Homo Deus

Imagine living in an age when famine is rare, diseases can be kept at bay, and large-scale wars seem less common than ever. That’s our world now. We’ve tamed age-old threats but opened the door to brand-new challenges.

As societies created technologies to protect and feed more people, our aspirations surged. Instead of just dodging droughts or epidemics, we began tackling old age, seeking lasting happiness, and even dreaming of digital or genetic immortality.

In these pages, you’ll see how our shifting priorities—once fixated on survival—are turning toward bold quests for superhuman capacities. Yet the path forward is tangled with ethical dilemmas and unforeseen perils.

It’s both an exhilarating and daunting time to be alive. By peering into the possibilities on our horizon, we can better understand what’s at stake for our collective future.

There was a time when hunger, disease, and violence constantly shaped humanity’s every move. In the past, a bad harvest could wipe out whole regions. Now, chronic hunger is less about shortage and more about issues like distribution or policy.

Likewise, plagues once killed millions with no cure in sight. Yet vaccines and antibiotics changed that. And though outbreaks still happen, we now have systems to contain them—for the most part.

Meanwhile, large-scale wars have receded, replaced by smaller clashes. Governments and international bodies generally prefer diplomacy over wholesale destruction. For the first time in history, more people die from overeating than from starvation.

As we cross these thresholds, we’re refocusing on a next-level trifecta: extending life, maximizing happiness, and transforming our species—what some call the new human agenda.