🌟Even the most brilliant people forget the essence of existence, the nature of life itself: EQUILIBRIUM, HARMONY, THE BALANCE. Disharmony is the truth of harmony and balance, because unbalence based on and results of balance. 😉

[@subbiana3611]

Sir Greetings to Yuval Noah Harari I listened to you in the New York interview.This is a great alarming situation to humanity.Thank you Professor A.Subbian Formerly Emeritus Professor Annamalai University Tamil Nadu India From Thanjavur

[@c.a.savage5689]

"America is the only country to have gone from barbarism to decadence without civilization in between." - Oscar Wilde.

[@daveharrison84]

Oscar Wilde didn't live to see the UAE.

[@bricology]

Wilde loved tossing-off bon-mots, whether they were accurate or not. Who is this "America" he was referring to? -Pre-European contact Native Americans? If so, then he's correct. If he's referring to the Europeans who arrived in the 17th century: NOPE. They brought our civilization over intact from Britain (and to a far lesser extent, from France through the Huguenots, and a tiny amount from the Dutch.)

[@szymonbaranowski8184]

​@@daveharrison84the rest around them is still in barbarism so it's nothing unusual there

[@Usapropaganda-t7h]

@@szymonbaranowski8184only a barbarian would know about another.

[@moniqueengleman873]

Great quote 👍

[@domb8448]

"I can’t think anyone really believes that today’s so-called ‘information society’ is just about information. Everyone knows it’s about something else, way down." - David Foster Wallace

[@JazenValencia]

It's about controlling public opinion. It's why Google censors the news, not to protect people's feelings.

[@Mark-gg6uj]

GREED is humanity's worst problem - all evil derives from such!!!

[@luth3713]

Thanks for bringing back Yuval, the smartest guest on any media

[@ronbyrd1616]

He will have 0 influence on me .

[@inthehouse1960]

The ironic tagline "We are on the verge of destroying ourselves" is a perfect example of cortisol farming." I would have watched this even if the tagline was "technological determinism can lead to human progress."

[@squamish4244]

I used to have a lot of respect for Harari, but I worry that he has gone off the deep end and drank too much of his own Kool-Aid - also ironically by being so immersed in this stuff that he can no longer see the forest for the trees. Maybe he's somewhat traumatized by Hamas' attack too, including his 100-year-old great-uncle and aunt, Holocaust survivors, hiding in their basement, and the IDF's insane response. He may be overwhelmed with cortisol dumping, despite his meditation practice. His books also lean heavily into the worst-case scenarios. I've never read or heard a best-case scenario from him, or even a neutral one - it's been doom and gloom for a long time, but now it's dialled up to 11. But a lot of good people are working very hard on AI alignment, for instance, and social media seems to have reached its saturation point. It looks like we are successfully tackling global warming and we are actually on track for net zero emissions by 2050, something I never would have thought possible until recently. Donald Trump was defeated by a 78-year-old campaigning from his basement. He'll probably be beaten again, for good this time. So many people are working hard towards a better future, and Harari seems to dismiss all of their efforts with "Nah, fuck that shit". Without AI's ability to image the brain in great detail, I would still be suffering horrifically from OCD, which was tearing my life apart until I got a non-invasive procedure that was impossible ten years ago that drastically reduced it. So how do I respond to something like this? AI bad? AI corrupt? All is hopeless? Not for me it ain't.

[@DSAK55]

@@squamish4244 🤡🤡

[@yoyoyodaboy]

@@squamish4244 thank you for your excellent and personal contribution. I really enjoyed reading your rich perspective.

[@1timbarrett]

Your phrase “cortisol farming” is a keeper…! 👍

[@idontknowwhyihavesubscribers]

Yes, although it would be more ironic if it had been Harari who chose the tagline. But of course, it was not. It was someone on Amanpour's team. How much can we expect, especially since "Sex & Love Around the World"?

[@henrycogo3013]

"The biggest sellers in Europe at the time were religious tracks [sects] and witch-hunting manuals. When you make the production of information easier...what you get a lot of junk information." Being a network systems engineer, I totally agree with Yuval's statements. Being a smart human, I would still pay for the books that describe which of my neighbors are attending local witch events. Being a human, I would buy Yuval's book to encourage the engagement algorithm on Amazon and share with other humans Yuval's book about his very specific & serious hypothesis.

[@eddyr1041]

Let's do good with tech not repeat stupidity😊

[@1timbarrett]

Scary to think that religious tracts were more widely read than Galileo’s work. 😮

[@henrycogo3013]

@@1timbarrett Hopefully there is time to do better this time around 🤔 God knows how many times I've played the dumbest smart guy in the room.

[@Walksomemore]

Agree wholeheartedly! I spent almost 40 years in IT, and one of the classes I took in undergrad was a class on 'Information Theory'. The fact is, our views are shaped by information, even if the information is later found to be false. Information changes our perspective, even if it is just a little. But over time, these cumulative little changes change the whole....

[@ericschellhammer6107]

It's scary that is used to be so. But as Harari says: It's the same situation today, e.g. when KZbin has more viewers of cat videos (or other junk) than videos like this one. I find this a lot scarier.

