Humankind cover art

Humankind

A Hopeful History – from the presenter of the 2025 BBC ‘Moral Revolution’ Reith lectures

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Humankind

By: Rutger Bregman
Narrated by: Thomas Judd, Rutger Bregman
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About this listen

 Bloomsbury presents Humankind by Rutger Bregman, read by Thomas Judd and Rutger Bregman.

THE SUNDAY TIMES AND NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
A Guardian, Daily Telegraph, New Statesman and Daily Express Book of the Year

‘Hugely, highly and happily recommended’
Stephen Fry

‘You should read Humankind. You’ll learn a lot (I did) and you’ll have good reason to feel better about the human race’
Tim Harford

‘The book we need right now’
Daily Telegraph

'Made me see humanity from a fresh perspective'
Yuval Noah Harari

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.©2020 Rutger Bregman (P)2020 Bloomsbury Publishing Plc Economics Ethics & Morality Philosophy Thought-Provoking Inspiring Heartfelt Feel-Good Social justice Capitalism

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All stars
Most relevant
A welcoming change in perspective on the negative views we’re faced with day to day.

Everyone should read this.

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Having listened to it just once, I intend to listen to it again in order to digest the contents. Hobbes rather than Rousseau has probably influenced my outlook more than I realised.

IMO Studying and discussing this book with other people would be fruitful.

Potentially life changing

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Brilliant opening and premise. Well researched. Keeps getting more interesting. v uplifting . Everyone should read it.

important book

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This superb book contradicts the seemingly overwhelming view that humans are creatures of conflict and greed. It gives real hope that a kind and decent world exists and that if we focus on the good then we can achieve so much more.

A book for our times

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It confirmed what I knew in my heart to be true but had had covered by a lifetime of bombardment from establishment thinking. Every human should read this.

Every human should read this

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