Recently read books - some comments

The books I have recently read. My short comments and highlights on the books are here.

If you are wondering why we are facing topics like Brexit, nationalistic movements on right etc, Francis Fukuyama's Identity could be an ideal book for you. Fukuyama explains the development of identity of people and societies through recent history and, hence, demonstrates how politics has been influenced by that development. And how difficult it has been and still is for political parties to recognize change in the identity of people and societies. In short, one of his messages is that because left has not enough been addressing the needs of the have-nots, those people have opened their ears to the tempting message from the right.  

Max Tegmark's Life 3.0 - being human in the age of artificial intelligence - is as provocative as his previous book Our Mathematical Universe. Max Tegmark goes beyond our normal way of thinking and creates a theory in which human life with its level of intelligence is only one type of intelligence. From the physics perspective he demonstrates that - at least in theory - we are closing the edge of AI phase where AI can develop further independently of us (Life 3.0). Hence, we should be wise to use AI in favor of humankind. Highly speculative book but has some good observations of physical phenomena which cannot be declined.

The Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond is the brick stone everybody should read - at least the summary findings of it. Jared Diamond emphasizes the importance of environment in the development of societies and nations - not other factors which people usually and unfortunately start to think about. He submits overwhelming amount of evidence and examples supporting this theory. The second key point is that nations with established structure and culture - like South Korea - have been able to quickly catch-up the level of development that exists elsewhere, e.g. in Europe - while the ones without the development hasn't been that fast at all.

The fourth book - written by Riku Rantala and Tunna Milonoff - is a practical guide how to survive in the current disruption, mainly in the point of view artificial intelligence, block chain, climate change etc. The book is easy and quick to ready. It is based on interviews and Harari's book 21 lessons of the 21st Century. For the AI etc. practitioners the book doesn′t give that much new ideas. For me one of the best part of the books was Mika Anttonen's point of views on climate change. His fresh comments stretch above quarter based capitalism.