Humankind: A Hopeful History - Book Review

This is a book review I wrote for an assignment while studying International Relations at Masarykova University in Brno, Czechia back in 2022. While not a fan of writing these, especially for a classroom environment where one must check many boxes, I feel it is important to share this Christmas. I was inspired to do so after reading a BBC article regarding the World War I Christmas Truce in 1914, which Humankind: A Hopeful History author Rutger Bregman covers extensively in his book. Bregman's work reminds us of the love that exists inside all of us from birth and the instinctive drive to work together as a species. I briefly go into where it all goes wrong below. Bregman's research and conveying of his findings has since had a profound influence on my screenwriting. If you want to restore your hope in humanity, read this review - or skip it and jump straight into this book with an open mind. If it's any consolation, I got an A!

Rutger Bregman’s Humankind: A Hopeful History

Growing up seeing the world through the lens of mass media, I was taught the common knowledge that humans are selfish, war-mongering beings. Most of us had this idea ingrained from an early age, mostly featured in fictional story-telling but also in common social science textbooks. As adults, the daily diet of despair we consume through sensationalist cable news or overreaching social media understandably reenforces this belief. Humans fighting, stealing and judging one another is the only perception most of us have become acquainted with. However, what if all this time, this narrative was just a vail over our true nature, which is in fact the exact opposite? This is the question author Rutger Bregman explores in Humankind: A Hopeful History. Upon reading you will indeed feel hopeful.

Don’t let the 480 page book intimidate you. This is a fast-paced collection of not only Bregman’s ideas, but analysis supported by studies, experiments and solid evidence. Humankind reads as a narrative journey through human history. Bregman’s warm penmanship and well-structured pacing ensures the content is presentable to most audiences. The feeling of reading the material is akin to being pulled into a National Geographic doc you thought you’d only watch a few minutes before realising your laundry was still in the wash. For readers like myself who have lived a mostly pessimistic life, this book is a very therapeutic read. You may even kick yourself for going through life so long thinking so ill toward our fellow homo sapien —or “homo puppy” as Bregman describes us. You see, even Darwin himself gets a run for his money as the author counters “survival of the fittest” with “friendliness” using well-researched case studies and evolutionary observations. The material is not only delivered from a political science standpoint, but anthropological.

Just before I felt like Bregman had saved humanity, I was reminded by the challenge of changing stubborn minds. Where my hopes became measured once again is with the explanation of where homopuppy went awry, touching on themes of private territory and religion. Therein lies the challenge… Few in the religious communities would be open-minded enough to give this reading a chance. However, devout religious audiences should not be so quick to cast aside the material as you did during last Sunday’s sermon. Bregman dives deep into the original intentions of religion; peace, forgiveness, love— all foundations that make for boring reality shows, as Bregman humorously documents. Humankind dives into the main drivers of our cynical collective conscience. Some of the content is not new, but rather brought into clearer context. There are important lessons relevant to the challenges of modern society today. Our lonely humans may be kind in nature, but when separated from society, we are lonely and isolated, becoming vulnerable to assumption, prejudice, and amoral charismatic personalities using one’s fears to push agendas. The reader will also understand conflict evolution. For instance, why wars are fought at increasingly greater distances. When our safari takes us to modern day humankind, the reader will begin to understand why humanity has been framed the way it has. What

Humankind puts forward is, in essence, the enemy of current power structures.

It is clear the author anticipated blowback, not just from religious hierarchies, but government institutions and corporate structures as well. Bregman does a thorough job countering this with his excellent presentation of well-cited sources. However, in today’s fact-denying environment, the author will reach a limited audience. The effort to preemptively thwart potential naysayers is too tremendous of a feat for Bregman to undertake. At times, I wish more time was spent breaking down the data of well-known historical battles, for example. How can Bregman’s analysis stand against our conventional understanding of history through other documented evidence and data? Could Bregman be too hopeful? My criticisms, on the other hand, inspired a realisation: why am I so critical of data supporting our better angels, but more agreeable regarding data promoting our faults? Never before did I realise how deep the conditioning runs. What caused myself not to trust my fellow humans? If you feel in agreement with Humankind’s premise so far, be prepared for a rabbit hole of mind-blowing discovery. If you’re on the opposite end of the debate, be prepared to be challenged. I found most of the author’s evidence tough to question at times. I will stress that this book is for the curious. If Bregman should soon reach the limits of his material’s reach, it will certainly find a home in the social sciences in the years to come.

To wrap up this odyssey through human nature, the book was an inspiring, accessible read. Students of social studies must read this book. I believe Bregman’s work would be considered idealistic from a realist point of view, but practical to progressive thinkers. If you relate to realism or even conservatism, you will still have fun with the material. It will inspire your own arguments and I would not be surprised if your cold, realistic heart was not melted just a little. We often hold onto our prejudices because we believe they are protecting us from harm. Letting go of the monsters inside us is essential to fully appreciating Bregman’s arguments and building a more peaceful world. Archeological evidence the author puts forward states humans have been at war for around ten thousand years. It could very well be that it will take ten thousand years to go back home, but Rutger Bregman’s Humankind: A Hopeful History is at least a start. Hopefully.

Soldiers on opposing sides pose for a photo. Christmas, 1914.

Book Title: Humankind: A Hopeful History, First Edition (English)

Author: Rutger Bregman, Editor: Erica Moore, Translator: Elizabeth Manton Date Published: 16 November, 2021, Originally Published: September, 2019

Publisher: Little Brown & Company Format: Softcover, 480 pages

ISBN: 978-0316418522

Original Price: $18.99 (USD)