Summary of Humility by Yuval Noah Harari || Class 12 English Note

Summary of Humility by Yuval Noah Harari

Summary

In the essay ‘Humility’, Harari exposes the illusions of superiority and mastery that many humans have. He believes that morality, art, spirituality, and creativity are innate abilities that all humans possess.

In the essay, Harari notes that most cultures lack the quality of humility. Many people tend to believe that they are the center of the world and the inventors of the most important philosophies and contributions. Ironically, this is the same self-centeredness that most groups have warned against.

Various cultures and nations have claimed credit for important historical events and discoveries. Greeks believe that history began with Homer, Sophocles, and Plato in Greek cities, while Chinese nationalists claim that many great ideas originated in their culture. Hindus believe that the invention of nuclear science should be credited to them. Muslims consider all history before the Prophet Muhammad as unimportant, while Turkish, Iranian, and Egyptian nationalists argue that even before Muhammad, their particular nation was the source of humanity. British, French, German, American, Russian, Japanese, and other groups believe that humankind would be uncivilized and barbarous if it were not for their achievements and developments.

However, Harari notes that these claims are not unique and are often mixed with ignorance of history, racism, and religion. He points out that none of the religions or nations of today existed before humans colonized the world, domesticated plants and animals, built the first cities, or invented writing and money.

Harari also highlights the Jewish perspective, which claims that they are the most important thing in the world. According to Jewish beliefs, yoga was invented by Abraham, and all the basic yoga postures derive from the shape of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet. They also believe that the entire universe exists so that Jewish rabbis can study their holy scriptures, and if Jews stop this practice, the universe will come to an end. Even secular Jews consider that the Jewish people are the dominant heroes of history and the ultimate source of human morality, spirituality, and learning.

Understanding the text

Answer the following questions.

a. Describe the claim of the Chinese nationalists about the human history.

Chinese nationalists believe that history began with the Yellow Emperor and the Xia and Shang dynasties. Whatever Westerners, Muslims or Indians achieved is a pale copy of original Chinese breakthroughs.

b. What do pious Muslims believe about the human history?

Pious Muslims believe that all history prior to the Prophet Muhammad is irrelevant, and consider all history after the revelation of the Quran to revolve around the Muslim ummah.

c. What did the Aztecs firmly believe about the universe?

The Aztecs firmly believed that without the sacrifices they performed each year, the sun would not rise and the entire universe would disintegrate.

d. What, according to the essay, are the universal human abilities?

Morality, art, spirituality and creativity are the universal human abilities.

e. How are the basic yoga postures derived from the shape of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet?

The basic yoga postures are derived from the shape of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet when the yoga postures imitated specific Hebrew letters, such as trikonasana imitating the shape of the Hebrew letter aleph and tuladandasana imitating the letter daled.

Reference to the context

a. How do Hindu nationalists refute the Chinese claim that human history really began with the Yellow Emperor and the Xia and Shang dynasties? Who do you agree with, and why?

Chinese nationalists believe that history started with the Yellow Emperor and the Xia and Shang dynasties. Hindu nationalists refute the Chinese claim. Both the claims are not truly unique. Their beliefs are the self-centeredness that they have warned against. They mix their ignorance of history with more than a hint of racism and religion. None of groups existed before humans colonized the world, domesticated plants and animals, built the first cities, or invented writing and money.

b. The author has dealt with a controversial debate on human history. Why do you think history has been a major contested issue in the present world?

History by its nature is a subject based on human interpretation. As time changes, so do stories including history. It is controversial when there is unfairness to the people by another group in the past. This may be also the case when there is a disparity between what is taught in school history and other histories. Moreover, a religious group or nation believes itself to be the center of the universe and the inventor of the most important beliefs.