My thanks to fellow blogger Ashley for his mention of this book, which I was inspired to read over the Christmas and New Year period, and what a wonderfully hopeful message it offers. Indeed, what better way to start the New Year than with an entirely fresh view of humanity, that if we could only realise our true natures, so many of the problems plaguing societies the world over would be solved.
Sounds too good to be true? What is this magical formula? Well, it’s a simple idea, and not particularly radical. It’s an idea backed up by centuries of data, yet somehow conveniently ignored. What is it? Well, it’s simply that most human beings, deep down, are not self-seeking individuals with scant regard for the welfare of others. They are decent, and will go out of their way to help you.
An aircraft crashes on takeoff. Do people panic and make a mad stampede for the doors? Or does everyone help each other, make sure everyone is okay and gets out alive? If asked, we’d say the first scenario, the mad selfish panic, is the most likely outcome, because that’s what happens in the movies. And the media is daily full of examples of the selfish, indeed the downright nasty natures of our fellow beings – so be on your guard because all strangers are out to get you, trick you, scam you, or at the very least get ahead of you in the queue for the door. But, in fact, studies show we’d be wrong, that it’s the second option we’d most likely observe in reality. By far the majority of people really would help one another, even at the risk of their own lives.
Rutger Bregman is an historian, a left leaning intellectual, and a powerful advocate for a Universal Basic Income. His YouTube TED talk “Poverty isn’t lack of character, it’s lack of cash” is up to nearly four million views. His opinions regarding the positive nature of human beings are at times counter-intuitive, to the extent of being hard to swallow, and he triggers much invective from the right-leaning. But his argument runs that our “intuitions” have been poisoned by the media we consume, that the data alone should be convincing enough, and he draws upon several fascinating examples to illustrate his point.
One of the motives behind the civilian bombing campaigns of the second world war was the already discredited theory it would inflict such terror in the minds of the population, the state wouldn’t be able to function. London would empty, the country would become ungovernable, and fall apart. However, the lesson of the blitz was that, in spite of the most appalling loss of life, life went on, the population adjusted to the new normal – terrible as it was – and their resolve deepened. And this was not a peculiarity of the British character, either. The same thing happened in Germany, under allied bombing, and in Vietnam under American bombing, and it’s happening now in Ukraine.
There is nothing better for forming bonds of fellowship, and bringing out the finest and the bravest, and the most altruistic in human nature than adverse circumstances. So the mystery is why our societies are organised on the assumption that we’re all greedy, dishonest, and self-seeking. It’s an urgent question, too, for this pessimistic, and endlessly competitive view of human nature has brought us to the brink of disaster, with massive levels of poverty, and inequality.
Bregman boils his thesis down into ten rules that he says we should all follow, to put things right:
1) When in doubt, assume the best in others.
2) Life is not really a competition where there must always be a loser. The best scenarios are where everybody wins.
3) Do not do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Ask them first. Their needs may be different to yours.
4) Do not simply empathise with the suffering of others. It’s useless and you’ll go mad. Be compassionate instead.
5) Try to understand others, even if you don’t get, or even like, where they seem to be coming from.
6) Love your own as others love their own, while remaining conscious of the love others have for their own. This will close the distance between us, and allow us to see others more as we see ourselves.
7) Avoid the daily news, and all push notifications from social media – they only serve to distance us from others. If you want current affairs, read in slower time from journals – monthlies, weeklies, for a more considered analysis. Ditch the news cycle.
8) Don’t punch Nazis. Meaning, don’t lend your own energy to the provocation of others, and resist the trap of cynicism regarding the fallacy of the entrenched nature of human folly.
9) Don’t be ashamed to do good.
10) To be truly realistic about the facts of human nature, we must discount the myth that most people are a bad lot. They’re not, and the facts bear it out. So, be true to your nature, offer your trust and act from the goodness of the heart.