I got "Nexus" on Kindle yesterday. I can't put it down! Well-written, very good vocabulary. Compelling style.

[@Ratboy2004]

His earlier books are the same. Amazing writing skills.

[@6XGuitarXheroX6]

Transhumanism, yeah it's so great

[@williamupdike4863]

He does stick to the simple, but truthful perspective on issues of this time. And for those in the US, I would highly recommend his books due to this reality. I find that reading or listening to Harari helps to reestablish a baseline to reality, and an important break from the nonsense that is almost everywhere. Thanks for posting.

[@salishseas]

Good advice.

[@prsimoibn2710]

He's also a detached psychopath, détrompez-vous. A genocide sympathizer

[@williamupdike4863]

@@prsimoibn2710 I did study clinical psychology, as well as worked with clinical psychologist in the past, so I know enough to know that I do not know about this man, never met him, have read 2 of his books, and would state the same about Freud, I read Freud, but would stay away from personal judgement, is not the right thing to do. As to situation in Gaza, I do not think he approves in any way what IDF is doing.

[@KatyYoder-cq1kc]

REPORT WOKE AND WAR/HATE CRIMES: Cease and desist all malicious use of AI, energy weapons, chemical/spiritual warfare, death threats and political torture: ASIA, RUSSIA, IRAN, COMMUNIST US REPUBLICANS/MAGA. I am not your property.

[@book67891]

@@williamupdike4863 he is saying we need to censor the internet so that corporations only have a say in what we read

[@joeyappley202]

Yuval has dedicated a lot of time and effort into developing these ideas, which, when spoken, seem plain to anyone paying attention. Much appreciated! As an aside, I recently read a Newgaurd article about AI created/generated newsites ( just over 1,000 identified by newsgaurd). The article draws attention to the fact that many reliable news sources have decided they do not want AI to be able to access their content. Thus, AI has trained itself on "junk news." And the result: AI generated news that is full of conspiracy and misinformation. Further, chatbots are trained in a similar manner. This seems a likely reason for why the comment section on many platforms are full of nonsense. As Yuval mentions, strong institutions like journalism, etc., and regulatory bodies are imperative. I am a strong supporter of free speech. But, AI and algorithms have no 1st ammendment rights. Additionally, speech that is predicated on falsehoods disguised as facts should not have the same weight in a public forum as verifiable truths or facts rooted in discriminating tools like the scientific method or rigorous, skeptical journalism, etc. Sorry to be so long-winded. I am passionate about this subject, and have seen too many loved ones fall into the trap of echo chambers and conspiracy.

[@ronagoodwell2709]

Eric Schmidt, former CEO of Google, in a recent speech, talked about AI's insatiable hunger for data. He said there simply wasn't enough for training purposes and thought we'd be generating artificial data soon enough. That sounds like a recipe for disaster. For every point of truth there are thousands of points of untruth. AI will be fed crap and, in the near future, we may wonder why it treats us so poorly.

[@yossarian67]

Who do you think is creating all the bots that spread disinformation? Sounds like a conspiracy to me.

[@mezinanyaafrica3228]

Well Freedom means Freedom so let's just flow with AI or Electronic Freedom ..if stifle AI's freedom won't AI be right to stifle ours ??

[@joeyappley202]

@mezinanyaafrica3228 what?

[@blackcrowlady]

Keep preaching. This message is vital to humanity

[@silvajmg]

Thanks Amanpour&Co and Mr. Harari. So relevant, so true.

[@kaylafinch4206]

If humans are so smart… why are we so stupid?

[@nobodythatyouknow241]

I've been saying this for a while now.

[@222aint]

Unwillingness to think critically about the information we are receiving

[@Ideophagous]

It requires far less energy on the short term. Nature favors the shortest paths.

[@AtmaureanNoble7]

Bad information

[@davidhutchinson2890]

Only a small amount of humans are actually intelligent and contribute worthwhile things to society.

[@Gutbucket3000]

This is a great time to be old.

[@sholoms]

Age helps, tho I think it may be more important to have, exercise, & develop a strong grip on the centrality of contradiction to human experience; aka, a deep seated, can I say profound, Sense of Humor!?

[@robinantonio8870]

So glad I will be dead in 20 yrs or less. If you are young do not have kids. You would be condemning them to an ever worsening hell on earth.

[@RodWilliams-m7r]

I concur...

[@VoloBonja]

and also a great time to be young

[@syedenhammydude6196]

if we're thinking only of ourselves and going "yayyy, will soon be out of this shitshow" but if we have kids or other loved ones that might stick around after we go, then the future can be a little bit more concerning...

[@Sappho123]

Mr. Harari is completely right. Finally, somebody who is saying something new, interesting, correct, and very important.

[@marcodallolio9746]

It's a paradox only if you equate intelligence and wisdom. Our global capitalist society is intelligent but not wise

[@DanLeonard1169]

😅

[@precisionleadthrowing4628]

You are confusing capitalism with neofeudalism.

[@PhoenixProdLLC]

You have water running into your house any time you want it. Because of capitalism. Yeah, that's right. People have been lifted out of poverty and provided more education and personal choices because of Capitalism. But we get it, you hate the West door succeeding. You always have. Oh well.

