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Yuval Noah Harari
287 quotes
“The earliest Sumerian writing was a partial... script. Full script is a system of material signs that can represent spoken language... everything people... say, including poetry. Partial script... can represent only particular... information... [in] a limited field of activity.”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Ancient scribes learned not merely to read and write, but also to use catalogues, dictionaries, calendars, forms and tables. They studied the internalised technique of cataloguing, retrieving and processing information very different from those used by the brain.”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“A critical step was made sometime before the ninth century AD, when a new partial script was invented, one that could store and process mathematical data with unprecedented efficiency. This partial script was composed of ten signs, representing the numbers from 0 - 9. Confusingly, these signs were known as even though they were first invented by the Hindus.”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Writing is born as the maidservant of human consciousness, but is increasingly becoming its master. Our computers have trouble understanding how Homo sapiens talks, feels and dreams. So we are teaching Homo sapiens to talk, feel and dream in the language of numbers, which can be understood by computers.”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“According to a famous Hindu creation myth, the gods fashioned the world out of the body of a primeval being, the Purusa. The sun was created from Purusa's eyes, the moon from Purusa's brain, the Brahmins (priests) from the mouth, the Kshatriyas (warriors) from its arms, the s (peasants and merchants) from its thighs, and Shudras (servants) from its legs.”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The ancient Chinese believed that the goddess Nü wa created humans from earth, she kneaded aristocrats from fine yellow soil, whereas commoners were formed from brown mud.”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“American plantations in places such as Virginia, Haiti and Brazil were plunged by malaria and , which had originated in Africa. Africans had acquired over the generations a partial genetic immunity to these diseases.”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Paradoxically, genetic superiority (in terms of immunity) translated into social inferiority: precisely because Africans were fitter in tropical climates than Europeans!”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“[T]he burgeoning new society of America were to be divided into a ruling caste of white Europeans and a subjected class of black Africans.”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“[E]ven though the slaves were freed, the racist myths that justified slavery persisted. Separation of race was maintained by racist legislation and social customs.”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“People everywhere have divided themselves into men and women. And almost everywhere men have got the better deal, at least since the Agricultural Revolution.”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“In many societies women were simply the property... Rape, in many legal systems, falls under property violation... [i.e.,] the victim is not the woman... but the male who owns her. The Bible decrees... 'If a man meets a virgin who is not betrothed, and seizes... and lies with her, and they are found... the man... shall give... the father... fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife'... Deuteronomy 22:28-9... Raping a woman who did not belong to any man was not considered a crime...”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“To say that a husband 'raped' his wife was... illogical... As of 2006, there were still fifty-three countries where a husband could not be prosecuted for the rape of his wife... in Germany, rape laws were amended only in 1997...”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“[T]he meaning of 'manhood' and 'womanhood' have varied... from one society to another... scholars usually distinguish... 'sex'... [as] biological... and 'gender'... cultural... Sex is divided between males and females, and the qualities... are objective and... constant... Gender is divided between... (...some cultures recognise other categories). ...'masculine' and 'feminine' qualities [which] are inter-subjective and undergo ...changes.”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Throughout history, males have been willing to risk and even sacrifice their lives, just so that people will say, 'He is a real man!”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“At least since the Agricultural Revolution, most human societies have been patriarchal societies that valued men more highly than women. ... Fewer resources are invested in the health and education of women; they have fewer economic opportunities, less political power, and less freedom of movement.”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Wars are not a pub brawl. ...[A]n aggressive brute is often the worst choice to run a war. Much better is a cooperative person who knows how to appease... and... see things from different perspectives. ...The militarily incompetent Augustus ...succeeded in ...achieving something that eluded ...Julius Caesar and Alexander the Great ...[H]istorians often attribute this ...to his ...clementia—mildness and clemency.”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Myths and fictions accustom... people... to think in certain ways, to believe in... certain standards, to want certain things, and to observe certain rules. ...[T]hereby ...artificial instincts ...enable millions of strangers to cooperate ...This network of artificial instinct is ...'Culture'.”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Unlike the laws of physics... every man-made order is packed with internal contradictions. Cultures are constantly trying to reconcile these contradictions, and this... fuels change.”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Anyone who has read... Alexander Solzhenitsyn knows how Communism's egalitarian ideal produced brutal tyrannies that tried to control every aspect of life.”