Death and the meaning of life is not a story - Yuval Noah Harari

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[@vincecallagher7636]

Hmmm, everyone fears death, I posit. it’s fear of unknown. I was diagnosed with a fatal disease, and surprisingly I was not in fear of death. However, before the diagnosis I was afraid of death. So knowledge and meditation brings you to the truth. PS, turned out I was misdiagnosed, took a full year till we found out they were mistaken. Interesting lesson.

[@jackiepark4673]

No I prefer to make my own decisions,by using my brilliant brain not be controlled by fools.

[@peternorth2288]

It is not possible to have a lifeworthy life without making it to a continuosly story, because a storyline is the only way to give meaning to it. A broken story is a broken life, degraded to animal like pure existence. Look on soldiers that have risked their life for the realization of a political idea and lost the war. They are just like zombies the rest of their existing, just waiting from one meal to the next, unable to get a benefit from the culture of a new and different era on a high level. Assimilating these changes must not be exepted.

[@stevenschilizzi4104]

Interesting how the various comments and reactions to this interview differ. Perhaps this is because there simply “exists” no such thing as the “meaning of life”, in the sense of “existing out there”. Instead, it is something that each individual must build up for themselves one way or another. And choosing to follow the teachings of a specific religion, if the choice is free, is one way of constructing that meaning, being understood that any given religion allows for some freedom and can be interpreted in more than one way. This may ultimately be what it means to be “human”, as opposed to being an animal or an AI system: the need to build for oneself the meaning and the direction of one’s own life. Given the many possibilities that have been proposed around the world and over the centuries, there does not seem to be a magic formula. We are there, staring at the big awe-inspiring Universe, which we mostly don’t really understand, faced with the burden of deciding for oneself “Ok, so now what? What am I going to do with myself until I die?” Not that everyone actually dares facing up to this - sometimes it’s easier to just forget ourselves in fun, friends, drink and so on. But if I remember right, those who do face this Greatest Question and accept the responsibility of answering it for themselves in spite of all the uncertainty, those are the people that Friedrich Nietzsche called “Übermensch”, superhuman. Or maybe just truly human?…

[@Maxrepftw]

Matches the philosophy called sentimentalism. The suffering comes from the necessity of a story, to legitimize many feelings or accept that a satisfied living is not feeling much. It is a doped society with a big capacity of observing feelings, but a major disadvantage in having and presenting them outside of hyperreality. But again funny how complex language always leads to: we should feel and not talk meaning

[@annesilverman469]

We humans are story writers with ourselves as the main character.

[@poutinez1688]

Oh yeah ... that is just your OPINION... dude I MEAN why do YOU always SPEAK for other People dude

[@travislawrencemusic]

The meaning of life, as I see it, is twofold: 1. Procreate (biological purpose) 2. Make Choices (create meaning: cognitive/spiritual purpose) Procreation is simple enough, every organism engages in this. For us, it is exploring sexuality and enjoying sex, and then raising our offspring. Enough said. Making choices is more challenging, and as a species, we engage with this more than any other, and we complicate it more than any other, due to the complexities of our nature. So, allow me to offer a guide in making choices. A. Give Yourself Choices. Choices are rarely black and white. We live in shades of gray most of the time, so don't get trapped in either/or scenarios. For example, the glass may be half full, or half empty, but you could also choose to see it as the glass being too big and needing a smaller one to make it full. There is often successes to be found in failures, and failures to be found in successes, which you see is often what you choose to focus on. B. Be Responsible for Your Choices. Take ownership of the choices you make, the rewards as well as the punishments, and learn/grow from them. Don't take ownership of other people's choices, as their rewards and punishments are meant for their learning/growth. You didn't earn, nor do you deserve the fruits of other people's choices, no matter how sweet or bitter they may taste. C. Make Your Choices Loving Making choices out of fear causes a directionless flight response. Aimlessly running away from fears/suffering gives your life no sense of purpose and creates a victim mentality. Sure, you may escape the fearful thing momentarily, but where has it led you to? Making loving choices gives you a direction and purpose, while simultaneously leading you away from most fears, and suffering. And if a loving choice is sometimes painful, it gives it a higher purpose and you don't have to experience it as suffering or victimizing, instead it can become heroic. Pain is necessary, suffering is optional. We are social and anti-fragile creatures, so we need connections and challenges, and learning to love those things, and to love yourself, is the highest meaning. And never forget to love yourself, because you can't give what you don't have!