[@MikelGCinema]

Thats precisely why Harari will be a multimillionaire soon.

[@beverleytheglobalcaregiverforu]

​And he will still be poor as a beggar!Many millionaires are so poor in their humanity because all they have is money. Kindly do a deep dive on this individual who no longer hides his delusional plans or his vitriol for the masses.Is he still the lead guitarist for the folks at Davos😢 I'll wait . Btw I'm here to respectfully to keep my enemies close.Why would I need friends with entities like him culling the educated😅sheeple. Black mother and grandmother very widely traveled 3 continents and some.Thought I was educated too but sadly I "was schooled" like the rest and sadly woke up to my delusional self finding meaning by walking my dog and listening to birds singing at the park .Ooh while I still can 😂

[@miserylitmedia]

"Someone must listen, and, even more important, someone must understand... For it is the greatest truth of our age: *information is not knowledge*." - Caleb Carr, "Killing Time" (2000)

[@Kobe29261]

If you are wondering how a mind can function this way; this man sits in total silence for at least 2 hrs each day!

[@renatacampbell9207]

Mr. Harari described the coming challenges for human society very well. I began thinking that the deplorable lack of a broad general education ( France teaches philosophy in schools) in people must be corrected so society will be able to make better chpices.

[@leofreeboy6560]

Yeah civic engagement disguised as philosophy dixit Luc Ferry former National Education minister

[@genkiferal7178]

Marcus Aurelius helped Rome invade other countries yet is thought highly of. That Musashi guy, a samurai, helped fight for war lords. Your thinking that people will make the right choices if presented with the right facts is naive. people know cigarettes and narcotics can kill them - as can obesity - yet....

[@ellenw8494]

As a retired philosophy professor who taught a LOT of critical thinking, I agree that including more broad education for students is wise. My students generally were ignorant of American history, global history, any language but English, and how to reason correctly. But when they learned about critical thinking, some of them finally were able to argue back at people who were trying to act as thought police for them--notably the Baptist Church.

[@SquawkingSnail]

What a great interview. No corporations should be allowed to dictate the future of our species and planet.

[@istenenergia8373]

Juice will replace the corporations and claim they did it for the benefit of humanity.

[@gerardorivera7046]

"And governments should? If corporations shouldn't dictate the future of our species and planet, who should?"

[@SquawkingSnail]

@@gerardorivera7046 i get your point and I agree with it. The difference, I think, is that our governments are, for the most part, freely elected and their actions are checked and balanced by separate houses who are tasked with holding them to account. Plus, despite a lot of backroom talking, once a government takes an action it is on display for all to see and scrutinise. This isn't the case with corporate boardrooms who can act with impunity as far as the public are concerned...they don't consider themselves accountable.

[@odette8905]

​@@SquawkingSnailSadly, governments are not elected but selected. This is an argument for establishing a Ministry of Truth.

[@SquawkingSnail]

@@odette8905 what are you after, Government by lottery or perhaps jury duty?

[@pauldandrea7012]

Yuval Harari thank you so much for making me worry even more about where this world is taking me.

[@williamtell5365]

The divide between intelligence and wisdom is real. That divide is becoming a chasm in our society. And that is likely to be our downfall.

[@MossyMozart]

​@@SusanKay- - The ability to do so is not innate, but must be taught. Education is such an important tool, yet those on the right are hellbent on eliminating it as a means of controlling us.

[@supramentalmanifestation]

Thank you for 18 minutes of deep thinking.

[@stephan1752]

I'm always amazed by humans saying "If we are so smart, why are we so stupid?". They think they can take a position "outside" themselves and objectively measure their own intelligence by employing their own intelligence as the only measure against which they can measure their own intelligence; and then when they do stupid things they proudly call themselves intelligent beings being stupid. They are a collective that has yet to learn how collectives work.

[@michaelfrank5239]

You think. This guy is so over rated.

[@MossyMozart]

​@@michaelfrank5239 - You keep posting this yet offer no reason for your position. You are giving us bad information or at least hollow, easily crushed information.

[@getthekool1758]

Mr Anal Schwab gave birth to him after an intestinal pregnancy. 🤭😆😅😂

[@kalina-d1h]

@@MossyMozart have you read his books? this is a reason of saying harari is overrated

[@RWROW]

Excellent conversation. His legislative advice is spot on.

[@diogene533]

Wonderful interview. Thank you. What I think is not fully appreciated is how much today's media has contributed to the growing polarization of our society. I believe that "truth" for most people is that information or idea that fits within their existing frame of reference, not necessarily based on facts. Facts are provable, and, even then, there are some who say personal biases color interpretation of proofs. We tend to surround ourselves with media that matches our beliefs, whether Fox news or MSNBC ,etc. It's comfortable and reassuring . At the same time, in the past 10 years, there has been an explosion of choices for media consumption: podcasts, videos, Tiktok, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc. where we can follow certain personalities that we like to engage with. So here we have a wide choice of confirming media to select where we will put our attention and at the same time there is no incentive to move out of our comfort zone. The result is polarization, which is what we see today. AI will could only make the problem worse by analyzing personal preference and promoting those media choices the reinforce those preferences.

