Transcription
This episode is proudly sponsored by 9.34 Bio-Energy Resonance Kwun Tong Soothing House. Scan the QR code on the screen for more details, or quickly WhatsApp 61452654 to join us and experience it! Hi, I'm Teacher Chen. Remember to Subscribe, Like, and Share this video. Thank you. Mark Twain once said, "History doesn't repeat itself, but it often rhymes." If we can stand in the present era and look back at the foolish, stupid, and crazy things people did before we were born, and if you can extract patterns, trends, and lessons from them, then you can better understand the present era and foresee the future world. The book I want to talk about this episode is called "Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow." The Chinese title has two versions: "Humanity's Great Destiny" and "A Brief History of the Future." The author is Yuval Noah Harari. This is a world-class bestseller, mainly because of his previous work, "A Brief History of Humankind." Let me briefly introduce the author. Harari was born in Israel in 1976. He is an Israeli medieval scholar, military historian, and popular science writer. He is currently a professor in the History Department at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He teaches history. His world history class at the university was already full. Later, based on his lectures, he wrote his first bestseller, "A Brief History of Humankind," in 2011. The book we are discussing today, "Humanity's Great Destiny," or "A Brief History of the Future," is his 2016 work. In 2018, he wrote another book, "21 Lessons for the 21st Century." Last year, in 2024, he wrote a new book called "A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to Artificial Intelligence." So, the author's background is that of a historian. It is quite reasonable for a historian to write about the future and predict it. Studying history has at least seven benefits. First, it can train your critical thinking. Reading history requires you to analyze historical materials from different eras, distinguishing facts from opinions, what is true from what is embellished, and what is credible from what is not. This is the first benefit of studying history. The second benefit is logical analysis skills. You need to find the causal relationships between different historical events, which can train our logical reasoning ability. After studying history, you can even become a private investigator. The third advantage is the ability to integrate information. The fourth benefit is cross-cultural understanding and empathy. The fifth benefit is to enhance your memory and knowledge reserve. The sixth benefit is that you will learn to interpret human nature and gain insight into society. The seventh benefit is that it can help us rationally reflect on modern society. We might have a stereotype that people who study history are all rigid and prefer to cling to old knowledge. But in fact, it's the opposite. I believe that those who truly understand history are all exceptionally intelligent. Because their knowledge base may contain thousands of years of common human mistakes and successful experiences. If you can extract useful experiences and lessons from this knowledge, which is like stars in the sky, you can become a teacher to kings. Therefore, in the intellectual field, I think the most formidable people are historians. And the book we are discussing today is precisely by a renowned contemporary world historian. If you want me to summarize this book in one sentence, I would say that "A Brief History of the Future" predicts that after humanity solves famine, plague, and war, it will pursue immortality, happiness, and divinity. New technological religions will emerge and reshape humanity and society. We may have heard many doomsday prophecies, but this book is not about doomsday prophecies. It doesn't say an asteroid will hit Earth, nor does it predict a nuclear war. Instead, it's about technological development. The author boldly predicts in the book that after humanity solves the major problems that have plagued us for centuries – famine, plague, and war – the next goals will be immortality, happiness, and becoming gods. This prediction is not based on imagination but is the author's conclusion after analyzing the development of existing biotechnology, genetic engineering, and artificial intelligence. These technological advancements will reshape humanity itself and change our social, political, and economic structures. Before reading this book, I hope you will consider a few questions. The first question is, does free will exist? When technology can manipulate our desires and emotions, are we still ourselves? The second question is, when algorithms allow us to understand ourselves better, will we hand over all decision-making power to them? If so, will humanity's uniqueness still exist? The third question is, when humans no longer have economic or military value, what will be the meaning of our existence? This book not only satisfies our curiosity but, more importantly, allows us to anticipate various future possibilities and reflect on how we should respond to these challenges. In the current torrent of technology, how can we protect human dignity and values and think about what kind of people we want to become? I believe that after listening to this episode, you will have a deeper understanding of yourself and the future of humanity. Okay, without further ado, let's start discussing the content of this book. At the beginning of "A Brief History of the Future," the author Harari points out a key turning point in human society: the early 21st century. We have already been able to effectively control the three major historical problems that have plagued us for thousands of years: famine, plague, and war. Although these problems have not completely disappeared – COVID has just passed, and there are still many places fighting wars around the world, and some countries still lack food – compared to the past millennia, humanity has shifted from passively enduring these disasters to actively responding. Human thought has also changed as a result. In the past, humans viewed these disasters as irresistible natural forces or the will of God. Today, mainstream thought considers them as preventable and solvable challenges. This shift in thinking is irreversible. Technological, economic, and political progress has intervened in the historical problem of famine. In past societies, minor accidents like droughts, locusts, or plunder could lead to the starvation of an entire family or even a whole village. We have seen countless such situations throughout history, both ancient and modern, in China and abroad. But today, it is very difficult to starve to death. Even if you are unemployed or have nothing, it is hard to starve. Try to starve to death in this era and show me. Even in the most indifferent society, there will always be one or two people who care about you and give you food, unless you isolate yourself completely. Even in cases of widespread hunger or famine in certain regions, global trade networks and international aid organizations can effectively address food shortages. Although hundreds of millions of people are still hungry worldwide, the number of people who truly die of starvation has significantly decreased. What has replaced it? Diseases caused by overnutrition. The author says that by the early 21st century, looking at average figures, the likelihood of humans dying from drought, Ebola, or terrorist attacks is less than the rate of dying from overeating McDonald's food. (Don't sue me, McDonald's, this is from the book, not me.) The number of people dying from overnutrition exceeds the number of people dying from malnutrition. The number of people dying from old age exceeds the number of people dying from infectious