Nexus

If we Sapiens are so wise, why are we so self-destructive??

Celebrated author Yuval Noah Harari's latest publication, Nexus, carries on the legacy of his magnum opus Sapiens, providing, as the title says, "a brief history of information networks from the Stone Age to A.I." Nexus analyzes the tools and rationale of both human-to-human and human-to-other networks, and the "success" enjoyed exclusively by Homo Sapiens, building concrete arguments from facts and anecdotes alike.

The 400+ page book boasts eleven chapters in total, addressing the topics of human networks, the inorganic network, and computer politics. The former begins with defining the term "information" as an attempt to present the multifaceted form of reality: objective, subjective, and inter-subjective reality, to elaborate on the specifics. To illustrate the point, take, for example, a brand- any brand. Whether or not it possesses a relationship with the product and individual consumers, at the end of the day, it conveys a story.

Nexus also expounds on the self-correcting mechanisms of scientific institutions. Questioning is encouraged; challenging existing theories and providing substantial evidence for correcting existing flaws appreciated. This is observed even in something as domestic as a child learning to walk: one wrong move, and the child falls, eventually learning from their mistake and re-attempting the process through a different method. To further elaborate, take blood pressure. It increases when engaging in strenuous physical activity, and falls when we are asleep, but remains within certain bounds all the same.?

Harari once again draws on the genius that was first seen in Sapiens. Despite there not being a clear solution to the problems presented in Nexus, his very "diagnosis" of the issues themselves is insightful and fascinating, keeping readers glued to his work all the same.?