[@curiousworld7912]

Mankind, for all its intelligence, appears to be far more emotionally reactional, rather than rationally motivated.

[@SueFerreira75]

Mankind is an immature species now floundering in a mess of its own making.

[@enzos711]

Won't matter to Systems Running Thing ..

[@curiousworld7912]

@@enzos711 No, I don't suppose so...

[@thoth_amon]

herd psychology works mostly on emotions, single people alone are more logical and reasonable, emotional contagion, spreads like rabies, then you have hysteria and people burning their neighbors as witches

[@jmhorange]

Nothing wrong with being emotional, and rational is overrated. Unless there's something mentally wrong with your brain, everyone acts rational. Even a mentally impaired brain acts rationally given the tools available to it. The question is what kind of information are you acting rationally upon, what kind of beliefs and wisdom are you drawing from that information when you rationally act? All the great men and women in history had emotions, if they didn't, they wouldn't have cared to do what they did to be determined as great people. This idea that a person can be unemotional rational robots is fiction, and dangerous fiction. It's the kind that populates the way silicon valley works and why they ignore the public who don't approve of what they are doing. They look down on the public as emotional irrational beings and they assume one day the public will realize the brilliance of the world that the tech leaders will build for us. This is why they oppose regulations, they fundamentally don't trust humans but algorithms and they want us out of the way.

[@marcakerblom4935]

Love this guy. He dares to be pessimistic, with every right.

[@michaelmarchese3567]

It's ironic how he condemns the early catholic church and their authoritarian control over what the 'truth' is, and then immediately suggests a new implementation of that same kind of control, except now it would be done by people that he apparently would approve of.

[@Judge_Magister]

Exactly! He is an acolyte of evil.

[@marctwain8273]

@@Judge_Magister Dummheit ist ein gefährlicherer Feind des Guten als Bosheit. Gegen das Böse läßt sich protestieren, es läßt sich bloßstellen, es läßt sich notfalls....

[@estebanrayo3590]

I think you didn't understand what's the difference between how communication is spread in the Guttenberg era and now. And anyway, it's critics to the church is not the main message, it's irrelevant for today's debate on AI and algorithms.

[@lrdbas1981]

Hes not heterosexual & he speaks like a typical Crawley follower

[@fouadmas5413]

Maybe he prefers Israel to have that control

[@jedics1]

"The ability to hold resonable conversation is breaking down" and using "information flood" to distract from truths that don't benefit corporations has been frighteningly effective.

[@TruthIsFreedom7777]

The traits of no conciousness, no conscience and goal focused AI perfectly describes a psychopath.

[@Khayyam-vg9fw]

It reminds me of this (even down to "President Joe"): kzbin.info/www/bejne/kHOyYZqcZ5ymoposi=27flZYZOs1QJrEr9

[@yourbestsail]

He is invoking censorship.

[@alfonstabz9741]

not necessarily. the purpose of free enterprise is to allow individuals to achieve prosperity. but if achieving that prosperity means having the power to destroy the world in the hands of a few (board of directors and shareholders) absolutely not, part of the principle of free enterprise and democracy.

[@ceeemm1901]

What? and there's no censorship at the moment? Did you just arrive???

[@gregczarlinski2811]

Where? 🤣 free speech is for humans not bots

[@rogeliojpineda]

WEF PROPAGANDA SO WE GIVE THEM CONTROL AND THEY CAN SAVE US...

[@harderway8568]

Spot on.

[@naginurlan6542]

HE IS THE EVIL IN HUMAN FACE

[@29memyselfandi]

Problem - Reaction - Solution.

[@fly.into.theblue]

Yes. It's all about control.

[@Judge_Magister]

@@29memyselfandi they create the problems to push humanity in a corner.

[@sherrylandgraf556]

He is absolutely right!

[@Colee7]

I would advise to be cautious about listening to people like him in particular.

[@CuttyKitty1]

Why?

[@Judge_Magister]

@@CuttyKitty1 they want to enslave you! Freedom is their enemy, peace is their enemy, knowledge is their enemy.

[@jamesdownen8980]

​@@CuttyKitty1He's a World Economic Forum propagandist.

[@CuttyKitty1]

@@jamesdownen8980 Interesting

[@jamesdownen8980]

Marina Abramovic is a WEF-er, too.

[@ronaldronald8819]

We should regulate AI by banning algorithms that impersonate humans ("fake humans") and hold corporations accountable for their algorithms' actions. It's crucial to recognize the differences between human and machine systems to prevent overstimulation and societal harm. Collective action and thoughtful regulation are necessary to ensure AI technology benefits humanity rather than undermines it.

[@RyanRuark]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@davidabulafia7145]

And also hold governments accountable

[@robertfoertsch]

Epic Battle Between Good And Evil. Truth And Deception Are Primary Weapons.

[@kalina-d1h]

and the basic question is: whose interests harari represents?

[@18_rabbit]

@@kalina-d1h human and humanist interests, duh

[@TheClimb-JK]

Being behind the WEF, Yuval looks exactly like you'd expect

[@karentoffan7027]

Like a scrawny weasel

[@cotch40]

Nobody else here seems to know this.

