Following the organization of large scale communities came the creation and acceptance of major power structures including governing unifying bodies and commerce. These two concepts, according to Harari, are both strongly linked and quickly become the center of human culture. Due to the power that eventually became inherent, although fully arbitrary, in these concepts, they molded daily life across the globe. Culture became rooted both in a unifying body such as the state as well as material items and interests. The state has the power to determine who the majority is, and it is well known that one should wish to be in the majority, as the minority falls victim to being unable to choose. The human myth and creation of money, value in objects and therefore value in people through their belongings has forever changed human interaction, daily life and the focus of life in general.
Stepping away from the Harari reading, in my mind, when considering the future of homo sapiens, historians should play the role of “devil’s advocate” in the sense of utilizing their knowledge of the progression of choices and consequences throughout history in order to fully contemplate the effects of actions, techno-fixes and potential solutions to current and upcoming issues facing humanity, sustainability of the earth and global interactions.
I found your argument very appealing, especially the part about majorities and minorities. Majorities and minorities are essentially stuck in their respective social and political positions. People who fall inside the lines of the majority tend to have a lot more freedom of choice in today’s society and can promote ideas that appeal to many others in order to gain traction on an important issue or human right. The majority can mobilize more effectively and push agendas in order to make life better for the fellow humans in the majority. Minorities seem to just have to live with decisions that are made by the elite. Thus, the agendas and issues that come to the light by majority action hardly ever involve consideration of minorities. The poor get poorer, sadly. Devil’s advocate could also empower minorities to not give up until human rights are equal across the human spectrum.