“Fiction isn’t bad. It is vital. Without commonly accepted stories about things like money, states or corporations, no complex human society can function”
— Yuval Noah Harari
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Simplified Meaning:
Stories and beliefs we all agree on are really important for society to work. For example, money is just paper or numbers on a screen, but we all believe it has value, so we can buy and sell things. Similarly, countries and companies are just ideas we agree on, but they help us organize our lives, work together, and build communities. Imagine trying to live if nobody agreed on what money is or if countries didn't exist. Everything would be chaotic and disorganized. These shared beliefs allow us to understand each other and cooperate smoothly, making life simpler and more connected. So, even though they are made up, these commonly accepted stories are necessary for our world's functioning.
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Civilization Corporations Economics Fiction Human behavior Money Social constructs Society States StorytellingFEATURED QUOTES