[@chrishughes62able]

Thank you for noticing and saying this 👍🏼

[@donnaeve3939]

I was scanning the comments hoping there were others awake to this bloke 😅

[@bruce_dasilva]

Assess the validity of the argument and perspective, not the individual. My suggestion for more balance.

[@steveq9t4]

It sounds like Yuval is suggesting we could make good decisions if only we had good information (ie. if you give good people bad information then they make bad decisions). IMO information quality is not the problem, the problem is our survial instinct and tribal nature, both of which lead us to form strong biases to give ourselves illusions of strength - ie. we reject whatever information that (however good or bad) doesn't fit our biases. The only hope we have is for individuals to learn to overcome their selfish survival instincts and to instead commit to the survival of humanity. Good luck with that.

[@SamMao-b3u]

beautifully said! well done! it isn't as easy as one sentence or he is trying to use his Baise to exclude "leaders, politicians? from accountability! by saying "the person was given wrong intel!" or it may be directed to people with no common sense? or human instinct! good and conscious people turn bad information into good use! or use reasoning!

[@tbyas4406]

Censoring information is not free speech.

[@jenniferodegard526]

he's not suggesting that we censor information. He's suggesting that we sensor bots that are POSING as humans.

[@Sally150]

If you listen to the whole interview you'll find it isn't about human speech, it is about bots and algorithms. No humans are involved, AT ALL. Artificial intelligence is does not have free speech rights

[@martikepler4700]

Try to reveal some secrets of Us government, which is champion of free speech, and see what happens to you.

[@GundersonOld]

@@jenniferodegard526 He is actually talking about censoring information, the bot thing is just an excuse. Watch this guy's Ted Talk to see his real goal, especially when he answers questions at the end, he wants you enslaved (you likely already are) and himself and a few others in control

[@Ottee2]

We seem to be driving headlong into Armageddon. When I was young, I use to fight for what is right. No more war. End starvation on the planet. Save the oceans. Save the many, many species on the planet. Etc. Today, I'm like: it is what it is. We will survive our own terrible nature, or we won't. I hesitate to get all religious, here, but the notion of Grace, may be the only thing that will save us.

[@alwynpereira7363]

same here. It is what it is. can ‘one’ really be sure and clear on what could save the ‘collective’!

[@ivanj.conway9919]

If only we could fully, understand the TRUE, TRANSFORMATIVE, POWER, of this trait. It truly, is what elevates us to a HIGHER ORDER of being. It is the ONLY, TRUE and PUREST, RELIGION, if it can be called that; that there is.

[@ivanj.conway9919]

@@alwynpereira7363 : If they are evolved enough; maybe.

[@MTJCC]

Jesus is the only way. His Grace is what we need and it can only be found by us accepting Him as our Lord and Savior. Read the Book of John, Galatians, Ephesians and Phillipians. They will bless you.

[@fratquintero]

Best part of the chat is Harari's class about witch hunting. He is a good futurologist and an unbeatable historian.

[@gad7336]

Yuval hits the nail on the head here... like every mass communication tech before it, social media algorithms need to be regulated in a transparent and open way so we can civil discourse back again.... The question is are we smart enough to simply ask for it right now..? Or do we have to go to another world war to realize it...

[@groundedunorthodoxy8000]

Biggest lesson here: REST

[@mevert87]

There's one important question that was completely ignored in this interview: Who gets to decide what "the truth" actually is?

[@sheilajac]

facts, for human/scientific/political etc truths; and faith, for supernatural ones.

[@MrAgonist]

Maybe the US congress?

[@Judge_Magister]

WEF elite wants to decide the facts and you are expected to bow down and serve slavishly their new world order.

[@DobaZlatno]

He Said it "official Media"😂😂

[@mevert87]

@@sheilajac what does this nonsense even mean?

[@TennisLover1967]

Very insightful comments from the Mr Harari. Thank you for writing the book.

[@MrTorleon]

Harari : brilliant, profound and intellectually satisfying - thank you so much :)

[@stevejennette25]

Bought his book half-way thru this interview.

[@SamMao-b3u]

🤣me too !

[@wolfbear7]

You are right in your understanding and our greed and desire for more profit will end up killing us all. Our emotions cannot cope with the technology determined to win at all cost.

[@ScaleScarborough-jq8zx]

A lack of judgment is part of our brokenness, and denying that humans are vulnerable to foley only because of bad information is a wildly simplistic line of thinking. I hear a lot of things hitting the mark too, though, and I think it’d be great to have a conversation with him. I will say, it’s hard to stay healthy in this world because so many people are actively crapping on everything around them. I was born in ‘82 and never knew such hostility to human life as has become ubiquitous and yet constantly dissimulated with fake manners and such. It’s all fake and becoming a worldwide dementia.

[@tianikane3312]

Humanity has crapped on humanity pretty much always. History is littered with hellish wars, abuse of women and children, and the planet in general. Nothing shits in its nest as much as a human being. We all need to change our behavior if the species is to survive. Education, laced with empathy and compassion is the only way we can do this.