[@veraintuizione6497]

The Buddhism in this man's mouth is simply grotesque. Now he plays this card to get consensus since his ideas about human beings were shameful. This man is anything but enlightened.

[@littlejerrythecagefighter1163]

I pray that Yuval has an awakening and finds the loving creator of the heavens and earth.

[@rodneyrobertson2902]

Nonsense. Life has a beginning middle and end. The hero’s journey is the archetype of life’s story. It’s biological. Hardwired. Unavoidable. If done right, it provides tremendous meaning.

[@kristinesmart582]

If you only have faith in the material world, that which you can see, you are cut off from that which is not visible. Christ said, "The kingdom of God is within." Contemplate, seek and you shall find. There is much more to life than meets the eye. You will be in my prayers for an awakening of the eyes of faith. God Bless!

[@oggeeboggee]

He is evil not because of his thoughts, but because of his urge to force them on us.

[@Republica33]

Agreed. You can say that about all other alleged intellectuals. The Peterson's, the Murray's... Such ilk that cheers for death and destruction. Consumed by hatred.

[@michaelramzi1094]

This guy is getting undeserved high publicity. If you listen to him or carefully read his book you will find he has nothing new or Nobel to say.

[@radam2818]

But that's largely because there is nothing particularly grand or misterious to say about the profound questions such as the meaning/purpose of life. You may want to give a "meaning" / purpose to your life by engaging in politics or religion or charitable work; but for the majority of us life is just the daily grind with no other purpose than to seek maximum freedom from constraints (the source of suffering) as possible, above all financial constraint (poverty) so as to aford to engage in the activities that give us pleasure and "enjoy life". The pursuit of happiness in short. Simple, nothing mysterious. Yuval Harari is maybe not eloquent but he is right.

[@alexanderbSpeaker]

Harari is a sick men something went wrong for him

[@jtthoma5]

This guy just took anthropology and injected a bunch of new age self help philosophy into it. Don’t read this guys. The book “Sapiens” is the same info you would find in any in any intro to archaeology textbook

[@AshutoshSingh-qh3ok]

So the idea that human beings screwed up their happy hunter-gatherer days in favor of living in close quarters, diseases caused after the invention of agriculture is accepted in most archaeology textbooks?

[@peggyharris3815]

"What is suffering and where is it coming from?" And then ...what are we going to do to end it? This is where the story of history gets interesting.

[@thomastepfer9861]

Another Story?

[@tanukidenfert]

I suggest having a look at Buddhism.

[@oanabaghi]

Suffering comes from fear of death. We should become immortal.

[@keithcheng4671]

@@oanabaghi immortality can be a possibility with technology in the future, it seems... If or when immortality is achieved, the whole meaning of life thing will be flipped on its head. We won't have to COPE by telling ourselves mortality is what gives meaning to life

[@elenaguri2314]

Why overreacting on what he say, you can just not like him and have your own perceptions, why we have always to have an opinion....we just have to agree on disagreement and follow life to reduce suffering by knowing ourself in the first place..

[@carlharmeling512]

Yuval dismisses imagination as unimportant, inconsequential and unworthy of consideration. Yet this was precisely what the great scientist Einstein said was more important than knowledge; imagination. All religions are imaginative narrations that are supernatural, dramatic, and metaphorical. Their various meanings are intrinsic to the narrative. But this is too much to ask of this man with superior intelligence. Is he really the right man to ask, as Lex did ask, what is the meaning of life?

[@ManilaDragonKing]

budhism idea

[@craigrobinson99]

A disgusting fraud. How people can’t see through him I will never understand.

[@Larry00000]

To be born, every human needs other humans.

[@Lambert7785]

(1:05) I'm not afraid of death, because I have been shown what it would feel like when I die (light and pleasant :) )

[@anthonycosentino463]

What is he talking about? There are much worse things than death.

[@bobvillanueva712]

Ants have the right answer to the meaning of life, yea?....................................

