The Demogra-Fate Hypothesis

As Mark Twain once said, “No dog has to rediscover what it is to be a dog!” We are the only species on this planet that has to rediscover what it is to be human. We are the animal that knows and knows that they know. Now add in the ever-changing life cycle of humans, the societal norms that determine them, and the logistics of our future development as living beings and you get a rough notion of the importance of this new book, The Demogra-Fate Hypothesis, by Thanh Nguyen-Ba.

Where are we going? Are we headed in the right direction? Why are people starting to die younger? Why has our sense of exploration seemed to falter? Are there other species on distant planes in the far-off cosmos struggling to understand or identify similar traits in their own worlds? Is population aging and decline on Earth the inevitable final stage of a natural life cycle? Is there an actual meaning behind this communally endless and personally brief cosmic comedy?

This charming book asks these questions, highlighting the kind of inner monologues that we all have and usually only share in fragments with close friends or family. In what can only be described as an experience, this book takes the reader on a vivid journey into the unknown and the personal. Featuring colorful cartoons, the book has the feeling of a continuous series of Sunday morning editorials, establishing with the reader a relaxed conversation about the mysteries that this developed human race has yet to unfold. Reading this book felt like consuming in an afternoon the entire body of work of an insightful New York Times artist and writer.

As the great Carl Sagan once mused, “If we’re the only life out there, it’s an awfully big waste of space.” The book playfully challenges societal and even pop culture norms, pushing with commentary the public’s expectations of humanity and our place in the bigger picture. It asks about the humorous possibilities of prolonged aging bringing about increased global wealth. It questions the political possibility of curbing the aging process and finally of accepting the grim, enchanting reality of our short spell on this fast-moving sphere.

This reviewer can safely say that this is a book unlike any other. It brings to the audience a truly compelling and serious work about some pretty heavy subjects and unusual theories, and it presents it in the most subversively approachable way possible. A delight from start to finish, this is a book that deserves to be read throughout your own lifespan, regardless of its length!