Humanity

There is a belief that unites leftists and rightists, psychologists and philosophers, writers and historians. From Machiavelli to Hobbes and from Freud to Dawkins, this belief is deeply rooted in Western thought. Humans, we learn, are by nature selfish and self-serving.

In Humanity, a new argument is proposed: that it is both realistic and revolutionary to assume that people are good. The instinct for cooperation rather than competition, for trust rather than mistrust, has an evolutionary basis that goes back to the beginning of our species. Believing the worst about others affects not only how we view our fellow human beings, but also politics and economics.

Rutger Bregman, author of several international bestsellers, takes some of the most well-known studies and famous events in the world and reinterprets them, offering a fresh look at the last 200,000 years of human history, showing us how believing in human goodness and altruism can change the way we think—and provide the foundation for truly changing our society. It's time for a new view of human nature.

They wrote about the book:

"The book that was a challenge for me and made me see humanity with fresh eyes."
–Yuval Noah Harari

“Some books challenge our ideas. But Humanity challenges the very assumptions on which those ideas are based. The book’s bold, sweeping argument will make you reconsider everything you believe about society, democracy, and human nature itself. In a sea of ​​cynicism, this book is the sturdy, unsinkable lifeboat the world needs.”
–Daniel H. Pink, author of Motivation: The Unexpected Truth About What Makes Us Motivate

"An excellent read."
–Matt Haig

“This is the book we need right now… Entertaining, uplifting… If Bregman is right, this book could make the world a kinder place.”
–Telegraph

“In a world of sophisticated pessimism, this book is a refreshing change… 21st-century readers are missing prophets, especially optimists.”
–Economist