diseases. The number of suicides even exceeds the total number of people killed by soldiers, terrorists, and criminals. All these statistics are unprecedented. Let's briefly talk about plagues and diseases. In the past, humans attributed diseases to air pollution, demons, or gods. For example, the Black Death, one of the most famous plagues in history, caused tens of millions of deaths, and governments at the time were completely helpless. After discovering the New World, European colonists brought some of their diseases to the indigenous people of the Americas, causing a significant population decline. Countless people died from smallpox and influenza. But since the advent of vaccines and antibiotics, the incidence and impact of plagues have greatly decreased. Smallpox has even been eradicated. Of course, new viruses and infectious diseases still emerge every day, but medical advancements can usually cope successfully. Even terrible diseases like COVID have finally passed after two years, and we have basically returned to normal life. Although humanity has not yet fully controlled infectious diseases, with a little more time, humanity will achieve this. But at the same time, this also highlights another problem: biotechnology is a double-edged sword. It can be used to treat diseases and save lives, but it can also be used to create terrible biological weapons. Let's look at the issue of war again. For most of human history, war was considered inevitable. There was no concept of international relations; people followed the law of the jungle, where the strong prey on the weak. But since the latter half of the 20th century, the emergence of nuclear weapons and global economic changes have altered the entire world's game. Everyone has nuclear weapons, and everyone has seen their destructive power, which has significantly reduced the risk of war between major powers. We have also gradually transitioned from a material economy to a knowledge economy, and the knowledge economy has reduced the economic benefits of war. Do I want to steal something now? What do I want to steal? I can earn money by opening an online course. Why would I mobilize troops to defeat you? Do I have to dig into your brain and steal your knowledge? The world has changed. Instead of investing money in military resources to plunder others' wealth, it's better to use that money to develop useful things and make money. Going to war is very cost-ineffective. In this era, it is definitely a last resort. It not only fails to strengthen your national power but also weakens it. So, only fools go to war. I know someone will definitely jump out and say, "You're ignorant. Don't you know that war drives the military-industrial complex, manufacturing fighter jets and missiles, and making a fortune?" Yes, that's right. Of course, there are still people in this world who don't think that way. But compared to all previous eras, our world today is very peaceful, so peaceful it's unimaginable. Try to go back 100 years; people couldn't imagine such peace. 100 or 200 years ago, even neighboring villages might have fought each other. Now? Let's make more money. Even after humanity entered the 21st century, it's not a world without war, but with the development of the times, it's hard for us to imagine having wars. Although terrorism still exists, and it seems like there are wars everywhere in recent years, these acts of terrorism and the wars we see today are more like dramatic performances. If we speak in numbers, the number of people killed by terrorism and war is still negligible compared to the deaths caused by obesity and lifestyle diseases. Humanity still needs some time to solve these three major problems. And after solving these three problems, the relationship between technology and humanity will undergo a fundamental transformation. Technology will shift from being a tool used by humans to coexisting with humans, and even merging with them. When you hear this view, you might find it strange. Humans created this technology, so why should it merge with us? Why would it have the opportunity to merge with us? Does this concept sound unfamiliar? But this issue is not unfamiliar at all. The relationship between humans and the Earth, and nature, has transformed in this way. Nature nurtured humans, but humans changed the course of the Earth and nature. A created species changes itself. Similarly, the future relationship between humans and technology will be like this. Humans created technology, and technology will, in turn, influence humans and coexist with them. So, how will they merge? We'll talk about that later. To help everyone better understand this concept, let's first talk about the history of humans and the Earth. The author Harari describes the enormous impact of humans on Earth's ecology over the past 70,000 years as the Anthropocene. During this period, humans became the primary factor in Earth's ecological changes, with an influence even surpassing the asteroid impact that wiped out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago. This is not just an environmental issue but involves irreversible changes in human civilization, technological development, and our relationship with nature. The negative aspect is that the emergence of humans has altered Earth's biodiversity. Many large animals have become extinct due to human hunting or habitat destruction. This process did not happen in recent years but has been ongoing for tens of thousands of years, dating back to the Stone Age. Humans have had a profound impact on Earth's ecosystems. Originally, wild animals were the masters of the Earth, but after humans appeared, they became the dominant force. It took humans 10,000 years to become the masters of the Earth. The most typical examples are Australia and the Americas. These places used to have many large animals. As humans increased in number and lived on these lands, the extinction rate of large animals living there also increased. A byproduct of the agricultural revolution led to a new stage in the human-animal relationship. After humans began to cultivate and herd, it not only led to a new wave of mass extinctions and the death of numerous species but also created an entirely new form of life: domesticated animals. After humans appeared, the number of domesticated animals far exceeded that of wild animals. You not only live here but also raise animals. There shouldn't be so many dogs, chickens, and pigs in this world, but because of human existence, they have multiplied. Initially, humans domesticated fewer than 20 species of mammals and birds; the vast majority of animals were wild. But as centuries passed, this new form of life gradually became dominant. Today, over 90% of large animals have been domesticated into livestock. For every 10 large animals, 9 are domesticated. For the domesticated species, this is a success. But for the individuals of these species, it is quite tragic. These domesticated animals have endured all sorts of suffering over the past few centuries. We might think that the lives of these domesticated animals are much better than their wild ancestors or relatives. Wild boars used to have to forage for food, find water, and seek shelter from the elements. If you just had a son, he might be swept away by lions, parasites, or floods. In contrast, today's pigs are cared for by humans, have food and drink, have shelter, and are treated by humans when they get sick. No lion will eat you, and you don't have to worry about natural disasters threatening your life every day. But the question is, why do humans raise them? These pigs will eventually be sent to the slaughterhouse. Humans raise them to eat their meat. So, can you say their fate is truly better than their ancestors, better than wild boars? Whether eaten by lions or humans, what's the