Chapter 6 - Building Pyramids Flashcards
Summary
Chapter 6: Building Pyramids – The Birth of Materialism and Anxiety
Once upon a time, humans had a free, wandering spirit; they were one with nature. The vast wilderness was their home, covering many square miles, unlike the boxed-in homes of today’s world. These nomadic beings did not accumulate artifacts that couldn’t be carried with them. They respected their environment and moved freely, leading a peaceful life devoid of excessive possession or the urge to ‘own’ and ‘control.’ However, the advent of the Agricultural Revolution marked a crossroad in human history, where humans began losing their connection with nature and started a relationship with material possessions.
The Change: From Foragers to Farmers
With the advent of agriculture, humans found themselves tied to their homes, their lands. They grew protective of their possessions and took up arms against plant and animal wildlife trying to encroach on their property. The concept of ‘home’ was drastically reduced from vast territories to comparatively small boxed spaces.
The Birth of Anxiety: The Future Turns into a Boogeyman
Hunter-gatherers did not overly worry about the future, mostly because their survival was unpredictable. However, as farming took hold, humans could predict where their future meals would come from. Yet, this newfound comfort came with a price: anxiety. The ability to plan for the future brought about concerns, worries, and fears that were alien to their hunter-gatherer predecessors.
The Hardships of Farming and the Growth of Societies
Farmers had much to worry about: droughts, floods, pests – any of these could mean death. Unlike their nomadic ancestors, they could not simply move when conditions turned harsh. Thus, they had to learn to manipulate and fight against nature, digging canals, building irrigation systems, and so forth. The rulers emerged from the surplus food generated by the toiling farmers. These rulers, alongside soldiers who protected the settlement, started to shape history.
The Evolution of Tribes into Empires
With the surplus of food and the advent of transportation, human societies grew from small villages to cities and eventually into vast empires. The Persian and Babylonian empires are excellent examples of this transformation. However, the size and functioning of these large societies could not be maintained by food surplus alone. It required something more, a binding force that went beyond mere survival needs.
The Power of Imagined Realities
Harari introduces us to the concept of “imagined realities.” He explains that human beings, biologically, aren’t designed to cooperate at such a large scale. Yet, we managed to do so by believing in shared myths or imagined realities. These beliefs aren’t always rosy, though, and cooperation wasn’t always voluntary. Corruption and exploitation often lurked in the shadows of these large-scale cooperations.
Imagined Realities: From Hammurabi to the Declaration of Independence
Harari further explores the power of these imagined realities by discussing two significant historical documents: the Code of Hammurabi and the Declaration of Independence. Both claimed to provide universal principles of justice that could bring harmony and prosperity to large groups of people.
Preserving Imagined Realities: The Role of Violence and True Believers
Maintaining the status quo of these imagined orders requires both violence (armies, police) and true believers. For instance, the military must believe in the cause they are defending. But these beliefs aren’t just held by soldiers; they’re also entrenched in our societies through our upbringing, culture, and art, making them part of our reality.
The Interplay of Imagined Realities and Our Material World
Our material world, desires, and our very selves are shaped by these imagined orders. We construct our living spaces, pursue careers, and even fashion ourselves based on these collective beliefs. In this way, imagined realities not only affect us but also become the foundation of our societies.
The Intersubjectivity of the Imagined Order
Imagined realities persist because they exist in the minds of many. For an imagined order to collapse, a significant number of people must stop believing in it, a task easier said than done. Harari concludes that to defeat an imagined reality, a bigger, stronger one must be conjured. Hence, even as we break free from one imagined order, we often find ourselves in the confines of a larger one.
In the end, this chapter of Harari’s tale leaves us pondering the intriguing dance between our beliefs, our societies, and our material world. It makes us question whether we control our beliefs or whether they control us, revealing the intricate web that weaves human societies together.
key point list
Shift from Foragers to Farmers: The Agricultural Revolution marked a significant shift in human society. Foragers, who considered their home to span vast terrains, became farmers tied down to smaller parcels of land and possessions, creating a relationship with material things.
Impact on Human Psychology and Society: The shift to an agricultural lifestyle brought about concerns for future and a tendency to guard possessions fiercely. This newfound need to predict the future led to increased anxiety and a reduction in overall happiness.
Large-Scale Cooperation and Imposed Hierarchies: Surplus food and better transportation allowed human societies to expand, evolving from small tribes to vast empires. However, these large-scale cooperations often necessitated forced order and hierarchies, leading to inequalities and corruption.
The Role of Imagined Realities: The sustenance of large societal structures required shared beliefs, or “imagined realities”, which bind people together in cooperation. Examples include laws, monetary systems, and notions of justice.
Influence of Imagined Realities on Material World and Desires: These imagined realities not only shaped societal norms and orders but also influenced material world constructions (like buildings and cities) and individual desires. They form an integral part of human lives, shaping their world views, behaviors, and desires.
Q1: How did the Agricultural Revolution impact human society?
A1: The Agricultural Revolution marked a shift towards a more materialistic lifestyle, increased anxiety, and the reduction of ‘home’ to smaller, boxed-in spaces tied to agricultural lands.
Q2: What were the challenges farmers faced that hunter-gatherers didn’t?
A2: Unlike hunter-gatherers, farmers had to worry about future uncertainties like droughts, floods, and pests. They couldn’t simply move when conditions turned harsh and had to learn to manipulate and fight nature.
Q3: How did surplus food and transportation contribute to societal growth?
A3: Surplus food allowed societies to support non-food-producing roles like rulers and soldiers, leading to societal stratification. Improved transportation systems facilitated the growth of societies from villages to cities and empires.
Q4: What are “imagined realities” and what role do they play in large societies?
A4: Imagined realities are shared beliefs or myths that enable large-scale cooperation among people. They provide a binding force that goes beyond survival needs and shapes our societal structures, laws, and cultures.
Q5: How are imagined realities preserved?
A5: Imagined realities are preserved through a combination of violence (e.g., military and police forces) and true believers, who are often inculcated with these beliefs from their upbringing.
Q6: How do imagined realities influence our material world and desires?
A6: Imagined realities shape the way we construct our living spaces, pursue careers, and even fashion ourselves. Our beliefs about individualism, hierarchy, and other societal norms are deeply influenced by these imagined orders.
Q7: Why is it difficult to change imagined realities?
A7: Imagined realities persist because they exist in the minds of many. To change them, a significant number of people must stop believing in them, and often a more compelling imagined reality needs to be introduced. This makes it hard to dislodge established imagined orders.
