A review by mar
Humankind: A Hopeful History by Rutger Bregman

hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.5

This was somehow a comforting, vindicating and frustrating book to read all at once. Comforting and vindicating, because I agree with the author's belief that humans are not inherently selfish or violent or just "bad", and it was nice being presented overwhelming proof of this perspective. (The author discusses one by one case studies that are so often brought up as proof of humanity's "badness" and disproves them, step by step, methodically, as well as presenting evidence to the contrary, and it was, in honesty, very satisfying to read.) And frustrating, because it also made me painfully aware of not only how many people, but also how much of our society, culture, economy and politics function on the basis of that negative outlook on ourselves anyway. 

It was also very interesting, seeing my own instinctively skeptical and hesitant reaction to the author's arguments, even as he backed them with compelling evidence - it's like, even though I didn't believe in the "humans are inherently bad" thing in the first place, this book made me more aware of how much distrust and cynicism I have internalized anyway.

I can't fully agree with all of the author's sentiments (like his stance on punching Nazis), but, overall, this was quite a thought-provoking and reassuring book.
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