Researching history has taught me an important lesson for the future, says Israeli historian Yuval Harari, author of books praised by Microsoft founder Bill Gates and former U.S. President Barack Obama.
– History teaches us to never underestimate human stupidity; it is one of the most powerful forces in the world, says Harari, a professor at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
In an interview with CNBC, Harari expressed concern and doubt about the abilities of populist leaders to solve today’s greatest problems, stating that they “sell people nostalgic fantasies about the past instead of offering realistic visions for the future.”
The greatest existential problems facing the world are nuclear war, climate change, and technological challenges, yet we have not heard solutions to these problems from world leaders, says Harari.
The last great revolution brought us discoveries like trains, cars, electricity, and television, but it did not tell us what to do with them, and now biotechnology and artificial intelligence are current, and humanity still has a choice about how to use them… this is a job for governments that deal with ‘old problems’ instead of focusing on the potential of new technologies, believes Harari.
