21 Lessons for the 21st Century Summary

 

 In just one sentence, the book "21 Lessons for the 21st Century" sums up the most serious political, cultural, and economic issues we face today as a result of the rapid advancement of technology, while also pointing the way toward a more secure future.

How do you teach your children about the world in 2050? What if it's 2100? It's a fascinating question, made all the more intriguing by the fact that no one can predict what the planet will look like in a thousand years. Humans have historically been able to make reasonable predictions about the direction the world will take. Is this possible in today's technologically advanced society? Ignore it!

However, this does not negate the importance of doing everything we can to prepare for the unknown. In Yuval Noah Harari's book, 21 Lessons for the 21st Century, he helps us achieve just that. After Sapiens and Homo Deus, which dealt with human history and the future, his latest book focuses on our current issues and how we may overcome them.

To help us and future generations succeed in the twenty-first century, here are three lessons from his book.

1. Whoever controls the data has the upper hand, which is why so many people are vying for it.
2. Unfortunately, we don't actually know the answer, and that's a problem.
3. Rather than simply providing more information, education should teach us how to use it.

Do you ever become scared about the future? If so, you're not alone. Don't worry, we're going to get ready!

 

Lesson 1: Our processes are being disrupted because data has become our most precious asset.

Throughout history, people's views on the world have been shaped by a variety of different ideologies. Whichever one garners the most support has a tendency to shape our history for several decades. Fascism, communism, and liberalism all struggled for this right during the twentieth century. In the end, liberalism came out on top.

The value of various assets rises and falls in accordance with the dominant ideologies. That which is most valuable will be the focus of political and national efforts, determining the direction the globe takes moving forward. Until now, technology appears to have beaten all of its competitors in the 21st century. It's what we cling to the most.

Because we place such a high value on technology, data has emerged as our most precious resource. As a result, politicians are fighting to win the global IT race for their countries. The issue is that no one is aware of the full ramifications of our worldview at this point. Algorithms have long been used to do many tasks in the financial markets, but only a few traders are aware of what they are doing.

This lack of knowledge poses a serious threat to politicians. Dissatisfied constituents believe their elected leaders aren't addressing the most pressing issues.

Despite this, we are just as clueless when it comes to technology as they are.

 

Lesson 2: We tend to overestimate our actual expertise, which is risky.

Occasionally, my family and I laugh about the "genius" of certain legislators when we discuss politics. Changing from being the minister of the economy to the minister of health is not uncommon in Germany. It makes no sense when highly specialized offices are traded like Christmas presents. When it comes to medical and military defense, how could one person be an expert in both fields?

However, this is a problem that affects all of us. In many ways, we assume we know more than our forefathers, but the truth is that we know less.

As an example, we all rely on a wide range of professionals to help us carry out our daily routines. Neither can we forage for our own food nor construct our own shelters or clothing. If we think we're smart, it's not because we have access to all the information in the world.

Instead, we should maintain our humility, be grateful, and strive to never cease improving ourselves.

 

Lesson 3: We need to start learning how to think in school instead of just being told what to think.

One of my favorite speeches by Neil deGrasse Tyson was about the importance of learning how to think rather than merely knowing what to believe. We're left with the latter since our schools exclusively focus on the former. Even in the realm of higher education, the focus is on cramming as many facts as possible into your brain, just to be able to recite them verbatim on a piece of paper before forgetting them. A problem there.

History, biology, mathematics, and other courses are critical to a well-rounded education. It's more vital than simply memorizing facts to understand how to navigate today's ocean of information, how to weed out the important from the irrelevant, and how to tell the difference between fact and fiction.

Since there is so much more data being created now in a single year than there has been in the past few millennia combined, future workers will not need to know as much as possible, but rather how to find out only what they truly need to know. That's what we must instill in our children if we want them to have a bright future.