#LifeHack - It's All a Lie - S1E3
Religions, Currencies, Corporations, and Countries Exist Only in Our Imagination.
Hello hackers! Welcome to the third episode of #LifeHack!
Today, we're diving into a topic that has been on my mind for quite some time—a disturbing reality that may leave you questioning if many of our modern achievements are founded on lies.
Religions
Imagine there's no heaven… It's easy if you try… No hell below us… Above us, only sky… Imagine all the people… Living for today… I… — John Lennon
Why do people follow religions? The stories often seem unrealistic and fabricated. Why do individuals devote their lives to religions, adhering to seemingly absurd rules? Some even go to the extreme, willing to kill and hurt others due to their fanaticism. How is this possible?
Countries
Can you see a country? Of course, you can see the flags and regions on a map. But can you truly see it? No, you can't. A flag is just a symbol, and the region on the map existed long before the country's declaration.
Countries don't exist in our material world. If they don't truly exist, why are soldiers willing to die for their countries? Why do athletes train hard to win medals for their countries? Why do people follow a country's laws and face punishment for breaking them? Why do we pay taxes?
Currencies
Take some money from your pocket and ask yourself: Can I eat this? Of course not. We can't eat money. So why do we keep it? To buy something? Why are others willing to trade their valuable goods for these seemingly useless pieces of paper or coins?
Corporations
Why do people invest money in buying shares of corporations? Is a corporation real? Yes, we can sue a company in court, and a company can sue us. But is a corporation truly real? How can we prove its existence?
Lies?
We work for money in corporations governed by governments of countries, surrounded by people who follow religions. So, these things must be real, right? What about ghosts? I've never seen one, but people insist they are real. Why do ghosts have different appearances in various cultures?
Imagined Order
Yuval Noah Harari argues that much of human cooperation relies on shared myths or "imagined orders," which are collectively believed and upheld. These include religions, nations, corporations, and legal systems. They are not tangible realities but constructs that exist in the minds of people, enabling large-scale cooperation and societal organization.
We've been trusting in shared lies to collaborate effectively. We've been lying to each other to build our civilization. But that’s an oversimplification. It’s not that simple, yet not that complicated.
Imagine this: The Prophet Moses leads the Israelites from Egypt to the Promised Land. The number of Israelites is around 600,000 men aged between 20 and 60. Including women, the number would double to 1,200,000. That's a lot of people. At that time, there were no WhatsApp Groups, Facebook, or even microphones to communicate with so many people. Just talking to them was hard, let alone leading and coordinating them. Imagine yourself in Moses' shoes at that time. You'd have no idea how to manage it.
How did Moses lead so many people to the Promised Land and keep them in order?
Ignoring the miraculous events like the parting of the sea and the pillar of cloud and fire, let's focus on the story where Moses goes up the mountain and returns with two stone tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments.
Which is easier:
Telling all those Israelites to follow ten rules directly commanded by Moses
Or telling them that the commandments were written by God's hand on two stone tablets and must be obeyed?
Exodus 24:1, 9–11
Then the Lord told Moses to leave the elders and go even higher up the mountain. Moses obeyed. The Lord used His finger to write His law and commandments on stone tablets. For 40 days, the Lord taught Moses many things.
It's akin to a local myth where parents warn their children not to go out at night because a "monster" called "Wewe Gombel" will kidnap them. It's simpler to tell this scary story than to just tell the kids to stay inside at night. Imagining the "monster," the kids will naturally be too afraid to go out.
Using Fiction to Control Humans
Similar fictional stories exist in every culture worldwide. People spread fiction to control others, and it works. People love simple stories that answer their questions.
Occam’s razor is the principle that, all else being equal, simpler explanations should be preferred over more complex ones. This principle is thought to play a role in human perception and decision-making, but the nature of our presumed preference for simplicity is not understood.
Instead of the scientific explanation of thunder:
The temperature of the air in the lightning channel may reach as high as 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit, 5 times hotter than the surface of the sun. Immediately after the flash, the air cools and contracts quickly. This rapid expansion and contraction creates the sound wave that we hear as thunder.
People once believed this simpler story:
In Greek mythology, Zeus' lightning bolts were made by the Cyclopes, one-eyed giants that he released from Tartarus in the Underworld. In gratitude, they continued to serve him and provide him with a steady supply of sky-splitting bolts of lightning to hurl at his enemies. Storm gods, typically.
It's more beautiful, exciting, and, most importantly, simpler. People naturally believe simpler explanations before true but complex ones.
The Great Story Tellers
Great storytellers and narrators have always succeeded in becoming leaders and gaining followers. Founders of countries, religions (prophets), kings, and companies all have stories to tell, and many people believe them.
Their stories influence people, who are willing to do almost anything they say. They build pyramids, temples, and palaces and even die for their leaders without doubt.
Modern Era
Do we still use such fictional stories today? Are people getting "smarter"? It's not about intelligence. Even now, we live in a world full of complex fictional stories.
We still believe in countries, companies, currencies, stocks, and other fictional things. We've even evolved these stories into cryptocurrencies and NFTs, following modern "prophets" with many followers who promise things aligned with our beliefs.
The more people believe in currencies, stocks, gold, or silver, the higher their prices go, and vice versa.
What fiction do you believe or want to be real?
Peace in a unified world, just like John Lennon? Becoming rich will make you happier? Following religion will bring you to heaven? Starting a company to have a positive impact on the world?
Or, let’s change the question.
What kind of stories do you want to write?
We know that stories influence people and can alter reality. The more people believe in your stories, the more they become “real,” no matter how absurd they are.
Conclusion
In a world where stories shape our reality, it's essential to understand the power of the narratives we choose to believe and create. Whether it's the myths of ancient times or the constructs of modern society, our collective belief in these stories enables us to build civilizations, foster cooperation, and achieve remarkable feats.
As we navigate this landscape of shared fictions, let's be mindful of the stories we tell ourselves and others. What kind of story do you want to write? What reality do you want to shape with your narrative?
Thank you for joining me on this journey through the power of stories. If you found this post thought-provoking, I invite you to subscribe to my Substack page to stay up-to-date with my latest blog posts. Your support means a lot, so please like, comment, and share your thoughts below. Let's continue exploring the fascinating world of human imagination and collaboration together.