By: Sundeep Sharma
The author of the hugely popular “Sapiens; A Brief History of Humankind”, Yuval Noah Harari, the Oxford trained professor based at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Israeli medieval historian did it again in September 2024. This time round he has focused on how misinformation and disinformation threaten human civilization.
In his new and thought-provoking book Nexus; A Brief History of Information Networks from Stone Age to AI, Harari delves into the profound ways in which technology and information shape human societies. One of the central themes of the book is how the flow of information—its creation, dissemination, and consumption—has the power to shape not just individual lives, but entire nations. He also pinpoints how information (or is it misinformation and disinformation?) fosters or undermines national unity.
A sense of patriotism is pinioned on what one feels about his or her country. In this regard, a nation’s history, values, and identity are key cornerstones that cannot be ignored. Harari’s Nexus outlines how the rise of digital platforms, manipulation of narratives, and spread of misinformation do fundamentally alter how patriotism is formed and experienced.
In Nexus Harari points out that the advent of the Internet and social media has dramatically altered humanity’s view of truth. In today’s world, information flows from multiple sources – each with their own agenda. For example, social media platforms, blogs, and podcasts provide unfiltered access to a variety of perspectives, often with little regard for objectivity. This has led to a fragmentation of the national narratives, where people easily curate their own version of reality based on the information they choose to consume.
Harari’s exploration of the “post-truth” world highlights a significant concern. When people consume information primarily through echo chambers that reinforce their existing beliefs, they become more entrenched in their own perspectives and less open to dialogue with others. This polarisation, driven by selective information consumption, fractures national unity and makes it harder to build a collective patriotic spirit.
While the flow of information can lead to division, it can also be harnessed for more insidious purposes. Harari discusses how governments and political actors have increasingly turned to information manipulation as a tool for advancing their agendas. In the digital age, it is easier than ever to manipulate public opinion through targeted propaganda, misinformation, and data-driven campaigns.
Harari argues that the digital era has given rise to a new form of nationalism anchored on populist, reactionary, and apprehension. Politicians can now use data to stoke nationalist sentiments by presenting an idealised version of the nation while simultaneously demonising their opponents.
In such a context, patriotism becomes distorted. It no longer represents a unifying love for the country and its values, but rather an instrument of political power. National symbols are hijacked for partisan purposes, and patriotism is reduced to a shallow form of loyalty that serves political interests, rather than the broader good of the nation.
Despite the challenges posed by the digital age, Harari is optimistic about the potential for information to foster a more inclusive and constructive form of patriotism. He suggests that the very decentralisation of information could be used to create new, more inclusive narratives of national identity. In this new paradigm, information is no longer monopolised by a select few. Rather, a diverse range of voices and perspectives shapes it.
The key, Harari believes, is for citizens to become more discerning in their consumption of information. This means moving beyond sensationalised headlines and engaging in critical thinking. It also involves a shift in how we understand patriotism. Not as a blind allegiance to the state, but as a shared commitment to the principles of justice, equality, and mutual respect. It calls for keeping off divisive or exclusionary rhetoric.
Harari’s Nexus offers a compelling analysis of the ways in which information shapes society, including how it impacts patriotism. The digital era has brought both challenges and opportunities for national identity. While misinformation, polarisation, and manipulation threaten to erode trust and unity, there is also the potential for information to foster a more inclusive and responsible form of patriotism.
Information should unite rather than divide. In this complex digital world, it is up to citizens should take the narratives they consume, with a generous serving of salt and not just a pinch. Only then can the soul of a nation be nourished in the age of information.
The author, Sundeep Sharma, is a student of world history by choice and well-respected financial analyst and systems integration specialist with years of experience in various jurisdictions mainly in Asia, parts of Europe and now Africa.