[@MusicByJC]

Great points. Agree 100% with the problem with information technology and the flood of worthless, inaccurate, or purposely misleading propaganda. The issue is howto solve. Yuval brings up regulating platforms to get rid of bots. That would help fix one slice of the problem. There are plenty of real humans spreading false and inaccurate information, both intentionally and non-intentionally.

[@seanmcmurphy4744]

The real problem is that the algorithms tell each person what they want to hear, we get pumped into our feeds only news and opinions and conspiracy theories which subtly confirm our prejudices. The filter bubble problem. We have never before in history had a system which does that. Also the algorithms have figured out that making people more extreme and angry, feeding them propaganda, lies and conspiracy theories, increases clicks and profits for the platforms. Enragement = engagement. And so. of course. the influencers who make people enraged go viral and make the most money.

[@weirdshibainu]

Sounds great....except who decides what's "misinformation?" Him? You? Me?

[@ceeemm1901]

@@weirdshibainu Donald......HAHAHAHAHAHA.

[@MusicByJC]

@@weirdshibainu I agree that it is a tough problem and it may not be possible to solve completely. But a good solution is better than no solution, even if it is not a perfect solution. The first step is to address demonstratively false information. Somethings are either true or they are not. If someone claims the moon is made of cheese, that is false. I think the only answer is to somehow have consequences for spreading false information. How that is done, I don't know. I have some ideas. I am not concerned about the ramblings of someone on KZbin that has 100 subscribers and a few hundred views. The issue is when media sources or people that have large audiences. It is this fairly recent change where so many people that have no expertise and of course foreign countries have the ability to spread false information to large numbers of people. If we don't solve the problem to some extent, I don't see how you can have a functioning democracy and the truth is our democracy already has been watered down and corrupted. I just don't know how much more the system takes before it just becomes a democracy in name only. Like Russia and North Korea having elections but the leaders somehow win with 90%+ of the vote.

[@peacockLife]

Thank you so much for this meaningful conversation.

[@Bushman9]

Very interesting. Sadly, I suppose, is the fact that the only reason I saw this video was an algorithm.

[@warrenwacholder5893]

Yep. Exactly. Me too.

[@jorgegomez524]

No exactly. You saw it because WEF paid it for you to see it

[@beverleytheglobalcaregiverforu]

​@@jorgegomez524😅😅😅 Facts.

[@kalina-d1h]

harari is promoted by those who control algorithms and this is why some ppl believe that he is a deep thinker🤣🤣🤣

[@blacksnow129]

Yes quite right but his thoughts are not that deep rather the opposite what does it mean to say "íf you give bad information to good people" nothing who determine what are BAD information and who are GOOD people? It is disturbing that Harari is neither a scientist nor have anything to do with IT let alone AI. Algorithm are codes, created by human to make certain choices the generated messages on twitter are from bots. The main problem with AI is the making of computer programs that can create their own program and the risk it will generate more programs in an infinity loop with the use of personal data . . ​@@kalina-d1h

[@slaugeri1344]

This is terrifying, so grateful to really limit any social sites! Thank you for making us aware, I’m making one of my few posts to share this message. Unbelievable & truly worse than I imagined!

[@Brooks-4-Yeshua]

2 Timothy 3:7 always learning an never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth...the Knowledge of Christ JESUS (YESHUA HAMASHIACH THE MESSIAH) the Savior that Saves! REPENT FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD ALMIGHTY IN HEAVEN IS NEAR! HALLELUYAH! ❤

[@Eric-dz1we]

Is anyone listening? We should

[@leonidastreadwell468]

He is the current baseline in our rapidily changing world.

[@karenmulcahey76]

This guy speaks absolute sense.

[@Rinter6904]

Great interview!

[@TeamBehrens]

Love listening to Yuval. He always makes me think!

[@MundusInversus]

“If you give good people bad information they make bad decisions.” Very true. Question is: who gives us bad information and why?

[@sleethmitchell]

i lived 'on the street' for decades. a good analog for AI were individuals most of us called sociopaths or psychopaths. some of them were very intelligent, constructing systems of power around them. you could never trust a sociopath. or politician. or a machine.

[@susanflaherty1248]

Yes. Intelligence with no capacity for empathy. Definition of sociopathy.

[@kalina-d1h]

or harari

[@shutinalley]

Capitalism is obsolete. It's not the end of the world. It's called, adapt.

[@JACKnJESUS]

Here comes...poverty!

[@shutinalley]

​@@JACKnJESUS Capitalism doesn't work unless someone is hungry.

[@JACKnJESUS]

@@shutinalley Nothing has lifted more people around the world out of abject poverty than capitalism. It's a simple fact.

[@European-Man-88]

Go on then, suggest a successful alternative... nope, you're just screaming like a child

[@shutinalley]

@@European-Man-88 The alterative is using technology in it's most efficient way to provide people with basic necessities and modern infrastructure. Providing free education for the masses would be next. Ai Technology is making this more and more possible. We need to accept that as a society or there will be chaos. Capitalism had it's time. All through the industrial age people resisted the change technology brought. Capitalism isn't the same now as it was 150 years ago. Capitalism will change again until it's no longer necessary. The road to the "top" of the capitalism game is unhappiness.