[@mrutledge50]

why do we listen to people like this. who cares what he thinks, atheist and maybe the next leader of the world economic forum. lord help us

[@timothyofor9321]

I agree with his pain and pleasure hypothesis but I disagree with his story dismissal life is truly a grand story it is a line

[@justinbyrge8997]

He says all of our fears come out of the fear of death. I say death is unknown, so sure we can fear the unknown. But what scares me more are the things I do know. Extreme pain. Prolonged pain. I say, fear comes out of the knowledge of pain. After all, as a kid I wasn't scared of jumping off of my house... Until I did it. Now I avoid falling out jumping from heights out of fear of that pain I anticipate. It isn't death that I fear. It's pain. I would even say that the biggest reason I fear death, is because I'm afraid to wake up in a more painful existence.

[@AshutoshSingh-qh3ok]

Why does it hurt if you burn your hand on a flame, fall from a height, or wake up after last night's workout? It is because your brain interprets the resulting changes in your body as a threat to your survival. Babies start with only two fears - falling and loud noises. Both of which we learn to overcome as we grow up (at least if you are jumping from a small height). Every other fear is learned by your brain because it starts with a singular goal when you are a baby - survival. What do you think?

[@Igneous01]

Nothing works man. It doesn't work alone. It doesn't work together. We can't coexist with each other. We don't share a base consciousness, and everyone has their own special void for their imaginary world. We were never meant to get along.

[@Ponyfox]

I feel you. Life is a constant shit show of conflicting with itself on everything. Where everything seems to have multiple truths and multiple shards of complexion, to then being dumbed down by our brains to simple narratives And then we wonder why we are so confused the time...

[@MichaelCarroll-pv1mk]

Don't know about this theory of death.

[@williambranch4283]

Yuval's brain in a jar ... Progress.

[@LauraJarvis-vt3pt]

I am glad there is a Yuval Noah Harari at this moment in history. So well said.

[@brians1902]

I don't fear death. I fear pain and suffering but not death. Nationalism is about for people's kids to have a place to live.

[@stripper4950]

Suffering comes from within and is caused by what people do to us and what we do to them. It will end if we understand this

[@stripper4950]

@@theschoolofconsciousness don’t agree with that

[@AshutoshSingh-qh3ok]

You can suffer a loved one's death. They didn't do anything to you and you did nothing to them. How do you end that suffering?

[@stripper4950]

@@AshutoshSingh-qh3ok That suffering comes from within and that is when we should realize that life is fragile. To mourn their death is a waste of time but to realize their life is rejoice in their being!

[@boonraypipatchol7295]

Meaning of life is.... Finding meaning of life....

[@keithcheng4671]

like a donkey with a carrot dangled in front of it

[@boonraypipatchol7295]

@@keithcheng4671 Don't be a donkey, Be a kind human, Try to find meaning of life...

[@keithcheng4671]

@@boonraypipatchol7295 ever heard of a metaphor?

[@boonraypipatchol7295]

@@keithcheng4671 I think GOD is an example of metaphor...

[@keithcheng4671]

@@boonraypipatchol7295 only if you are a believer

[@vincecallagher7636]

Everything is a story.

[@aloisiocorreia5007]

I found better understanding about all aspect of life reading the work of the French professor (Lyon, 1800’s) ALLAN KARDEC.

[@omahanb1]

I don't want to be a victim so I can honestly say l won't trust anybody including you. I spent my life as an Ironman so nothing scares me. I'm retired old enough to be near death but yesterday I read about the death of an old boss it made me think I win again.

[@BabyHoolighan]

YNH is entertaining. His descriptions are a lot fun. The meaning of life. Narrative, not narrative. What in the name of Louis B. Mayer are you saying?

[@RRR-vr7cd]

The meaning of life is a story. He may say it isn't. But he is trying to shape his story as he speaks and your story as an audience as you listen and agree to him. He is a good writer but not a good philosopher. And that's ok. So, go build your story.

[@bhatkat]

Meaning of life? You saying there's only one? And do please mention the diff between meaning and intention...

[@ahmadisrar9446]

Life is a huge mix of stories somehow some stories become more important than others and become a source of meaning.Reality is life has no inherent meaning.

[@nareshvasishth4034]

This information's furnished, because I think many people do not know this: In India (Sanskrit) there is no word for TIME. Why? We are born and live it in Eternity. I was born and lived in India till I was 23. Now I live in the USA Age 91 But I will live in Eternity. (So my Mother told me). mothers are always right. This intense and difficult will go on and On But not for me. Good luck. Try harder. Not me. Beetels had a song "What will be, will be" Learnt from Maharishy Mahesh MAHARISHY NARESH

[@AgesOfPlants]

Wow... Thank you so much for sharing this with us. And you're a 91 year old on KZbin. Amazing

[@krist7275]

Meaning of life is evolution that is creating a new life

[@lovman]

Yuval, channeling the Buddha.

