State and market started to become the main aspect of human culture when the industrial revolution began. According to Harari, we started to evolve into the culture that focused on state in market once we started to advance with our technology and people started to individually care for ourselves. Mankind went from a Family and Community type of mindset to caring for ourselves as individuals. Once the industrial revolution began, it “gave the market immense new powers, provided by the state with new means of communication and transportation” This gave the state power over workers. With the new focus on market and state, it weakened the traditional bonds between family and community. The market provided the means to support people as individuals and encouraged people to marry whoever you want, or move where ever you desire. People started to work whatever job they pleased and doing things their own way because the state and market provided mankind shelter, food, education, health, welfare and employment. The state was able to ensure protection amongst individuals, which broke the family and community culture.
Historians play a huge role when it comes to considering the future. Historians are the ones who can warn us about the past and show us when we are following patterns of destruction or show us patterns of success. The last few chapters of the reading discussed the advancements we are making with technology and how it can benefit it and both lead us to the end our the Sapiens. Historians are able to tell us how Sapiens became the superior species that took over the globe, and it can be warning that our advancement in technology is destroying our means for happiness. Harari says “ History has still not decided where we will end up, and a string of coincidences might yet send us rolling in either directions”. Meaning that we can only use history as a warning not to push technology passed a certain limit.
I thought you made an excellent point about the role historians play in world history. I found it interesting that you said that humanity should use history as a warning that technology can only go so far. While I think this is somewhat true, I would argue that technological innovations and advancements are important to human society. I think that your point does apply to some types of technology, (for me, I think that CRISPR technology might be taking it a bit too far) but I also think that technology is how humans made it this far, and it’s impossible to separate human society from technology. I liked how you mentioned that history and historians can show us if society is following patterns of success or destruction. That’s an interesting way of looking at the role historians play in the world. I liked the way you discussed what role historians play in today’s society, and enjoyed reading your blog post. Good job and excellent title!
I like your summary on the role of the state and the market in our current culture. I agree with your idea for the role of historians for the future. I personally believe they should take a step further and be the ones that slows down the progress of technology by asking should we do it. But, based on what you said, historians are still playing the most important role by pointing out the patterns now and comparing them to the past patterns.
I enjoyed reading your post. I feel the same way as you regarding the role that historians would play in the planning for the future. You mention how historians show us when we are following patterns of destruction as well as show us when we are following patterns of success, and that has to be one of the most important roles in predicting or planning for anything. Along with historians being able to tell us why homo sapiens became the major species that took over the globe, they are also able to tell us why most everything today is the way it is, from the small things to the large, important in predicting and planning for the future. Great post.
Nice summary of the state and market becoming central to human life. Also, I completely agree that historians are essential to considering the future. However, I don’t necessarily think that advancement in technology will do us in. I agree that historians can warn us to keep technology from pushing certain boundaries, but it can also provide us with a window in which technology can (somewhat) safely grow. Indeed, technology (if used irresponsibly) could easily and swiftly obliterate us sapiens. I think the influence of history here comes to understanding the importance of the technological decisions we make. History aligns technology with all the other aspects of society and the world to understand the total impact and if used wisely, it could take human being on to bigger and better things rather than death and destruction.