Harari: An Unspoken Hero

I'm quite an avid fan of motivational speakers, but I recently have begun to explore motivational thinkers. These are people who don't just tell you things that make you feel "less likely" to procrastinate and be lazy, but people who really want you to reach your potential and expand your horizons. I recently learned about an author, a global figure that is seemingly a hero among some of the world's brightest. Yuval Noah Harari, a professor at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, is a historian, philosopher, and internationally-renown writer who wrote Sapiens: A Brief History of Mankind, a widely-acclaimed novel at the top of several reading lists. While motivational speakers come and go, Harari can teach or remind us what we’re all capable of – critical thinking. Harari paints a macro view of mankind through the evolution of historical events, common practices, and human experience. Using philosophy and economics, for example, Harari has analyzed how the strength of control money bears on us, the true nature of the Agricultural Revolution, and the success of an obsolete political system. Sapiens would inspire many of us to reconsider the way we see the world and the potential behind thinking proactively instead of just plainly accepting what’s around us.

Following Harari’s example, we can all begin by reflecting on the institutions surrounding us. The world is in need of more bold thinkers like Harari, people who will step up to ask questions others won’t ask and start discussions that don’t want to be started. People may not agree with his work, but Harari’s achievements go to show that hyper-curiosity paired with an undying belief in your cause can lead you to make real change. The world is constantly evolving, and the last few years, if anything, have shown us the capability we possess to be adaptable and innovative. Innovation doesn’t start once people start to innovate; it starts with an inquisitive mind looking into the future.