difference? Even if you are bitten by a crocodile, you still have a chance to escape. But if you are cut by a human's electric escape knife, can you escape? Besides the cruel way they die, their way of life is even more cruel. The root of this problem is that these domesticated animals still retain the physiological, emotional, and social needs of wild animals, but these needs are meaningless on human farms. Therefore, animals are confined in narrow pens, and their horns and tails may be cut off. I can't imagine people today raising Corgis or Poodles and cutting off their tails. Do these people have problems? Their tails are like pom-poms; do you cut off their tails just to appreciate them? Do you cut off their tails for a Corgi to wag its tail and wiggle its butt? Are you really okay? Where is the justification for creating this suffering? You say they were working dogs before, and you were afraid they would step on their tails and die abnormally. I can still barely understand that. But why are you people cutting off their tails now? Because human aesthetics dictate cutting off their tails, like pruning flowers. I really can't understand this. For example, Poodles were originally large dogs. To keep them in smaller homes or make them cuter, people specifically select deformed breeds and gradually cultivate them to become smaller. On farms, after pigs and cows give birth, the mother and offspring are separated immediately. We often say pigs are stupid, but pigs are not stupid at all. Their intelligence is even higher than dogs. Domestic pigs inherit the wisdom, curiosity, and social skills of their ancestors. Pigs communicate using various vocalizations and olfactory signals. Sows can recognize the squeals of their piglets, and piglets can distinguish their mothers within two days of birth because the calls of other sows and their mothers are different. Pigs, cows, and dogs have all evolved alongside humans since the agricultural revolution 12,000 years ago. For example, humans in Europe and Western Asia have evolved the ability to digest milk, and dairy cows are no longer afraid of humans, producing far more milk than their ancient ancestors. Although their physiology and temperament have changed, their deep-seated sensory and emotional structures remain largely the same as their Stone Age ancestors. Humans have ignored their rights. I get really fired up when I talk about animal rights. Of course, this book is not primarily about animal rights. It aims to show how humans have, in ways we never expected, changed other species and the environment, reshaping the world. Besides changing the direction of biological evolution and inventing domesticated animals, humans have also changed land use. All vegetables were originally wild, but with agriculture, we chose to cultivate certain plants. With economic development, cities gradually emerged, and land use changed. Humans have also changed the climate. The scale and speed of these changes far exceed any previous period in Earth's history. The change in the human-animal relationship has also led to a shift in our worldview. Before the agricultural revolution, human worldviews were typically animistic, believing that all things have spirits – mountain gods, earth mothers. In the hunting era, humans had a close interdependent relationship with the natural environment, so their worldview was animistic, believing that all things have souls and that there was an equal interactive relationship between humans and other living beings, natural phenomena. At this time, humans knew how to respect other living beings and establish equal relationships with them. Therefore, generally speaking, animists emphasize harmonious coexistence between humans and nature, believing that human behavior should be constrained by natural laws and social norms. For example, the Nama people, when they saw an elephant trample someone to death, would not immediately hunt the elephant but would try to understand why the elephant did it and what its motives were. This way of thinking was an early way for humans to interact with nature. But as humans gradually gained control over animals and began to domesticate them, anthropocentric ethical thought began to emerge in human society. You no longer worship nature gods, pig gods, sheep gods, cow gods, or wolf gods. "Hey, I raise them! Why should I worship them? They should worship me!" If you look back at ancient texts or belief systems, you'll find that ancient deities often had animal characteristics, with horns, fangs, or tails. Later deities evolved into purely human forms. This idea also directly transformed human animism into theism. You'll find that people gradually transitioned from believing in nature to believing in gods with human will. Of course, animistic thought still exists in society today, but there are fewer believers than those who believe in theism. The agricultural revolution brought population growth and changes in social structure, leading to the rise of monotheistic religions that placed humans at the center of the universe and granted them the right to dominate other creatures. In this era, many religions and myths emerged, providing religious legitimacy for human agricultural activities. Under the dominance of this worldview, the interaction between humans and deities replaced the equal interaction between humans and other living beings. The authority of gods also strengthened social order and class structures. This way of thinking continues to this day. That is to say, technological changes actually give rise to changes in human thought. Since we learned to domesticate animals and raise livestock, our religious views and worldview have changed, becoming a human-centered worldview. On the other hand, the author says that modern society operates on the creed of eternal growth. What does this mean? It means that economic growth is seen as the key to solving all problems. If we look back at the political figures of every modern country, we can find a commonality in their promises and policy slogans: economic growth. It is the indicator for measuring their success and the success of their country. This creed of eternal growth has even taken on a religious significance. If the economy stagnates or doesn't grow during your presidency or premiership, you won't be re-elected, and you will lose your political legitimacy. This is actually another form of religious fervor, because this endless pursuit of growth will give rise to a series of problems, leading to environmental pollution, resource depletion, and social inequality. At the same time, the rise of consumerism encourages the public to constantly consume in pursuit of a higher standard of living and happiness. However, research shows that consumerism not only fails to bring lasting happiness but also leads to material dependence, neglect of spiritual life, and exacerbates social inequality and environmental damage. Our current era may seem chaotic and directionless, but the author believes this is actually just a transitional period. Humanity will reconstruct new meanings and values. In fact, humanity is constantly progressing. In our current era, we are more concerned about the rights of other species, the rights of the Earth, and the ecological environment. A hundred or two hundred years ago, these ideas were unheard of. So, humanity today has entered a new stage. The technological revolution will further advance humanity's understanding of the world. Humanity will once again gradually shift from a proud, anthropocentric ethical worldview to a humanist worldview. Humanism, with "wen" from literature, is a worldview centered on human experience and feelings. The author says this humanist worldview is very different from previous religions. It does not believe in supernatural powers but emphasizes