Stupidity: A powerful force in human history

Published 2024-05-29
Are we in the midst of World War III? What's the role of fiction in human evolution? Why do we tend to overconsume food?

Big or small, every detail in our behavior can be explained by looking at the past, from dietary choices to how we've used stories to advance. But if progress is narrative-driven, what comes next?

In Yuval's extended Brief But Spectacular take (‪@YuvalNoahHarari‬) he speaks on humanity's superpower, the paradox of wisdom and the relationship between government and war.

00:00 Intro
00:26 Common behaviors explained
02:05 Writing for children
03:44 Humanity's superpower
06:55 The paradox of wisdom
08:00 Artificial intelligence
09:37 World War III

(This episode was filmed in March 2024)

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Brief But Spectacular is an Emmy-nominated interview series that airs weekly on PBS NewsHour. These short-form episodes present an in-depth look at a variety of compelling guests and ideas. Since 2015, the series has profiled over 300 subjects on a variety of topics, such as the healthcare crisis, immigration, mass incarceration, systemic racism, and mental illness.

These powerful narratives put personal faces on complex issues and provide a window into the human condition. The intention of the series is to elicit empathy from the viewer by presenting original voices on universal subjects and inviting the audience to walk in someone else’s shoes.

Learn more about the team behind these amazing interviews: www.secondpeninsula.com/work/brief-but-spectacular

#Humanity #GlobalIssues #HumanEvolution

All Comments (21)
  • @Moses_42
    “There’s simply no polite way to tell people they’ve dedicated their lives to an illusion.” ~ RIP Daniel Dennett
  • Yuval Noah Harari, a truly brilliant man, professor, and thinker.
  • @rhythmfield
    No teleprompter (probably), possibly even no notes or iPad — like an excellent jazz musician, the man is giving us vastly valuable pearls of practical knowledge and forward vision. Humanity would really benefit from taking this guy seriously and really listening to him.
  • @tbur8901
    'Stupidity; a powerful force in human history.' Where do I buy the t-shirt ?
  • From my African highveld I was just contemplating the sheer incomprehensible stupidity of humanity. Neither foresight nor insight. Blind in fact.
  • @songsabai3794
    Stupidity and arrogance dance together to convince us their tune is "right".
  • @DoreenBellDotan
    Good people know that people are stupid and self-destructive, and are profoundly disgusted by that, but do not capitalize on that vulnerability or put what they know about human weakness in the hands of those who will capitalize on human weakness for payment.
  • @Liisa3139
    Stupidity manifests itself here immediately in the form of background music. Totally unnecessary - and disturbing to many, especially to people with hearing issues. But for some reason there is a mainstream trend that every stupid person chooses to follow and therefore uses background music to everything.
  • @funnythat9956
    excellent and thought provoking; the background music is wholy unnecessary
  • If you ask a Chinese, Korean, or Japanese person when World War Two began, their lived history of that war begins with the 7 July 1937 incident at the Marco Polo bridge. Or even earlier.
  • @loveoutpouring
    Wisdom is the product of your Heart, while knowledge is the product of your mind. Wisdom is incapable of producing destructive outcomes such as nuclear weapons and devisive corporations. A Heart only knows humanity (unity) while a mind only knows individualism (separation). Humanity needs way less mind (knowledge) and way more Heart (Wisdom).
  • @iv2sab512
    Please dear God stop putting marimba background music in these videos.
  • @Tatvam_
    This man makes me so depressed... he's spitting facts that control my life when I have no control over them.
  • @sheri2035
    I bought “Unstoppable Us” because of his video on Brief But Spectacular. The book is absolutely marvelous. I cannot recommend it enough.
  • @fransmars1645
    You are a voice among billions. I hear the logic. I feel good because finally, I hear the voice of reason. I dispair because I know that a reasonable voice is no longer popular. We are doomed through our perpetual inability to agree about the correct route. God help us all.
  • @GehresWeed
    A sharp intelect is not an indication of wisdom.
  • @EngRMP
    I love this "Brief but Spectacular Moment" series. And, after watching many interviews with Yuval, I'm so happy that they just let him talk (as they always do for this series). So many interviewers are woefully unprepared for Yuval... his insights seem so simple but go so deep... they are mind blowing... unless you've already had your mind blown by reading his books ("Sapiens" is still my Bible).