Harari's Nexus: Between Truth and Social Order

Fundacja Dobre Państwo • January 2, 2026 • 🇵🇱 Polski

Introduction

In the digital age, an abundance of data does not equate to knowledge. In his book "Nexus," Yuval Noah Harari exposes this paradox. He argues that the primary function of information is not to reflect truth, but to bind societies together – often through fiction. By analyzing the role of myths, bureaucracy, and democracy, he reveals the age-old tension between truth and social order. In the age of AI, this challenge becomes crucial for our future.

Information as a Tool for Connection

We live in an era of information overload, which, instead of leading to truth, often breeds chaos and disinformation. Harari argues that information does not primarily serve to faithfully describe reality. Its key role is to create connections (connectivity) and build social order. Myths, religions, and legal systems are intersubjective entities, existing due to collective belief rather than factual accuracy.

This leads to a fundamental distinction: information connects, knowledge organizes true judgments, and wisdom is the art of making decisions based on values. More data guarantees neither of these.

Truth Versus Social Order

According to Harari, truth is universal, but its representations are always incomplete and selective. Every description, even scientific ones, illuminates only a fragment of reality. Herein lies the conflict: truth can be destructive to social order, which often relies on convenient fictions. Myth builds identity, bureaucracy simplifies the world into categories, and democracy reconciles conflicting interests, creating space for compromise rather than absolute truth. 20th-century totalitarianisms, such as Nazism and Stalinism, demonstrate what happens when fiction completely triumphs. An order based on lies leads to catastrophe.

AI and the Future of Truth

The antidote to fiction lies in self-correction mechanisms. Science, through the falsification of hypotheses, and democracy, through the revocability of power, allow societies to learn from their mistakes. However, the era of artificial intelligence poses a new threat. Algorithms do not strive for truth; instead, they optimize engagement, promoting extreme content and trapping us in information bubbles. They also perpetuate human biases from which they learn. Critics accuse Harari of presenting an analysis that is more journalistic than philosophical, simplifying the concept of truth and avoiding deeper epistemological questions.

Conclusion

Harari's ideas present us with a fundamental dilemma. In a world of algorithmic narratives, where fiction blurs the lines with reality, it is easy to succumb to disinformation. The key to survival becomes the defense of institutions that allow for self-correction and critical thinking. Can we save the spark of truth in an ocean of data? The question of what is true remains the most important challenge of our time.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main paradox that Yuval Noah Harari addresses in his book *Nexus*?

Harari notes that in the digital age, information overload not only fails to guarantee a deeper understanding of the world, but can also distort it and make it difficult to distinguish truth from fiction. This paradox forms the starting point for his reflection.

How does Harari define the basic function of information in the context of human networks?

According to Harari, the primary function of information is not to reflect objective reality, but primarily to connect people and create new social orders—connectivity. Its value is measured by its effectiveness in building bonds.

What is the difference between information and truth, knowledge and wisdom in Harari's view?

Information is a resource that connects; truth is a faithful, though always incomplete, reflection of reality; knowledge is the ability to understand and organize this reflection; and wisdom is the art of making decisions based on values. Harari emphasizes that these categories do not form a simple causal chain.

What threats to truth does the modern era of algorithms and artificial intelligence pose?

Harari warns that algorithms process information without any concept of truth, but only in accordance with the logic of optimizing goals, such as user engagement. This can lead to the dominance of emotional narratives at the expense of real knowledge and the ability to recognize truth.

Do Harari's claims about the function of information mean that he rejects the existence of truth?

No, Harari isn't arguing that truth doesn't exist, but rather that it isn't a fundamental function of information networks. He emphasizes that truth is always a fragmented and incomplete representation of reality, and that information can serve both truth and fiction, depending on the context.

How did Stanisław Lem and Hannah Arendt anticipate the problem of information overload?

Lem noted that too much information can be as harmful as too little, obscuring the ability to discern important content. Arendt, on the other hand, emphasized the fragility of truth in political facts, dependent on shared understanding, making it susceptible to manipulation.