Harari’s Nexus: Forces that Change the Economy, Society, and Human Nature

Even on the opening pages, the skillfully written work ‘Nexus’ by Yuval Noah Harari sparks deep interest in readers, evaluates Prof. Dr. Martina Sopta Ćorić from the Department of Business Economics at the Faculty of Economics in Zagreb. She believes that the author invites readers to reconsider the world in which we have lived, live, and will live, and through a retrospective from the Stone Age to the age of artificial intelligence, introduces them in his characteristic way to the essence and message of the book.

– ‘Nexus’ encourages reflection on how information and the ways it is transmitted have shaped human civilization and influenced it, from oral stories and myths through written documents and bureaucracy to modern digital networks and artificial intelligence algorithms. Technologies are not viewed as tools, but as fundamental forces that change the economy, society, and human nature – emphasizes Sopta Ćorić.

Why are we self-destructive

It is precisely Harari’s incredibly easy ability to connect historical trends with current and future challenges that holds special value for her, as it allows for a better understanding of the complexity of the moment we live in and encourages the search for the right answers. She states that ‘Nexus’ has sparked her interest in re-examining established economic and business paradigms.

– And this at a time when technologies such as artificial intelligence and biotechnology have the potential to become transformative forces that redefine relationships, markets, the workforce, and organizational structures. It has opened up space for new upgrades in teaching, as well as consulting, with an emphasis on thinking about long-term forecasting and adaptability. Harari poses the question of how human identity and role in a society where the boundary between the biological and the digital is becoming increasingly thin will change. I would connect this with the excellent quote: ‘If we sapiens are so wise, why are we so self-destructive?’, which is applicable to every historical period, present, and future. This is a sentence that calls for changes in the thinking of all professions and necessary adaptations – believes Sopta Ćorić.

Like hygiene

She notes that if we are open to new knowledge and insights, application comes naturally as everything simply falls into place, drawing from our ‘well of knowledge’. And Harari is, in her opinion, an excellent ally in this because he opens up space for reflection for every reader, perspectives for business and institutional strategies and decisions, and everyday work.

– To everyone who wants to take a step further, open up other perspectives, and develop their own system of thinking and values, I would recommend ‘Nexus’. It is not only a quality source of knowledge but also an encouragement for constant re-examination and adaptation, for seeking one’s own and general answers in a world where understanding is more important than ever in order to influence the future and shape it – asserts Sopta Ćorić.

Reading is an integral part of her life, she notes, or rather her hygiene. In moments of relaxation, she picks up inspirational fiction and regularly follows current publications in economic and business theory and practice.