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Osama bin Laden, for all his hatred of American culture.., religion, and... politics, was... fond of American dollars. How did money succeed where gods and kings failed?”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The followers of Christ and... Allah killed each other by the thousands, devastated fields and orchards, and turned prosperous cities into smouldering ruins...”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Money is not coins and bank notes. Money is anything that people... use... to represent... value... for... exchanging goods and services.”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The... money in the world is about $60 trillion, yet... coins and bank notes is less than $6 trillion. More than 90% percent of all money... [>]$50 trillion... in our accounts... exists only on computer servers.”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Money... is most universal and most efficient system of mutual trust ever devised.”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Money is more open-minded than language, state law, cultural codes, religious beliefs and social habits. Money... can bridge almost any cultural gap, and does not discriminate on the basis of religion, gender, race, age or sexual orientation.”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Most past cultures have... fallen prey to the armies of some ruthless empire, which... consigned them to oblivion. Empires... ultimately fall, but... tend to leave behind rich.., enduring legacies.”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“In our time, 'imperialist' ranks second only to 'fascist' in the of political swear words.”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“[E]mpire has been the world’s most common form of political organisation for... 2,500 years.”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Imperial elites used... profits of conquest to finance... armies and forts but also philosophy, art, justice and charity.”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Present-day speak Arabic, think of themselves as Arabs, and identify... with the Arab Empire that conquered Egypt in the seventh century and crushed... repeated revolts...”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The first empire... was the of Sargon the Great...”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“[M]ost imperial elites... believed that they were working for the general welfare of... inhabitants. China's ruling class treated... neighbours and... foreign subjects as... barbarians to whom the empire must bring... culture. The was bestowed upon the emperor not... to exploit... but... to educate humanity.”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Muslim caliphs received a divine mandate to spread the Prophet's revelation, peacefully if possible... by the sword if necessary.”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Many Americans... maintain... a to bring the Third World countries... benefits of democracy and human rights, even if... by s and F-16s.”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“[T]he modern Indian state is a child of the British Empire. The British killed, injured and persecuted... but... also united... warring kingdoms, principalities and tribes, creating a... national consciousness and a country that functioned... as a single political unit.”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“[[Religion|[R]eligion]] has been the third great unifier... alongside money and empire.”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Religion can... be defined..[:] a system of human laws... founded on a belief in superhuman laws.”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“[T]he majority of ancient religions were local and exclusive.., believed in local deties and spirits, and had no interest in converting the... human race.”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“[U]niversal and missionary religions began to appear... in the first millennium BC.., one of the most important revolutions in history, and made a vital contribution to the unification of humankind, much like... universal empires and... money.”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“For thousands of years after the Agricultural Revolution... consisted mainly of... sacrificing lambs, wine and cakes to divine powers... [for] promised abundant harvest and fecund flocks.”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“These [polytheistic] religions understood the world to be controlled by... powerful gods... Humans could appeal to these... to bring rain, victory... health.”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“[M]onotheistic brainwashing... caused most Westerners to see polytheism as ignorant and childish idolatry.”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“In Hindu polytheism, a single principle, Atman, controls the myriad gods and spirits, humankind, and the biological and physical world. Atman is the central essence or soul of the... universe.., of every individual and every phenomenon.”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The only god that the Romans long refused to tolerate was the monotheistic... evangelising god of the Christians.”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Christians slaughtered Christians by the millions to defend slightly different interpretations of the religion of love and compassion.”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The religious wars between Catholics and Protestants that swept Europe in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries are... notorious. ...[T]hey disagreed about the nature of... [Christ's] love.”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The first monotheist religion known... appeared in Egypt, c.1350 BC, when Pharaoh Akhenaten declared... one of the minor deties... ... supreme power ruling the universe.”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Judaism had little to offer other nations, and throughout most of its existence... [was] not... a missionary religion.., [but] a 'local monotheism".”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Christians began... widespread missionary activities... In one of history's strangest twists, this esoteric Jewish sect took over the... Roman Empire.”
Yuval Noah Harari (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source