HUMAN KIND: A HOPEFUL HISTORY by Rutger Bregman

 

What a time in our history to be reading a book like this - an optimistic, positive and almost joyful look at how us, homo sapiens, are actually a pretty decent bunch of animals after all. In an airplane disaster we are much more likely to help those around us get out regardless of our own personal risk, rather than clamber out, trampling the elderly and small children in our haste to get to safety. Or how about a complete reality check on that book we all did at school, Lord of the Flies, our impressionable young minds tortured with how we are essentially brutal savages when left lawless. In this book, we read the true story of a small group of young Tongan school boys who took an afternoon off school to go fishing, ended up on a desert island, lost to the world for some years. An incredible story of survival, cooperation, and growing successfully from boys to young men. 

It is pretty clear that the author is a glass half full person, which makes this book such a treat to read. His research is extensive - some 50 pages of  notes, 8 pages of index. He analyses, dissects, discusses and provides a different viewpoint on a number of famous experiments. He takes umbrage with the flaws that were carefully hidden so as not to break the illusion perpetrated for centuries that us humans are barbaric, cruel, selfish, etc etc. He also looks at the surprising reports and anecdotal evidence that has emerged from WWI/WWII battlefields and destruction about how difficult it is for one human to actually bayonet or shoot another human to death because their bosses say so. Or how much civilian bombings by the Germans and the British actually increased levels of cooperation and solidarity amongst people. He tells a great story about twin brothers in South Africa who overcame their differences to ensure that Nelson Mandela did become president of South Africa, thus averting a civil war. 

What is also clear from this book, is how we are manipulated by publicity machines, propaganda experts, researchers who have to justify their experiments and funding by only telling part of the truth, glossing over important details.  It is an extremely revelatory book, written with enthusiasm and energy, and you can't help but get caught up in his positivity. What a way to be! It may all be idealistic, and he does address the issue more than once that there really are some very bad people out there, but their effect would be greatly reduced or nullified if we did have the courage to stand up and embrace our innate goodness - the more we cooperate, the better our society operates. Very worthwhile reading with chapters short enough that you cn read one a day, ponder on it, read another the next day.