Humankind

It's a belief that unites the left and right, psychologists and philosophers, writers and historians. It drives the head... (more)

It's a belief that unites the left and right, psychologists and philosophers, writers and historians. It drives the headlines that surround us and the laws that touch our lives. From Machiavelli to Hobbes, Freud to Dawkins, the roots of this belief have sunk deep into Western thought. Human beings, we're taught, are by nature selfish and governed by self-interest. Humankind makes a new argument: that it is realistic, as well as revolutionary, to assume that people are good. The instinct to cooperate rather than compete, trust rather than distrust, has an evolutionary basis going right back to the beginning of Homo sapiens. By thinking the worst of others, we bring out the worst in our politics and economics too. In this major book, internationally bestselling author Rutger Bregman takes some of the world's most famous studies and events and reframes them, providing a new perspective on the last 200,000 years of human history. From the real-life Lord of the Flies to the Blitz, a Siberian fox farm to an infamous New York murder, Stanley Milgram's Yale shock machine to the Stanford prison experiment, Bregman shows how believing in human kindness and altruism can be a new way to think - and act as the foundation for achieving true change in our society. It is time for a new view of human nature. (less)

These heartwarming, true stories of people doing good in the world will inspire you and rekindle your faith in humankind... (more)

These heartwarming, true stories of people doing good in the world will inspire you and rekindle your faith in humankind. When Brad Aronson's wife, Mia, got sick with leukemia, they were overwhelmed by the outpouring of kindness from friends, family members, and complete strangers. Inspired by the many demonstrations of "humankindness" that supported their family through Mia's recovery, Brad began seeking out and writing the stories of individuals and organizations whose acts of kindness transform lives every day. The stories in HumanKind are about ordinary people making an extraordinary impact. You'll meet the group of grandmothers who mend clothes for homeless people; the woman who created a movement that has provided more than 500,000 meals for the hungry; the construction worker whose kindness saved a homeless man during a chance encounter. As well as these life-enriching stories of generosity and good will, the book lists many organizations who can channel and amplify your own acts of kindness. (less)

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It's a belief that unites the left and right, psychologists and philosophers, writers and historians. It drives the head... (more)

It's a belief that unites the left and right, psychologists and philosophers, writers and historians. It drives the headlines that surround us and the laws that touch our lives. From Machiavelli to Hobbes, Freud to Dawkins, the roots of this belief have sunk deep into Western thought. Human beings, we're taught, are by nature selfish and governed by self-interest. Humankind makes a new argument: that it is realistic, as well as revolutionary, to assume that people are good. The instinct to cooperate rather than compete, trust rather than distrust, has an evolutionary basis going right back to the beginning of Homo sapiens. By thinking the worst of others, we bring out the worst in our politics and economics too. In this major book, internationally bestselling author Rutger Bregman takes some of the world's most famous studies and events and reframes them, providing a new perspective on the last 200,000 years of human history. From the real-life Lord of the Flies to the Blitz, a Siberian fox farm to an infamous New York murder, Stanley Milgram's Yale shock machine to the Stanford prison experiment, Bregman shows how believing in human kindness and altruism can be a new way to think - and act as the foundation for achieving true change in our society. It is time for a new view of human nature. (less)

From the "folk hero of Davos" (Vox), Fox News antagonist, and author of the New York Times bestseller Utopia for Realist... (more)

From the "folk hero of Davos" (Vox), Fox News antagonist, and author of the New York Times bestseller Utopia for Realists, a revolutionary argument that our innate goodness and cooperation have been the greatest factors in humanity's success If there is one belief that has united the left and the right, psychologists and philosophers, ancient thinkers and modern ones, it is the tacit assumption that humans are bad. It's a notion that drives newspaper headlines and guides the laws that shape our lives. From Machiavelli to Hobbes, Freud to Pinker, the roots of this belief have sunk deep into Western thought. Human beings, we're taught, are by nature selfish and governed primarily by self-interest. But what if it isn't true? By providing a new historical perspective on the last 200,000 years of human history, internationally bestselling author Rutger Bregman sets out to prove that we are in fact hard-wired for kindness, geared toward cooperation rather than competition, and more inclined to trust rather than distrust one another. In fact this instinct has a firm evolutionary basis going back to the beginning of Homo sapiens. This understanding, Bregman suggests, isn't merely optimistic--it's realistic. Moreover, it has huge implications for how society functions. When we think the worst of people, it brings out the worst in our politics and economics. But if we believe in the reality of humanity's kindness and altruism, it will form the foundation for achieving true change in society, a case that Bregman makes convincingly with his signature wit, refreshing frankness, and memorable storytelling. (less)