Chapter 5

Google

A religion that stressed the magnificence of the universe as
revealed by modern science, might be able to draw forth
reserves of reverence and awe hardly tapped by conventional
faiths. Sooner or later, such a religion will emerge.

—Carl Sagan

MR. SAGAN’S RELIGION IS HERE: it’s Google.
Most people, for most of human history, have believed in a higher
power. Terrifying weather events led humans to conjure a sentient
being orchestrating these phenomena as a response to their behavior.
Religion has brought, and still brings, psychological benefits if you’re
the right candidate. Church, mosque, and temple-goers score higher
on optimism and cooperation with one another, which are key paths to

prosperity.^1 Believers are more likely to survive than their atheist

friends.^2
However, religion in mature economies is dying. Over the last
twenty years in the United States, the number of people who claim no
religious affiliation has increased by 25 million. The strongest signal
for disbelief is internet usage, accounting for more than a quarter of

America’s drift from religion.^3 Access to information and education
has done a number on belief. People with graduate degrees are less