Humankind cover art

Humankind

A Hopeful History

Preview
Free with 30-day trial
Prime logo New to Audible Prime Member exclusive:
2 credits with free trial
1 credit a month to use on any title to download and keep
Listen to anything from the Plus Catalogue—thousands of Audible Originals, podcasts and audiobooks
Download titles to your library and listen offline
₹199 per month after 30-day trial. Cancel anytime.

Humankind

Written by: Rutger Bregman
Narrated by: Thomas Judd, Rutger Bregman
Free with 30-day trial

₹199 per month after 30-day trial. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for ₹759.00

Buy Now for ₹759.00

About this listen

A Guardian Book to Look Out For in 2020

'Humankind challenged me and made me see humanity from a fresh perspective' Yuval Noah Harari

From 'the folk hero of Davos', Fox News antagonist and author of the international bestseller Utopia for Realists comes a radical history of our innate capacity for kindness.

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 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.

Providing a new historical perspective on the last 200,000 years of human history, Humankind makes a new argument: that it is realistic, as well as revolutionary, to assume that people are good. When we think the worst of others, it brings out the worst in our politics and economics too.

In this major book, internationally bestselling author Rutger 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
20th Century Economics Education Ethics & Morality Modern Philosophy Psychology Psychology & Mental Health
All stars
Most relevant
This is a brilliant read, where the author aims to change our cynical view that humans are fundamentally selfish and bad. He has done a lot of in-depth research to support his arguments, and presents ideas for the future as well. A must read for people from all walks of life, as this book addresses a topic concerning all of us.

The most optimistic book I've ever read

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Great book with amazing narration. As a cynic or realist, I found some examples too good for general assumptions but loved the overall tone of the book. Sometimes it feels good to read/hear a book which just makes you feel good again.
Highly recommended!

A healthy diet for the cynic in you!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

I am so glad for this positive and hopeful message - I have tried to implement many of the strategies Bregman talks about as I was reading the book and I notice how changing perspective changes outcomes .

Just what you need to read to cleanse your soul

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Perspective - outcome - reality. I read it like a novel, a journey into humans brutal history & experiments on self from all over the world.

A must read!

Perspective - Outcome - Reality

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

A transformed definition of realism, this book reveals how sub-consciously we have been viewing the human race and its survival awry. What it also tells is that science cannot succeed without the incorporation of the human aspects in any study. The reason is simple- you cannot derive what you don't know if you don't add up what you do. Finally, framing of information and its varied effects are what will stay with you once the book is complete. They'll make you cogitate on where you consume information from, how you do it, but most importantly, what your expectations from it are. This book is a must-read even if your conclusions might differ.

A new perspective to life

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

See more reviews