But who among us has the courage? To be street-smart is a badge of honour – how not to get bushwhacked, or scammed, or mugged? We must basically expect the worst from strangers. We teach stranger danger to our kids. How dare we not? There is, after all, an epidemic of violence and crime against our persons. Or is there? Are we not simply being taught to fear?
Bregman tell us that, yes, of course, showing trust, we will occasionally be taken advantage of, but it’s a mistake to allow ourselves to become poisoned against the rest of our fellow man as the result. Reflecting on his message, uplifting as it is, I doubt I have the courage to live all ten of those rules, even though my own life experience does bear out his thesis. I have fetched up more than once as an innocent from the sticks, in Liverpool, a town that has the reputation – in the media at least – of the wild west, and each time I have been aided by perfect strangers, with genuine heart and feeling. But my transactional experience with people also suggests that, although a person’s primary instinct may be open and altruistic, if they are given any excuse for thinking they have been slighted, they will turn against you very quickly.
A very uplifting read, from a fascinating author.
Michael, that’s summed the book up perfectly. I always thought I was a “decent bloke” but since reading the book I realise that there is still some way to go on my road to change. I’m glad you enjoyed it too. 🙋♂️
I did enjoy it, Ashley. Thanks for the recommendation.
Thank you for this review, it really made me think. I plan to read the book myself as I’m struggling with many of the issues the author addresses.
Hi, Tanja. Thank you. I certainly got a lot out of the book. He’s an interesting thinker, and his ideas seem well-supported by actual data. I hope you like the book.
Thank you.
[…] On my bookshelf: Humankind – a Hopeful History – Rutger Bregman – Motivated over the festive period by the words of a “fellow blogger” to pick up this optimistic tribute to our better natures, Michael Graeme of The Rivendale Review found it a “fascinating” and “uplifting read.” Its author – “an historian, a left leaning intellectual, and a powerful advocate for a Universal Basic Income” – makes “a simple […] and not particularly radical” suggestion, “backed up by centuries of data, yet somehow conveniently ignored” – that human beings are, at heart, “decent, and will go out of their way to help [others].” While Bregman’s opinions “are at times counter-intuitive, to the extent of being hard to swallow,” he does “[draw] upon several fascinating examples to illustrate his point,” and invites the reader to “discount the myth that most people are a bad lot.” Human kind: A Hopeful History’s central message: “that if we could only realise our true natures, so many of the problems plaguing societies the world over would be solved” is, says Michael, “an entirely fresh view of humanity.” Indeed, this book’s “wonderfully hopeful message” is the ideal way to start the New Year. […]
Hi Michael,
I missed this at 1st, but as always, your blog is worth coming back to.
It makes me think of my – probably Nazi – sailing companion I mentioned to you recently. I expect at some level he is a decent bloke, I’m sure he would look out for anyone in his tribe, and pushing it further, even the worst Nazis have a good side, they probably don’t kick puppies and might be nice to their granny. Not to see this, or worse, to deliberately over simplify things is not only to miss the point, but can, and does drive bad people on the path to greater evil.
I generally go straight to world news on the BBC website a few times a week, and I’m sure that’s not healthy, but if I decide to look at national news I have to navigate past banners for “Coronavirus”, “the war in Ukraine”, “climate” and now “the cost of living”. And so they seek to pigeonhole us according to interest, and many intelligent people will repetitively return to the material that feeds their preconceived view of the world, or is that me falling into the very trap you mention.
I read recently about a basement in Lyman, a town on the frontline that has recently changed hands twice, when the Russians approached 41,000 civilians fled, leaving about 10,000 people behind and of 60 in this basement I heard that a third were pro Russia. Can you imagine, brexiters and remainers having to share a basement as the French were bombarding them. Hell. I will read this book, and I will look for the good in people, but as with all pearls of wisdom, it has to fit into such a complex jigsaw of a reality, and I must count my own blessings and know that I can’t share them with all.
Thanks for posting.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-64367346