# Humankind: A Hopeful History - Hardcover

by **Rutger Bregman** (Author), **Erica Moore** (Translator), **Elizabeth Manton** (Translator)

**AN INSTANT _NEW YORK TIMES_ BESTSELLER**

The "lively" (_The New Yorker)_, "convincing" (_Forbes_), and "riveting pick-me-up we all need right now" (_People_) that proves humanity thrives in a crisis and that our innate kindness and cooperation have been the greatest factors in our long-term success as a species.

If there is one belief that has united the left and the right, psychologists and philosophers, ancient thinkers and modern ones, it is the tacit assumption that humans are bad. It's a notion that drives newspaper headlines and guides the laws that shape 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.

But what if it isn't true? International bestseller Rutger Bregman provides new perspective on the past 200,000 years of human history, setting out to prove that we are hardwired for kindness, geared toward cooperation rather than competition, and more inclined to trust rather than distrust one another. In fact this instinct has a firm evolutionary basis going back to the beginning of _Homo sapiens_.

From the real-life _Lord of the Flies_ to the solidarity in the aftermath of the Blitz, the hidden flaws in the Stanford prison experiment to the true story of twin brothers on opposite sides who helped Mandela end apartheid, Bregman shows us that believing in human generosity and collaboration isn't merely optimistic--it's realistic. Moreover, it has huge implications for how society functions. When we think the worst of people, it brings out the worst in our politics and economics. But if we believe in the reality of humanity's kindness and altruism, it will form the foundation for achieving true change in society, a case that Bregman makes convincingly with his signature wit, refreshing frankness, and memorable storytelling.

**"The _Sapiens_ of 2020." --_The Guardian_**

"_Humankind_ made me see humanity from a fresh perspective." --Yuval Noah Harari, author of the #1 bestseller _Sapiens_

Longlisted for the 2021 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction

One of the _Washington Post_'s 50 Notable Nonfiction Works in 2020  

### Author Biography

**Rutger Bregman**, a historian and writer at _The Correspondent_, is one of Europe's most prominent young thinkers. His last book, _Utopia for Realists,_ which was translated into thirty-two languages, is a _New York Times_ bestseller. He lives in Holland.

**Number of Pages:** 480

**Dimensions:** 1.5 x 9.5 x 6.2 IN

**Illustrated:** Yes

**Publication Date:** June 02, 2020

## Details

- **Price:** 32.5 USD
- **Vendor:** Books by splitShops
- **Type:** Books
- **Tags:** Books by splitShops, Shopify Collective

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Default Title | 32.50 USD | In stock |

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- Humankind: A Hopeful History - Hardcover

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