[@craigrobinson99]

The opposite. He is a construction of misguided ignorant thoughts.

[@RobertfromDenver4848]

Yuval Noah Harari, we call that hedonism, all about sense of self. There's more to it than that.

[@vleiratfilms2020]

I love the inherent humour of both Yuval and Lex. It’s just so whimsical yet down to earth. Makes me feel better. Thank you both ❤️❤️

[@martincho20]

Is there a full interview video?

[@bossgd100]

On lex friedman channel probably

[@hiTekHOBO55]

Yuval Harari, Klaus Schwab’s right-hand man... that's all you need to know about this guy...

[@kristinesmart582]

And yet, there is forgiveness. Everyone has it in themselves, to learn and to change and to grow. I did not like Mr. Harari's criticism of my faith as a myth. But I dismiss his idea and forgive him for his naivete of thinking he has the same experiences as I do. However, I strongly agree with his opinion that AI is dangerous and should be reigned in. I will continue to pray for his soul as is the will of the God of my story. I read the Bible which I believe is His story- history as well as the truth. The truth will set you free- even from the fear of death! Also, humans relate through stories so they must be important. According to the Book of John, "In the beginning was the Word, And the Word was with God and the Word was God." Also, we have in that same chapter, " The light shines on in the darkness, a darkness that did not overcome it." One more thing- if AI is being trained on the internet, maybe we should all be writing Bible verses and not spouting hatred or endorsing animalistic nature, but instead speaking about love, goodness, kindness, beauty of nature, peace and truth. God bless!!!

[@vonBottorff]

Rubbish. Of course story. The human is narrative-based. We've got vast regions of mirror neurons just for story. Denying story and trying to construct and adapt to a story-free industrial-based urban-centric life has been a complete disaster . . . except for unicorns like YNH who seem to thrive.

[@scorp2160]

I think death and the meaning of life are a story and in fact the story, about our spiritual sensitivity, about Jesus, about life and the after life. If men can't handle life by themselves because they need others for social love and constructs in today's environment, it is because they lack the real understanding of life and death and God or the God structure. It is from this structure they come from and supports the physical world in which they live, the inner feelings of spiritual need and love and has the answers of life and death. I understand Yuval's position as up to the arrival of Jesus the Jewish scripture did not support life after death and his view of life in Israel after you die is a very material understanding of the world. We are not here in this material world to remember those who have past on but for the moment of processing the loss and certainly not as the meaning of life. One of the constructs of Abrahamic religions, especially the Christians get wrong is the need to acquire a place for God in their heart as if this God function is a separate entity. We treat God as a separate entity, we name him him or he for the power, we talk about the communication with him, the answers he provides and while true metaphorically is not explicitly correct. First rule is the infinite existence of the spirit world, totally abounds and contains everything, physical and metaphysical, the worlds manifest and non-manifest, it is there from conception until death. We live inside this spirit field, it accounts for the light within us, within, rocks, and trees and mountains and rivers. This spirit plane is like the internet for God, it not only ties the universe together in energy, it carries and processes prayers, meditation, thoughts of good and bad projections, feedback from the God structure for all ESP like functions of telepathy, clairvoyance and speaking to the dead. At birth the bodily temple is provided with the soul which brings us awareness, consciousness and ego and karmic memories and some parts of past lives and needed directions for this current life. If you understand this process, it leaves one in tune with the God structure and importance it and we, play in the evolution of our soul for each of the lives we spend in this realm to learn. For the soul's evolution we must also have contact and relations with other humans, the seven commandments, to love one another, to do unto others, for without this contact and relation and respect and support and love of each other and of other humans there can be no learning of the soul and no evolution for this life. Then you die! you become aware of the after life, the situation of immortality that Jesus spoke of, the need for judgement to review what you have done, achieved and what you didn't achieve. It is from this outcome that our soul with guardian assistance, we look again in the earth plane for another life in which we can learn the things that came up or were missing the last life. This review and outcome is what makes up the karmic energy that enters us at birth with the soul, to assist in providing some guide to what we need to do or become or experience. This directive(s) are not givens, they become not our fate, for we this we are still provided free will in which to make choices that will aid in our best path (there are many) to achieve the karmic objectives. If you feel lost, search you heart, look within for this is where you will find the directives of this life's cycle! This is the meaning of life, the experience, the suffering, the love and support we provide or assist others in their journey, this is our soul's journey and evolution.

