Feldman's Faves: March 4, 2022

GOOD MORNING EVERYONE

The last few weeks have been extremely difficult for all of us to witness. It is just so tragic and absolutely unconscionable that Putin is doing what he is doing. War has always been horrific but for most of us has been (and continues to be) something that is happening somewhere else. While this still holds true in the current Ukraine invasion, what is different is that we are witnessing the atrocities of war as they are happening in real time with destruction, family separation and civilian casualties mounting exponentially on a daily basis. Thomas Friedman has referred to this phenomenon as World War Wired. While there has already been more pain and suffering than should have ever been endured because of the ego of one corrupt and immoral man, I hope that the worldwide condemnation of Putin and his regime will ultimately lead to justice and to peace for the people Ukraine sooner rather than later.

It is in this context that this week I am focusing solely on the war in Ukraine and am sharing a PODCAST (when the books come out we will discuss them as well) that comes from historian Yuval Noah Harri, who is most famous for his book Sapiens, in which his main thesis is that humans are unique in their ability to create stories that bind, and in some cases, tear apart people which one the one hand, allows them to build and sustain societies and cultures unlike any other species on the planet, but at the same time enables people to be equally and uniquely destructive. It is through this lens that Harrari discusses the war in Ukraine happening right now and how history is a force for both good and evil. The following comes directly from the PODCAST itself:

The war in Ukraine could change everything | Yuval Noah Harari - Concerned about the war Ukraine? You're not alone. Historian Yuval Noah Harari provides important context on the Russian invasion, including Ukraine's long history of resistance, the specter of nuclear war and his view of why, even if Putin wins all the military battles, he's already lost the war:https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/ted-talks-daily/id160904630?i=1000552725647

My next review will be more like the usual format but I felt this week required something different.

Please keep safe and healthy.

Jon