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A review by jasonaurynho
Humankind: A Hopeful History by Rutger Bregman
5.0
Rutger Bregman's Humankind is a necessary antidote to cynicism, and is one of the most eye-opening reads I've had the pleasure of reading.
Humankind tackles one of the most fundamental questions about human nature: are we inherently good or evil? Bregman's answer is refreshingly optimistic and surprisingly well-researched.
Bregman's central thesis is that we became the dominant species through cooperation, not ruthless competition. We're "Homo puppy," as he puts it. The book systematically dismantles famous studies that paint humans as naturally selfish, like the Stanford prison experiment, Milgram's obedience tests, even the story behind Lord of the Flies. He shows how sensationalist narratives have warped our view of human nature and led to harmful policies.
Despite 45 pages of sources spanning archaeology, psychology, anthropology, economics, Bregman writes like a novelist, not an academic. His examples are genuinely fascinating: the WWI Christmas Truce, peaceful Danish prisons, Dutch schools without traditional authority, the Hurricane Katrina case. He makes a compelling case that expecting the best from people actually brings out their best.
Bregman doesn't ignore humanity's dark side, but he argues that understanding our cooperative nature can help us build better systems. In our current climate of division, doom-scrolling, and negative news cycles, Humankind offers evidence-based hope, not naive optimism. It's a call to build systems that bring out our better angels rather than our worst impulses
Even if you're skeptical of Bregman's ideas, the conversations Humankind will spark are worth the read.
Humankind tackles one of the most fundamental questions about human nature: are we inherently good or evil? Bregman's answer is refreshingly optimistic and surprisingly well-researched.
Bregman's central thesis is that we became the dominant species through cooperation, not ruthless competition. We're "Homo puppy," as he puts it. The book systematically dismantles famous studies that paint humans as naturally selfish, like the Stanford prison experiment, Milgram's obedience tests, even the story behind Lord of the Flies. He shows how sensationalist narratives have warped our view of human nature and led to harmful policies.
Despite 45 pages of sources spanning archaeology, psychology, anthropology, economics, Bregman writes like a novelist, not an academic. His examples are genuinely fascinating: the WWI Christmas Truce, peaceful Danish prisons, Dutch schools without traditional authority, the Hurricane Katrina case. He makes a compelling case that expecting the best from people actually brings out their best.
Bregman doesn't ignore humanity's dark side, but he argues that understanding our cooperative nature can help us build better systems. In our current climate of division, doom-scrolling, and negative news cycles, Humankind offers evidence-based hope, not naive optimism. It's a call to build systems that bring out our better angels rather than our worst impulses
Even if you're skeptical of Bregman's ideas, the conversations Humankind will spark are worth the read.