The Prospect Interview #131: Rutger Bregman’s Humankind
The Dutch historian makes a case for optimism in difficult times
Dutch historian and commentator Rutger Bregman joins the Prospect Interview to discuss his new book, Humankind: A Hopeful History. It has an optimistic thesis at its heart: that people are—despite all the doom-mongering, disasters, and political conflicts that mark our headlines—decent and well-intentioned. Arts and books editor Sameer Rahim talks to Rutger about making a case for hope in the time of Covid, what makes people embrace hate and prejudice—and how he went about writing his viral story of the real-life Lord of the Flies.
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