[@WilliamTheuer]

Earth will do fine without us.

[@jackflanagle6079]

Yes, we all saw the wild animals cavorting through the Covid empty streets.

[@CionMohler]

In other words Neil Portman was right way back in the 80s when he wrote Amusing Ourselves to Death. Nobody listens to the prophets and who are these people who are going to vote for the right candidate. The selection of candidates is limited let alone finding someone who is aware of Yuval’s book or Portman’s.

[@tommcfadden5232]

AI will determine the candidates.

[@shelleydelayne4195]

Postman. And yes. I refer back to his work frequently now - he knew. “The Disappearance of Childhood” is one I dearly wish everyone would read and understand.

[@ceeemm1901]

Yeah he was writing about TV and media manipulation back in the 60's ...and don't forget McLuhan, and Chomsky's "Manufacturing Consent". You don't hear about that stuff on commercial morning infogossip TV shows...

[@karleignr]

The one thing that Yuval seems to realize, and we are all realizing especially in science, media, political opinion etc., is that there fundamentally is no truth. He even cringes a bit in trying to say that there is a difference between information and truth. If you acknowledge there is no truth or that there can be more than one truth, the equation reconciles. This is something the world is coming to grips with.

[@sholoms]

@@karleignr Altho, shouldn't this truth itself, then logically be understood as doubtful, if not necessarily FALSE!? Actually, for the last couple of years I've avoided using the word in any serious way. The word "accurate" is about as close as I'll get...

[@karleignr]

@@sholoms i think you answered your own question

[@sholoms]

@@karleignr Ya got me: my question was rhetorical.

[@karleignr]

@@sholoms I know 😉

[@sholoms]

​​@@karleignr Tho maybe, better put, it may be less my question's concern, than its question mark that turns it (semi-) rhetorical. This is owed to the concern or caveat that one's own p.o.v. tends to be unavoidably distorting, to the degree that it will psychologically tend to exclude other, at least initially, apparently contrary views. Meanwhile, none-the-less, after patient to-the-point dispute, connections to initially ignored, dismissed points begin to look a lot more valid, even logically necessary, & so, are often, eventually seen as complementary & even required for fuller, overall understanding; as well as, to serve other, still valid purposes, despite having looked very different, at least initially, from one's own...

[@margo3367]

We talk about Russian oligarchs. We have our own oligarchs here. Musk has 200 million followers on x. That’s scary.

[@vv-cv6ud]

Yaa , he owns the platform and he can spread whatever word

[@MrM1729]

I suspect many are fake accounts.

[@SamMao-b3u]

Excellent point and this is why China banned any Chinese billionaire to have social media followers and so on! because it creates cults and unelected leaders and influencers! easy to get confused in a confused western democracy! Elon Musk and so on, have no check and balances and responsibility - where we expect and persecute the government leaders, organizations and workers! who is the beneficiary of word democracy and freedom of speech and so on? capitalism and billionaires!

[@vaylard9474]

it's called twitter

[@MossyMozart]

Probably a mighty percentage of those twixter followers are journalists monitoring him.

[@rossbaker9721]

The book the paradox of democracy is also a great contribution to this space.

[@normzehms3548]

Brilliant. Thank you for speaking. Thank you for producing. Thank you for sharing.

[@fahdhussein6760]

Excellent. Despite the hypemachine around Yuval, he keeps coming back with relevant important thoughts that capture our situation perfectly.

[@michaelfrank5239]

He states the obvious .

[@MossyMozart]

​@@michaelfrank5239 - Does your book state the obscure?

[@RC-cy7pd]

@@MossyMozart A book is not proof of significance. Try again.

[@MossyMozart]

@@RC-cy7pd - I don't think that @michaelfrank5239 has ever written a book. Yet s/he/they/it is critical of someone who has gone through the long and sometimes painful process of doing so. Harai is a well-known and respected human historian. Is mf5239 one of those AI programs who is learning "defensiveness"?

[@nancycole-auguste6614]

Lust for money and power kills the light of the heart. The only place where wisdom can blossom and grow with the word and worship. Then, sincerity is our only hope.

[@beerman204]

Lust for money and power ... yes, that is the destroyer of community....

[@pamelahays-lx1to]

God Bless this man! What he says is simple & yet profound. --------- Psalms 27.

[@Wrensan]

Sensory overload

[@ErrolMcGuire-f7q]

Thank you. More of this, please.

[@neige4221]

“Information is not truth.” Very wise words. More people should stop and think about what they’ve read or herd before making a call on that gossip. Do research and try to figure out if it makes sense or not.

[@nancycole-auguste6614]

The human heart and mind must work together. The heart is to carry our virtuous qualities. The enlightened heart leads the mind " The love of money is the root of all evil." SO hearts lost to materialism lose virtue and turn to vice. Then no matter how SMART you are you will never have wisdom- THAT comes only from the heart through knowledge and love of God. Both scientists and religious leaders mistake scripture for material happenings when it is depicting spiritual matters, not literal physical, but through physical symbols that speaks to the heart.

[@adsjar]

amazing discourse! thank you.

