DailyPost 849
A FRESH PICTURE!
The history is known and so is the present, the technological one, and some broad idea of it’s movement forward. Was still a new, unique and real view left? The rise and rise and rise of Yuval Noah Harari, 42 now, from a medieval military historian to one of the hottest thinkers in the world gives credence to the fact; what thinking can do to an individual. Thinking is never talked about, discussed and does find any mention in modern intellectual folklore. This is actually the review of the present literature on the subject, which every researcher does, but sans original thinking no new findings come to light, though it is camouflaged that way.
From a historian this is a history with a difference, catching world attention in a most innovative way. He has connected past, present and future with all it’s interfaces so seamlessly, that world does not feel it’s reading a history book. A clear, straight projection into future as well. English historian E H Carr while writing What is History? did not deal with this genre of history writing. It was not there. Only a thinker like Harari could bring this to life.
Thinker first! This is mantra. The profession is added on to it, is the successful formula. He has delved into the picture of the yesteryears, what people know and the way they see the world. Through his three hugely successful books Sapiens, Homo Deus and 21 lessons for the 21st Century, he “paints a fresh picture, separating stories from reality, as well as, throw up clear insights on the future we are building for ourselves and what we need to do to survive.” Readers lap it because he talks of issues faced by the people. Human narrative shifting to AI based tech & drift in the nature of jobs, steals the show.
History for long has been euphemistically explained as an interaction between the past and present and may be a peep into the future, for the first time it is seen in the writing of these three bestsellers. Provoking readers on already available facts can be done only by the seasoned thinker; finding a new meaning and dimension to it. Forcing readers to question their understanding of human existence itself has been his success. Meditation – thinking facilitated him leaving researching medieval military history and moving on to Neanderthals and Cyborgs.
HARARI IS THE HISTORIAN OF A MULTIDISCIPLINARY FUTURE.
Sanjay Sahay