human value and dignity, extending it to nature and other species. The author states that this is the direction of future human evolution. Humanity will use this worldview to reconstruct the meaning of the world and any symbols, languages, and religious rituals they encounter. Ultimately, it will shape a new social order. Previous truths will be shaken and questioned. The same historical event may have entirely new interpretations. These trends will become mainstream in the 21st century. The development of globalization and the internet will further promote this cultural and belief interaction. Although it may bring some cultural conflicts at the beginning, this diversity and complexity will ultimately force humanity to rethink what are humanity's common values and cultural identity, what it means to be human, and what are universal values, moving beyond selfish nationalism and egocentrism. This is our future era. The author says that in the not-too-distant future, the scientific revolution will further challenge traditional religious worldviews. Scientists will understand the world through observation, experimentation, and logical reasoning, rather than relying on oracles or miracles. More and more people will leave religion. We will find that more and more regularities can be explored and understood through scientific methods, without needing divine or supernatural powers. Today, we have entered the era of Homo sapiens, and in the future, we will enter the era of Homo Deus. Technology will merge with religion. The author predicts that human society may see the emergence of technological religions. These technological religions will guide humanity's future conquest of the world. Of course, they may not call themselves religions by name; they won't say "I am the Church of Science." It's not like that. Just as we believe in economic growth today, we have already treated economic growth as a religion to worship. So-called technological religions will be divided into two major types: first, techno-humanism, and second, dataism. Whether we choose techno-humanism or dataism will affect humanity's future. Dataism suggests that humanity has completed its cosmic mission and it's time to pass the baton to a completely different entity. According to this concept, you can write countless science fiction novels and imagine countless dreams and nightmares. In contrast, the other type is techno-humanism, which we just mentioned. Techno-humanism is relatively conservative compared to dataism; it is not as radical. This worldview still believes that humans are the pinnacle of creation and upholds many traditional humanist values. However, techno-humanism also agrees that humanity has become history and is no longer as important in the world's development. Therefore, we should use technology to create "superhumans." Superhumans refer to a more advanced form of humanity. Superhumans will still retain some basic human characteristics but will also have upgraded physical and mental abilities and be able to counter complex and unconscious algorithms, meaning we will create unconscious intelligence. Techno-humanism hopes to upgrade human minds, allowing humans to access experiences currently unknown to us and states of consciousness previously unheard of. For example, if you upgrade yourself at a hospital, you will become a new human, a superhuman. Like Elon Musk, by implanting a brain-computer interface, you can automatically download all the knowledge in the world and even modify yourself to fix your personality flaws. If your heart is broken, replace it with a mechanical heart. You can also imagine countless science fiction scenarios. Some people are happy to modify themselves, while others are unwilling. They prefer to remain pure humans, not half-human, half-machine, or half-human, half-AI. It's not hard to infer that there will be opposition, and then war. This is how science fiction novels are usually written. We will explain later why history may not necessarily follow this path, why it may not lead to opposition and war. Techno-humanism is different from traditional humanism. It is no longer satisfied with our understanding of the world or our current situation but actively seeks to transcend human limitations. Although with our current technology, our understanding of the mind is still limited, in the past hundred or two hundred years, humans have begun to develop positive psychology. Active modification of the mind can indeed bring unexpected results. Although we don't yet know the ultimate means and methods, the general direction should be this. Based on the history of human evolution, compared to our ancestors, our sense of smell, our concentration, and our dreaming ability are declining. This means that sensory or mental functions that are not very useful to us will gradually degenerate on their own. Similarly, we can infer that in the future, technological applications may enhance certain mental abilities, especially those that are useful for our future. We can artificially adjust and strengthen them, and artificially weaken and adjust those abilities or habits that are harmful to us. Techno-humanism is relatively conservative. However, if humanity chooses dataism, then this is a more radical technological religion. We mentioned earlier that techno-humanism will create superhumans, meaning everyone will be upgraded to become a stronger, smarter, and more beneficial species to the world. Dataism goes further. It doesn't create superhumans; it directly creates a god. Just like the magic in the 21st-century network, we will hand ourselves over to the technology we create. Humans will retreat to the sidelines, becoming tools for creating this magic, this god. After the generation of humans who created the magic dies, the magic will take over human tasks, be responsible for caring for humans, nurturing humans, and giving birth to humans. Of course, it may not be like in the movies, where you are immersed in liquid with an interface at the back of your brain, creating a virtual consciousness for you to make you feel comfortable while eating, giving you illusions. But in reality, you are just drinking nutrient solution. It doesn't have to be such a scenario. You can live normally in society, but a superhuman entity will take care of humans, just like our ancestors created a god who would take care of our descendants. You can also imagine countless sci-fi scenarios where humans fight against this god, resist the nanny created by humans, or even have a nanny robot like Doraemon following you. It's easy to imagine this becoming a dictatorship. If someone hijacks this system, we will live in a dictatorial society, with Big Brother watching us, entering the world of 1984. Similarly, I will explain later why this may not necessarily happen, why history may not necessarily lead in this direction. The author has given this god a name: the Internet of All Things. It is essentially a data processing system that connects everything. This system will surpass humans and become the new center of the universe. Dataism aims to connect everything in the world – all living beings, all things – to this Internet of All Things system, allowing all data to flow freely. The benefits are better traffic management, better healthcare systems, and the entire Earth, the entire world, truly becoming one. However, it also threatens human privacy, autonomy, and free will. The author says these are the two future technological religions, representing two different directions of development. In the future, there may not be just two technological religions, but rather various combinations in different proportions, leading to countless technological religions with different doctrines. These religions will reshape human values, social structures, lifestyles, and ethics. In this