[@worldswonders5689]

Wow that’s fantastic! Thank you for sharing this 💯😊

[@Daneiladams555]

Yuval is a monster People should not give this guy a platform anymore

[@daolso9268]

Why is that?

[@Daneiladams555]

@@daolso9268 he works for wef cabal For transhumanism

[@martincho20]

This guy is great

[@carolyn7691]

Finkelstein and Heather Cox Richardson are also wonderful historians.

[@ThePapawhisky]

The guy is brilliant. I really enjoy his insights. The desire for a story is strong, and we want a story centered around us. i.e., religion. Suffering or the dissatisfaction in life is certainly worth exploring.

[@Republica33]

He's got an opinion. Don't we all.

[@craigrobinson99]

He is anti-life.

[@johnduffin9425]

How many bioweapon jabs have YH taken? My guess is zero.

[@fintamaria2429]

👏👏

[@asimbardhi4535]

Fear of Death there we go that,s the reson they hate muslims Therfor i say Lahilahilallah Allahou Akbar

[@piehound]

He's a smart fellow.

[@craigrobinson99]

He is a clever manipulator, for sure.

[@piehound]

@@craigrobinson99 I don't know about that. But anyone who deals with a lot of words is in trouble for sure. Proverbs 10:19 Amplified Bible (AMP) When there are many words, transgression and offense are unavoidable.

[@lennarthultgren4918]

Faith is something that God Him self puts in to your spirit. It is a miracules work of God. You can not come to God unless he is draving you to Him. He will come to those who have a humble heart . It is He that also open up our eyes so that we can see the Truth . He is the Truth

[@Ponyfox]

But, I am already God. God is within me and everything else. Ergo, God doesn't come to anyone. One is always One with the One for he or she is the One. To see God as a separate entity is to fool oneself of Truth indeed.

[@Nakimotor]

This is bullshit

[@kalyanimookherji8834]

Agreed that universe doesn't function like a story. One has to pick up the pieces of life in this universe and string them into a story to get meaning and sanity.

[@kristinesmart582]

Yes, like a string of pearls, and yet, we can gain so much wisdom from the pearls handed down to us by our ancestors from books (or stories) such as the Bible. Why not accept the gifts of the past and put them to good use. For example, "Love one another as I have loved you." In the words of Jesus.

[@ihsankhan8799]

Yuval Noah Harari doesn't know the meaning of life...

[@nuralianathamna8868]

Nobody doese , because life is an illusion, and every one give it his own meaning , a farmer in Vietnam and wall street guy and 13 years old girl in Mozambique 🇲🇿 have totally different understanding what life is , life is just make up stories that we tell ourselves

[@ihsankhan8799]

@@nuralianathamna8868 only the creator knows the reason for his creation & He has informed about the purpose of mankind to whoever believes in Him

[@theschoolofconsciousness]

Meaning of the life now is to put a comment here.

[@jamesnelles4484]

There is no meaning other than the one one imposes upon one's self.

[@bryanhuseboe539]

Some people don't know that there is no meaning of life, but that is uncomfortable because their ego dose not like that very much.

[@koljoy]

Absolutely bogus. Specially when he speaks about life. I don't understand why people give him such importance. He is a great writer, yes he has jotted the history of evolution with human being quite well and readable and interesting. Doesn't make him an expert on everything, from AI to economics and even life. Does he have any idea what this universe is all about?

[@robertgaunt59]

He has a team behind him

[@mask2705]

@koljoy Maybe you envy him; maybe somehow you hate him; maybe you don’t understand what he says. What he says about life is his perception, his understanding. You can perceive it differently. But you cannot call his as bogus as if there is an authentic definition and meaning for life and that you know it and only you know it.

[@drjdesai1]

Atleast he is honest and says it as he sees it

[@elizabethk3238]

Sour grapes, maybe?

[@thecount1001]

@@mask2705 people love to hate him and the trolls and conspiracy theorists are thick on him like flies with anything he posts. dupes, morons, and fools.

[@wynbrown5985]

Lunatic.