Modern society experiences stability and predictability in day-to-day life, contrasting sharply with the unpredictable and tumultuous lives of prehistoric humans. Unlike our ancestors who faced constant danger and uncertainty, we inhabit a world where routines remain unchanged, like ordering from Amazon or visiting Starbucks. This consistent environment gives rise to an 'illusion of control,' leading us to overlook the significant impact of chance and randomness. Despite the appearance of control and stability, the world is in constant flux, with rapid changes such as technological advancements and global crises reshaping our reality swiftly. We are witnessing a unique shift where parents are now learning from their children, a phenomenon unseen in previous human history. This discrepancy between our stable personal experiences and the ever-changing world structure causes us to underestimate the role of unpredictability in shaping events, ultimately creating a new and challenging dynamic in modern society.
Brian Klaas is a political scientist, a professor at University College London and an author.
Small, seemingly insignificant events can have profound effects on the world. But how much of our fate is truly determined by chance, and if chaos plays such a huge role, how much control do we actually have over anything?
Expect to learn the chance story of the atomic bomb's targeting, the difference between contingency and convergence, why our brains are so good at distorting reality, the link between Donald Trump's election and the dinosaurs, how a cigar changed the course of the American Revolution, why floorboards in New England are 23 inches wide and much more...