process, how to ensure fairness, justice, and the algorithms of these so-called gods or upgraded humans we create will be the ethical challenges that the next generation will face. I don't know if you remember the questions I asked you to consider at the beginning. When humanity reaches this stage, when our descendants reach this era, will we still have free will? Will we still be human? What will be the meaning of our existence? This prediction reminds me of a Japanese anime I loved as a child, BTX. Its story structure is somewhat similar to Fullmetal Alchemist. At that time, humans could modify themselves. If you lost an eye, you'd get a mechanical eye. If your heart was rotten, you'd get a mechanical heart. One shocking scene was when Teppei went to a graveyard and saw tombstones of people who lived for four to five hundred years. With technological development, human lifespan will increase. Our physical functions and lifespan will be upgraded. But what he overlooked is that the human mind will also be upgraded. You may not necessarily move towards destroying or harming others because your mind will be more mature than that of previous humans. Furthermore, you can even adjust your thoughts and abilities to care more about other species instead of destroying them or using them to dominate the world. That's not it. This is what defines a superhuman. You can't say your character is worse than before, but your body is better. Also, as we discussed earlier, as technology develops, we will gradually transition to a new era where war is redundant. There should be no war at all because the wealth we acquire is not by plundering resources and treasures. That era is over. So why would I go to war? The evolutionary model of society will not involve war. On the other hand, if our direction leans more towards dataism, it will truly be like magic, as our human society will become a society where reason replaces emotion. Our empathy will be weakened. We might become cold and detached, propagating offspring and pursuing human progress. But you won't be pushed towards war because the whole world is interconnected, there are no secrets. There is still a possibility of war, but there will always be a lack of human warmth. Since I don't have these human entanglements, are we still human? We have created an entity that surpasses humanity to rule us. This is indeed a controversial issue. But if this entity that can rule humans is indeed better at ruling humans than humans themselves, then we have no reason to object. This book has truly opened my eyes. I don't know what you think after listening to my introduction, and what are your thoughts on the future of this world? I would love to hear everyone's opinions, so please leave comments and share your views. Okay, our time for this episode is almost up. Let's move on to the comments from the previous episode of "The Little Girl is Bigger Than the Master." "Hope Teacher Chen releases new videos soon. I'm so lucky this time, but there are already many comments. It doesn't matter, the most important thing is to be happy. I don't know what number I am. I like this new interface. Marco says, 'Great, more to listen to. Thanks for sharing, keep it up!' Alex says, 'Within the top ten.' JC says, 'Am I sixth?' 'Ninth.' Sam says, 'Let's see what I can grab.' 'Just grabbed tenth.' Haiming, 'Eleventh.' Queenie says, 'Teacher Chen, thank you for making me regain my reading habit. So touched. Thank you for your support.' Lace says, 'Hi Mumum.' Mumum says, 'The pictures are beautifully done, with great effort. I'm assembling a wardrobe now, carrying boards and accessories. Each board is so heavy. Looking at the manual, it's incredibly complicated. I'm already crying. Listening to Teacher Chen, I'll keep assembling. Be careful, be serious. A couple of boards are upside down, I'll have to redo them.' Yolanda says, 'Fourteenth.' Kiromi says, 'First comment. Starting with immediate weight loss. Thank you, thank you for your continuous support.' Christine says, 'Yeah, new interface!' Winson says, 'Eighteenth.' Hannah says, 'Twentieth.' Cielan says, 'A million thank you.' Manny says, 'Thank you, Teacher Chen. Within a week, I've read two articles about my signature. Teacher Chen reading them out loud has made me more at peace. Perhaps when I write emotionally, there are some logical flaws, so please excuse me. In my university days, I also took Professor Li Tianming's logic course, 'Art and Methodology of Thinking,' and got an A. I also read his book, 'The Art of Thinking by Li Tianming.' But after reading it, I didn't quite grasp it. If you have a chance, Teacher Chen, could you talk about this book? Sorry for being long-winded. I will try to be as concise as possible in future comments. Thank you for your understanding. Thank you for your story.' Okay, I've marked this book down and will research it. Angie says, 'Checking in first.' Xiao Kid says, 'This book throws all logical fallacies at you at once. It's a bit hard to digest. Thank you, Teacher Chen, for continuing to talk. I also really enjoy listening to Teacher Chen talk about law. Because my English is poor, I never thought about studying law-related courses when I was young. But after starting work, I found that legal logic and its historical development have some very interesting knowledge. I'd love to hear more about law-related topics. Thank you for supporting these niche topics. Of course, I will continue to talk about them.' Mingming says, 'The world says, "Wow, there are sausages!" It should be in the twenties. Amazing! Logical fallacies strengthen the mind naturally.' Hmm, it seems to be true. 'A strong mind naturally.' Old Man Poet says, 'Thank you, Teacher Chen. Twenty-sixth. Liked it immediately.' Chilly says, 'Signing in first.' Sidewang says, 'Hi, first comment. Before this episode, I was thinking, thank you for uploading videos daily and bringing us positive energy. Responding to viewers' personal stories. How about giving you five minutes today to talk about your troubles? Let us give you some advice. See you next episode.' Cherry says, 'Want to hear about Jia Yi's troubles.' 'What troubles do I have? Hmm, I can't think of any troubles right now. Because my current mindset is, if I encounter something, I'll solve it. If I can't solve it, I'll let it go. But of course, as a person, you know, it's impossible to have no troubles, right? So I have to think of one or two troubles to respond to you. What troubles do I have? Maybe it's my daughter. When I help her with her homework, I have some troubles. I get confused sometimes. Haha. Also, future plans. If I have to live somewhere else, what I need to prepare, what my daughter needs to prepare, what my family needs to prepare. If these are troubles, then so be it. Currently, these are the troubles. I'm mostly carefree. Another trouble is, when will I be able to become Batman? This is also my trouble. I'm not kidding. These are things I really want to do but haven't achieved yet, or I'm not at that stage yet. But strictly speaking, I wouldn't say I'm troubled by it. It's my goal, so I'll move towards it step by step. Thankfully, my parents are well, so I don't have to worry about them too much. My daughter is also healthy and happy. Sometimes, helping her with homework can be confusing. But otherwise, there aren't many big troubles. SKW says, 'This episode is so fresh! Your way of expression has evolved again, Teacher You Si. Great, sounds good!' 