Who Are We Now?

By: Blaise Aguera y Arcas

Narrated by: Blaise Aguera y Arcas

From leading AI researcher Blaise Agüera y Arcas comes an exploration of how biology, ecology, sexuality, history, and culture have intertwined to create a dynamic “us” that can neither be called natural nor artificial.

Identity politics occupies the front line in today’s culture wars, pitting generations against each other, and progressive cities against the rural traditions of our past. Rich in data and detail, Who Are We Now? goes beyond today’s headlines to connect our current reality to a larger more-than-human story.

At the heart of the book is a set of surveys conducted between 2016 and 2021, asking thousands of anonymous respondents all over the United States questions about their behavior and identity, and especially about gender and sexuality. The resulting window into people’s lives is a bit like that of the Kinsey Reports, which scandalized postwar America more than 70 years ago. Today, the landscape is—in every sense—even queerer. Twentieth century heterosexual “normalcy” is on the wane, especially among young and urban people.

The landscape outside has changed too. After millennia of being fruitful and multiplying, we’ve strained, and exceeded, planetary limits. Domesticated animals far outweigh wildlife, and many species are in catastrophic decline. Yet curiously, our own population is poised to begin collapsing this century too, our fertility now curbed by choice rather than by premature death. Is this the end of humanity—or the beginning?

©2023 Blaise Aguera y Arcas (P)2024 Blaise Aguera y Arcas

Not my typical read, but I loved this book

I had never heard of Blaise Agüera y Arcas until he was interviewed on Steve Levitt’s “People I Mostly Admire” podcast, which prompted me to buy the audio book despite my usual preference for science fiction. Given the data-centric nature of the content and the large number of charts and graphs included in the print version it initially seemed as though an audio-only version may not have been the best choice. But surprisingly I didn’t feel at a loss not seeing the graphic depictions of the data. The author’s astute narration, and his understanding of the potential shortcomings of an audio-only version of this sort of material served to make the audio book experience truly enjoyable. Yes, there were times when the data would have been perhaps easier to comprehend visually, but it was stated at the outset that the original text was augmented in the audiobook version to understandably convey the basic information contained in the graphs. This is no small feat but was pulled off handily. I never felt while listening that I was missing out on key information because I didn’t have the print edition. Apart from these technical observations, the subject matter itself was eye-opening and adroitly presented, characteristics I am always looking for in anything I read or listen to regardless of genre, and in this case I was not disappointed.

Thought Provoking

The book has beauty and genius that is frequently lost in intentional abstraction. The author is at pains to be data driven and supported, but at times unconsciously builds upon unsupported axioms that likely will be accepted by only those of a more liberal mindset. Occasionally support for broad concepts is provided by individual anecdotes whose purpose seems more to serve as a dog whistle for the left than to actually support. Ultimately the author wants to move “us” (includes robots and all of nature) all towards a shared vision for reality in which we embrace ourselves as single organism. If the goal of the book is to provide food for thought, then this book is a success. If the goal is to provide a compelling argument, the book falls well short.

Note - as a stand alone primer on gender and evolving sexuality the book is very interesting and educational.

Interesting at first and then descends into bold lunacy

The author gives away his political bias quite clearly by when and where he chooses to be nuanced. For example, he ends with a call for open borders. If you’re wondering how, through the twists and turns of this book, he arrived at that conclusion - well, so am I. You’d think after spending whole chapters to challenging binary definitions like left handed or right handed, he’d address the housing shortage before calling for open borders. Nope! I imagine it would upset his nimby friends.

Intellectually gripping perspective on identity and the future

This is a truly exceptional book. A book that feels more relevant now than when it was published. The author has given me a different perspective on how we identify as people and the nuance around some of these perspectives. Do yourself favor and give it a listen (or read).