A Book for Contemplation

“In a world deluged by irrelevant information, clarity is power.” That’s the first sentence of the Introduction to Yuval Noah Harari’s book, 21 Lessons for the 21st Century, and it captured my attention immediately. The New York Times Book Review written by Bill Gates had peaked my interest in reading it, and I made my way through its chapters mind boggled. What’s not to find intriguing in subjects such as “WAR, never underestimate human stupidity”, “JUSTICE, our sense of justice might be out of date”, and EQUALITY, those who own the data own the future”? Harari is a historian and a futurist, a skeptic and an optimist. I’m very glad his mind goes to places mine can barely glimpse, and that he has the talent to share his view of the world with others.