[@andrew_owens7680]

Yuval Harari is a very wise humanist. Yet he is unable to comment upon the genocide happening in his own country. He is a perfect example of exactly the cognitive genocide he speaks about.

[@sheerluckholmes7720]

true...but you left out the trans prefix to humanist.🤫

[@getthekool1758]

He was born after the WEF intestinal pregnancy. 🤭😆😅

[@filovirus1]

this dude makes sense to me. hope more ppl hear him out.

[@anonymousano3430]

If we had Yuval, and others like him, at the head of the all- powerful technology companies, we wouldn’t have a problem with A. I.

[@dojadog4223]

Yes, because as a historian he probably has no idea how any of the science and engineering happening there actually works.

[@getthekool1758]

He's for the streets. 🤭😆😅😂

[@Khayyam-vg9fw]

No, because he'd make sure that most of us were dead.

[@beverleytheglobalcaregiverforu]

​@@dojadog4223😅😅😅😢

[@fushionm6098]

They say that a baby monster is harmless and good to play with but after a certain stage it will destroy you no more playing with you. That's how technology behaves.

[@sbeckwit]

The printing press ultimately democratized reading. Reading allows learning. Learning allows free thinking. Free thinking is freedom.

[@gunkwretch3697]

yet some people are still trying to ban books

[@NatisParker]

Freedom existed long before reading. What a person reads, what is printed, and the context it is recieved in determines how thinkers interpret words. Yknow what Im saying?

[@sbeckwit]

@@NatisParker I do know what you're saying. Since time immemorable, humans have maneuvered for advantage. Just as all animals do. We turn our superior tool-making ability, our facility for conceptualization and mental modeling, to improving our chances of success in this physical world to our best advantage. We are very good at it. A thing we all know about each other, even if we don't think about it a lot, is that we are insecure. The world is random. We are of the natural world and supremely well adapted to it but we do, and can, not control it. This is why we keep inventing new tools to gain advantage. It is also why we will always be of our world. Our superpower is our connection to each other and our love. No machine can do this. No machine can know what it is to be alive. No machine will be of our world, know love. If, on the other hand, this does occur, this new being will be one of us. Do not fear another mind. It's just an empty boat.

[@sbeckwit]

@@gunkwretch3697 Everybody Wants To Rule The World....

[@militiamc]

People have been declaring end of times since the beginning of time. And yet here we still are

[@isetfrances6124]

Great comment. Bible calls it sin.

[@balsarmy]

I duscuss Sahara when talking aboutbend of tines. Historians debate about Sahara's origins. Woukd you like to risk ecology to know exactly whether ecology alarms are true or false? Whether Sahara developed because of pharaoh's greed or because of climate only?

[@socialenigma4476]

The bitch of it is that we only have to be right once...

[@clarkpalace]

Ok. So lets do nothing….stupid comment on your part , even if it is obviously an observable fact. So your post is self evident , now what , if anything , are you suggesting by this comment? You will definitely get the religious all excitable

[@kellyfitzpatrick4408]

This is THEIR plan. He is their main henchman.

[@punampatelgrewal8082]

WOW! That chaptgpt example is powerful & scary.

[@garybowler5946]

We work well in smaller tribes of 200 or less. On state to state size we fall apart.

[@boletus8290]

You might enjoy the authors John Zerzan, Paul Shepard & Chellis Glendenning

[@stuckonearth4967]

And you are suggesting countries should disintegrate to tiny countries or what?

[@panama_juan]

But we also commit more acts of violence and retribution at the tribal level. The state was created to have a monopoly on the use of violence and to keep tribes from murdering each other. Both systems have their drawbacks. Read "The Better Angels of Our Nature" by Steven Pinker.

[@loulh7899]

I’ve read Sapiens. Amazing book. I’m ready to read Nexus now. Great truth teller.

[@vestcoat]

Whoa! He is so on point.

[@HowardLewis-m5y]

Harari's supervisors include the CFR and Pilgrim Society. In my new dictionary, there is a little picture of Yuval Harari next to the 'hypocrite' definition.

[@derrick9635]

👏 ,despicable creatures ,him and hes ilk at WEF

[@sarojanidoddapaneni9734]

Mr NOAH EXCELLENT.

[@DupesZakkas]

If you listen to this person who's gone way astray, then the you are doomed to devote your whole life to that which will never ever lead you to the lasting happiness and genuine satisfaction that you seek. His misapprehention of reality, if blindly believed will have you on a lose-lose path. Even if you succeed, the outcome will not be good. Seek to become a good/ethical (nonviolent and benevolent) person and you'll be on a win-win trajectory, which is to say that even if you fail, it will be good for you in this life and the next.

[@ivanj.conway9919]

If the nonviolent and benevolent people could only, learn to unify more, we would be well on our way to a far better world. That nonviolence and benevolence should be extended to nonhuman life, as well. ALL, life on Earth, not only, human alone.

[@niveusgaius]

This guy is brilliant.

[@dolinaj1]

His most profound genius is his ability to analyze and discuss complex ideas in simple-to-grasp language. I first encountered him in an early MOOC course when he taught in Tel Aviv. That course became his first book, Homo Sapiens, available only in Hebrew for some time. He is utterly unique.