'Indeed, I'm not always like this, am I? I don't do it like "Talking About Cantonese" like that. So the program is really...' Edomie says, 'Wow, Saint Girl sings so well! Lucky to have heard it until the end. Actually, the content of reading comments now is sometimes more engaging than the content of the book. Because the stories of different people are more eye-catching. Also, because these are real stories.' MMA says, 'Yes, You Si's book talks are informative. Reading comments and hearing people's stories is more vivid. Both are a perfect match. I also like this combination. We are constantly learning new things, constantly progressing, and understanding new information, but we cannot be detached from reality. We must also look at the real situation to solve the problems we actually encounter and face our troubles directly. Although I say, "Unreasonable! I'm spending an hour reading comments again," I am actually willing to do it. This program has become two parts, which I think is good. 'Learning on YouTube again,' says, 'It's only half an hour? Too short!' Haha. It's not short. Talking about logic for half an hour, I think everyone's attention span is about that. Let's break it into more episodes.' 'Thank you for being able to persist for 30 minutes. It's not easy. Looking back at my videos, although you see them being over an hour long, the average watch time is usually only 19 to 20 minutes. In this era of fragmented attention, long videos are relatively unpopular. Because everyone's time is precious, why should I listen to you for half an hour, 40 minutes, 50 minutes? Can't you be faster? Can you tell me everything in 3 minutes?' I remember once, a friend commented on my Shorts, those short videos. I usually cut out about one to two minutes from each episode, now it's within 3 minutes. Previously, Shorts were limited to one minute. So I would cut out a one-minute clip. Unexpectedly, a friend commented and scolded me, saying, 'You're really off-putting! You don't get to the point! After listening to that minute, I had no idea what you were talking about.' So now, you'll always see in my programs, I'll summarize the book in one sentence. This is inspired by that. Yes, I can't explain the core idea of this book in one sentence. This is one aspect. The second is the reflection part. Second, you can see how low people's attention span and patience are now. In one minute, you want me to tell you the key points of a book? Are you asking too much? I admit I can't do it myself. Don't say one minute; even with 30 or 40 minutes, I feel like I've only covered the superficial content of the book. If you don't actually read the book, you won't know what the author has argued. Right? I think if you talk about books for too short a time, you won't learn anything in depth. But I try my best to control the duration between 30 to 50 minutes, to present the author's views as completely as possible, and to outline the context of the book. I think this is something I've always insisted on. Too long is not good. People will get bored. I think it's amazing if people can listen for over 20 minutes. Let alone listening to the whole episode every day. I am truly grateful to everyone. I am grateful to those who listen from beginning to end. You know, there are countless ads in between that interrupt you, yet you still persist to the end. I am truly impressed. So, half an hour is about right. Talking about logic is boring. If I continue, you'll get confused about the concepts and mix them up. So topics like this must be broken down into several episodes. Louisa says, 'Thank you for sharing. Thank you for the song by the Saint Girl. Alas, thank you on her behalf.' Santa Barry says, 'Good morning, Teacher Qi. Haha, good morning.' Cherry says, '35. Teacher Qi, I've always listened on the podcast. Since you said you've changed the interface, I came over to take a look. Wow, it's so happy to travel on a boat with dogs. I really like your analogy of 'soul vs. butt hole.' Haha. Alas, we really have similar tastes. Evil tastes. I think very few people talk about bodily functions, butt holes, etc., when discussing books. This is probably a characteristic of this channel. The butt hole is truly the soul's orifice. What's in the butt hole? There are ghosts.' Max says, 'The daughter is so cute! I've discovered another beautiful friend who listens.' Thank you, Max. Mila says, 'The new interface for 2025 is very refreshing. Thank you, Mila.' Maple says, 'Because the documents are not public, so not public.' The word 'Sigh' in my past experience, nine times out of ten, is used with negative connotation. But in recent years, I've noticed that many people use 'Sigh' in their speech when doing this or that. But I don't hear any negative connotation in their speech. So, over time, I've developed a habit: if I recognize that the other person might be at a loss for words, I will subconsciously correct them. 'Sigh' is a waste of time. This obsession seems a bit hard to understand, so I'm taking the liberty to ask. Thank you for your response.' No, thank you for your contribution to Chinese. Haha. I think correcting others' mistakes is not a problem. The key is that in the process of expression, we should make the other person feel comfortable and not make them feel offended. I think you handled it very well, so I'm not unhappy. So don't worry. Roni says, 'I've also read two books on logical fallacies. They're amazing. The one you introduced this time is also great. I don't know how to distinguish the logical fallacies when people speak, but when I hear them, they always feel a bit strange. Also, I might not be interested in every book you introduce. After all, some content is not my cup of tea. But I really want to hear your comments from the previous episode, so I'll listen to the whole episode. Please continue, Sister Xi Bai. Thank you for being so honest. I like it.' Hua Gong Wu Shu says, 'Between not telling lies and avoiding accidental fallacies, the better way is to speak less, unless it's absolutely necessary. Try to avoid telling lies as much as possible. Silence is golden.' I agree, I agree. If you don't have to say it, try not to. But if, like in the example from the last episode, your future mother-in-law asks you, "How is it? Is it delicious? Eat more!" Then you can only lie. If you've put five pounds of salt in it, you can only lie. In this situation, is it considered "absolutely necessary to speak"? Cc Mike says, 'You Si, you are a good role model. Because of you, I've also become more diligent. It's true. But I'm actually a very lazy person. I often take shortcuts and slack off. But I know I'm a persistent person. I'm very happy that you can see this point of mine and take it as a compliment. I will continue to keep it up.' Rachel says, 'Something happened today. (One hundred characters of description omitted.) At first, I felt a bit uncomfortable, but later, when I calmed down and thought about it, I realized it was my own excessive self-centeredness that made me unhappy. I seem to have grasped your saying: "When people scold you, it has nothing to do with you." They scold me, ignore me, disrespect me. This is their behavior. I can't control it, but I have the ability to choose how to respond. If I don't react, then this matter has nothing to do with me.' Alas, I don't know if I understood correctly. No, you understood correctly. We should respect ourselves and respect others. Whether they respect me or not is a matter of their upbringing. Let their mothers teach them. But if this person not only disrespects you but harms you, then you can teach them a lesson. But if it's a minor matter, then buy them a breath freshener spray to remind them to clean their mouths. Williams says, 'The background has changed. Saint Girl has grown up, her hair is longer. Her singing is also good and rhymes well. Wednesday, can you cook noodles in 2025? Thank you, everyone. Love me, love my dog.' Bruce says, 'I've heard you teach about mind maps. I want to learn more. Can you recommend a book? Thank you.' In middle school, I learned memory techniques, so I learned Tony Buzan's "Use Your Memory." He also has a series of books, one