[Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind - Impressions] Is the reason for human prosperity 'fiction' rather than tools? The true nature of the Cognitive Revolution that surprised a current university student #27

In this post, I will talk about the 'power to create fiction,' which struck me the most while I was finishing the first volume of 'Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind' and reading the second. There were many insights in this book, but I have narrowed it down to this theme to articulate the true factors behind human prosperity from my own perspective. Please stay with me until the end.

The birth of tools and the misunderstanding of the 'factors of prosperity'

Until I read this book, I thought the factors that made humans human and allowed us to prosper this much were 'dexterity,' 'high intelligence,' and the 'ability to use tools.' I blindly believed that mastering sophisticated tools that other animals cannot create was the result that brought humans an overwhelming advantage. However, the core of human prosperity presented by this book was something entirely different. It was the 'power to create fiction,' or the ability to create fictions.

The difference between animal language and the human 'power to create fiction'

Both humans and animals have language and communicate. However, while animals can only convey the situation right in front of them, humans can convey things from the past, fantasies, delusions, and even the future.

For example, a monkey can communicate 'there is a lion' when a lion is nearby, but it cannot communicate 'I saw a lion near the river.' Also, it probably wouldn't worship a lion as a god. Humans can worship a lion as a 'god' because it saved their ancestors, even without having actually seen the scene. This 'ability to believe in things that do not exist' was the trigger for the phenomenon that brought explosive evolution to humans.

Why did the sharing of fiction make the formation of huge groups possible?

So, why did this 'power to create fiction' lead directly to the result of human prosperity? The reason is that by sharing fiction, humans became able to live in larger groups.

There is a biological limit (about 150 people) to the size of groups in which animals like chimpanzees can directly recognize each other and live together while maintaining relationships of trust. Beyond this, direct relationships cannot be grasped, and the group collapses. However, by believing in fictions like a 'common god' or 'common myths' together, humans became able to recognize even strangers as 'allies who believe in the same thing,' and to place trust in them and cooperate. Through this cognitive revolution, only humans were able to break through the 150-person barrier and build a huge society.

The 'invisible fictions' that dominate modern society

Looking at current society, it is actually overflowing with fiction everywhere. Religion, currency, corporations, nations, anime, and manga are all examples of this.

Thinking about the example of a corporation, where exactly is the main body of a corporation? Is it the headquarters, the logo, or the president and employees? It should be none of these. Even if these were to disappear, the company would not go bankrupt. If you build a new headquarters, create a new logo, decide on a new president, and hire employees, the company will continue to exist. In this way, the main body of a corporation is invisible. This is the true nature of fiction. The sharing of agreements that humans believe 'are there' is what maintains today's huge economic society.

[To the readers]

Thank you for reading to the end. Are there things in your daily life that you feel are 'fictions created by Sapiens when you think about it'? I am also waiting for comments such as your impressions and opinions on the article. I am happy just to receive comments, so please feel free to comment.

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