of which is called "Mind Map." Look for Tony Buzan's "How to Mind Map," and you'll find it. I'll give you a link. My speed reading also learned from him. That book is also in this series, "The Speed Reading Book," which teaches you how your eyeballs move in a wavy line. This set of books has five volumes. Mind mapping is one of them. Mind means mind map. Mind Map means mind map. Coco B says, 'Coco B says, Coco B says, Coco B says, Coco B says, Coco B says, Coco B says, Coco B says, Coco B says, Coco B says, Coco B says, Coco B says, Coco B says, Coco B says, Coco B says.' Hui Ji says, "Brother, you're too advanced. I'm still in kindergarten." Sidema says, "Washing up in the toilet, I heard a user use butt holes as an example. You really are a butt hole guy. I heard you talking about such serious topics early in the morning, but you made me laugh. I really laughed. This is how my wonderful moment today began. Thank you. I want to talk about the last episode. I really need to become a rational person. Being too emotional is not good for myself. Too much giving, too much sacrifice, is actually unnecessary for myself and won't be appreciated. Instead, love yourself well. Independence and rationality are the best." I support you. I also hope everyone can be a person with independent thought and self-love, a butt hole ghost. Mao Yulunbi says, "Yeah, I woke up early and listened to the program. You were talking about me. Others have already thought of hundreds of excuses, such as helping Yingwu with homework, studying human psychology, etc. Okay, okay, it's my procrastination acting up. One episode, two choices. One is a letter I recorded a long time ago and have been afraid to upload. But I quite like it myself. Thank you." Yes, you shouldn't deceive yourself, even if you deceive the whole world. Keep it up,加油. Let me go observe. Mei Mei says, "I feel like my left brain is talking to me. No wonder people say their own words don't need logic. Your daughter sings beautifully. Thank you." Actually, we don't need to be logical all the time; it's tiring and consumes a lot of energy. But when we discuss in-depth issues or opposing viewpoints, we need to discern carefully. But for trivial matters in life, we don't need to be 100% rational. Sometimes being a little irrational is also cute. Scikit says, "You Si, will you talk about counter-intuitive paradoxes, such as the inspection paradox, the three-door problem, Simpson's paradox, and the raven paradox? These are actually quite interesting." Okay, okay, these should be related to statistics or probability, right? Okay, okay, I've dabbled in these less. Do you have any book recommendations? I'm quite interested. I'll note it down first. Pepek says, "Thank you, You Si. First comment. I've been participating for the past few months and really appreciate your book recommendations. I've also summoned the courage to start reading. Reading is beneficial, and this is definitely a good habit. Welcome! Feel free to chat more when you have time." KW says, "There's a 12-minute Taiwanese advertisement." Lick says, "Being a good citizen is good, but when a high-speed motorcycle is speeding, and you know that even touching it will cause it to crash and potentially kill someone, should these good citizens think about it? Don't become a murderer at any moment." I know what you're talking about, and I also think this is dangerous. It's dangerous for oneself and for the person riding the motorcycle. Perhaps from his perspective, it's like, "My Sir is chasing him, chasing him for two laps on the same road." He might think, "Is he drunk? Is there a crime happening? I want to help." I can only say that doing bad things is really unnecessary. It was originally a small matter. Expired license and insurance, at most a fine. Alas, why did you run? But if you ran, and the traffic police chased you, that's their duty, right? But as an off-duty customs officer, you are a hater, right? You did a dangerous act that led to someone's death. And your identity is strange; you are a customs officer, right? What reasonable suspicion do you have that he is being pursued by the police in connection with customs? However, no matter how you say it, we are all Monday morning quarterbacks. Because this incident already has a predetermined outcome, that's why we have these conclusions. But if we think the other way around, if the motorcyclist had not died, or if he had been carrying firearms or a large amount of drugs, then our judgment and evaluation of this matter might be reversed. So these discussions are unfair. I am not a lawyer, so I can only analyze it from this perspective. So, Teacher Qiu, you are handsome. Thank you. Fairytale says, "I've been using YouTube for over ten years, and in memory, I've only commented twice. This is the second time, and both times were for Teacher Qiu. This episode is great! I've heard Teacher Qiu talk about some legal issues before. I've always looked forward to you talking about related topics, and you actually did! I also find it very easy to understand. It reminds me a bit of Li Tianming before. If possible, I hope Teacher Qiu will talk about his thoughts and books in the future. I've noticed Li Tianming has really entered my world recently. Several friends have mentioned him coincidentally." Okay, okay, I will research it and read his works. CM says, "New year, new interface, feels fresh? What is your e-mail address? I have some things I'd like to ask you." Thank you for your support. I've left an address for you. But I don't check my email very often, so please don't mind if I reply late. Jenny says, "Teacher Qiu's new interface is beautiful! Next time, why not invite your wife on? That would make the screen so rich. The whole village would be on screen then." Crazy Lion says, "Chen Sir, the comments from the last episode are longer than the episode itself. The whole video is over an hour long, but the main topic is only 28 minutes. Yes, it's really not okay, it violates the Trade Descriptions Ordinance. But can everyone endure listening to logic for several hours? I can, I can talk about it. Are you sure you can endure it?" Ah Dick says, "Old Chen, last time I was preoccupied with Fish and forgot about Zhang Xiaoxian. The incident was when I was 19 years old, and Pauline and I were at the travel agency office in Sheung Wan. Every day from 8:30 to 10:00, we had to deliver ferry tickets to the Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal. The terminal was quite lively, with me, William, Ivan, Mills, Joey, and Pauline. Usually, around lunchtime, we would arrange to eat at a restaurant in the Western Market. There were often interesting stories at the terminal. Pauline was the flower of the terminal. She looked a lot like Zhuang Jingyi, do you know who that is? I need to check. I don't have much impression. One time, I was picking up a ferry on a Saturday evening around 7 PM. I remember a movie called 'Cactus,' starring Leon Lai and Ye Yuk Hing. Pauline's home was near the President Theatre in Causeway Bay. So I called her. At that time, we all had pagers and mobile phones, which could only make outgoing calls. Then I left a message saying, 'Pauline, William, Ivan, and Mills want to watch "Cactus." There's a showing at the President Theatre at 7:45 PM tonight.' After 5 minutes, she said okay, so I arranged to meet her at 7:30 PM. When she arrived, my pager rang. Of course, I had adjusted my pager in advance to make it ring at this time. I pretended to be busy and said to Pauline, 'Oh no, William, Ivan, and Mills are picking up a ferry at China Ferry Terminal and are delayed. They can't make it now. It's just you and me left. Shall we still watch it?' Pauline said, 'Yes.' So we went to watch the movie, then had Vietnamese food. We chatted, and we both said we really liked Zhang Xiaoxian. From then on, we had more solo dates and naturally got together. Okay, that's all for today. I have to get busy. Isn't that clever? Hmm, these plot devices are really... I really can't help but call you Uncle. And Pauline was so nice not to expose you. You think she didn't know? She just didn't expose you, I think. Is that romantic? Wei Qiang says, "I deeply admire your courage and diligence. I truly need to learn from you. Your bursts of passion always benefit me greatly. Our lives are like treadmills; if you stop, you'll fall. So, let's run together." Fanny says, "The interface is beautiful! Teacher Qi looks more and more stylish!" Indeed, in the interface, Teacher Qi will never age; he will become younger and younger. Savannah says, "I've been supporting Teacher Qi for almost two years now. I remember the first time I listened was when you talked about a book on quirks, the episode 'Stealing Grandma's Underwear.' Up to now, I've listened to at least several hundred episodes of your program and have benefited greatly. It's perfect for lazy people like me who lack the patience to read books. I will continue to support you,加油. Also, I've listened to this episode twice today. I'm touched. Thank you, thank you! I've also put down the book 'Psychology of Quirks' for a long time. If anyone is interested, you can talk about it. Thank you for your silent support." Mao Yulunbi says, "The Woman on the Bread Tree inspired me to write my first short story, about 10,000 characters long, handwritten, but it's lost. I don't know how to rewrite 10,000 characters now. What kind of bread? Sausage bun? The Woman on the Sausage Bun? Hmm, that sentence is a bit lewd. Sim Club says, "Teacher Qi, what iPhone do you use for recording? What software do you use for editing? You've mentioned it before, but I can't find it. I don't know which episode you talked about, so I have to ask again. If you're willing, it would be best if you could make a Shorts video to teach me." I'll tell you again. I won't make a Shorts video. I'll tell you once. I use an iPhone 6. Why use an iPhone 6? Because this iPhone 6 has an iOS version of 10.2. In this version, there's a voice recorder, the icon is white. Not the black background logo you see now. This version is more stable. Because I record for one to two hours every day, it doesn't freeze. The upgraded app versions, the same app, won't work. If your recording time is too long, it will freeze. And after it freezes, the data will be lost. That is, a segment you recorded will disappear. Wow, that's a nightmare for me. After trying a few times, I no longer dare to try. So, I've always insisted on using this old iPhone and this oldest version of the voice recorder to record. After recording, I'll put the video on my computer. Using Filmora, F-I-L-M-O-R-A, this software, to cut out the blank segments. Then, I'll put the video into Adobe Audition 2019. Its icon is a green square box with 'AU' written inside. I'll take the cut segment, add background music, and then generate it. So my audio is done. Then I'll upload this video to my podcast. The next step is to put this video into another Adobe software, Premiere Pro. Its icon is a purple square box with 'PR' written inside. This software is specifically for editing videos. But I've already prepared the intro, outro, and background. They're the same every day, right? So I just need to put the picture of the book for today into it, adjust the position. If there are new members, I'll key in their names. Then I'll put the audio I previously made into PR. Then generate it, and it's done. Then the thumbnail for the video. How to make it? I'll use Microsoft PowerPoint. I use the same templates every day, just change the picture, change the color, and modify the title. Then generate it, and it's done. Then the thumbnail is done. Then I can upload it online. Then it's finished. The program is basically like this. Hope it helps you. Ah Yan says, "Thank you, Teacher Qi. I love listening to you talk about books." Thank you, Yan. Karen says, "The fallacies you interpret are hilarious! Keep up the good work. I listen every day." Haha, life itself is full of absurdity, isn't it? So it's perfect for me to interpret these fallacies. Thank you, thank you, Karen, for your support. Cheers says, "I really can't stand you! You're too funny! I can't help but comment while washing dishes, wiping my hands. Teacher, keep it up! Thank you!" Is it because of the scene where Grandma's oranges roll down the slope? Thank you, Kim Kim, for your support. BQB says, "The child is so cute! Haven't seen you comment in a long time." Thank you. Lily says, "Is the fallacy of accident considered for people who are negative? The innocent boundary seems to be an excuse for instant gratification. When it comes to problems, fallacies are used to slander people. Hasty generalization seems to be a psychological bias of human nature. I also hope more people will respect logic. But history tells them that most people are illogical. Alas, let's fend for ourselves." Dick says, "Old Chen, new slang! Wednesday, 2025, please help me cook noodles." Marcus says, "The way me?" My younger brother was also playing this song a few days ago. If we add Saint Girl's high-pitched singing, it would be perfect. Little brother is amazing! Little brother is amazing! Or should we wait for them to grow up and jam? Congratulations again to Marcus for winning the "Best Cook" award. There's also some news I want to share. A veteran friend of our channel, Bai Ku Xun An, is publishing a book! Congratulations, congratulations, congratulations! Too amazing! Too amazing! Although this comment was made at the end of the last episode, I will still read it out. Bai Ku Xun An says, "First, I have good news to tell you: I will be publishing a book soon! It's about communication and emotions. I'll give you a copy." Wow, I think it's too amazing. I will definitely read it carefully then. Or, can you sign your name in your book for me? And in the table of contents, circle the points you think are most important. I will definitely do an episode seriously and convey the most important viewpoints you think to all friends. I'm really looking forward to it! Looking forward to your work! I think everyone is too amazing! People from all walks of life. So I think everyone should really appreciate themselves. You are all much more amazing than me. This is not humility or flattery. It's new. Because each of you has lived a life I haven't lived. And this uniqueness is enough to be proud of. Let's look at the podcast side again. Old Driver 1996 says, "It's nice to hear your daughter's voice every time. The father-daughter relationship feels fresh. Thank you! Thank you! No, I scold her sometimes. I do scold her. But usually, our interactions are more comfortable." Jerry says, "Responding to you, it probably won't happen. Sometimes, not everything needs to be obtained to be good. As a youthful memory now, 'Bu Zhao Hen Xian Ma, Kuo Hu.' This sentence must be spoken in Huang Zihua's Mandarin. Damn, how does Brother Zihua say it? I don't know how he speaks Mandarin." Wu Xie's girlfriend says, "I rarely hear you talk about love books. I need to listen carefully. Love addicts must be treated. There's a sentence in a book: 'Before loving others, you must love yourself.' It's important. Men and women should understand. If you don't know how to love yourself, you won't have the strength to love others." Okay, thank you again to every friend for your support. Our time for this episode is almost up. If you found this episode helpful, remember to subscribe to this channel, like and share this video, click the bell to join the member channel, or use Super Thanks to sponsor my production. I'm Teacher Chen. I'm going downstairs to see if there are any sausage buns. Goodbye.