October Book Review
Have you ever imagined how the world could become a better place – only to come to the conclusion that you have many ambitious ideas, but no clue where to begin?
First of all, you are not the only one. I bet that most people have similar thoughts on a regular basis. If you are like me, you also have a hard time letting go of these ambitions without putting them into action, at least partly. I am constantly searching for small everyday ways to practice what my inner voice preaches: live more sustainably, be more aware of other beings and try your best to be good to them. Oftentimes trying is all we can do, although it might feel tedious and especially difficult on some days. This month’s book recommendation is one for people who are aware of their moral potential, but struggle to act on it.
The Author: Rutger Bregman
Rutger Bregman is a Dutch historian, journalist and author. He received much recognition for his 2017 TED Talk Poverty isn't a lack of character. It's a lack of cash. I first read an article about his book Humankind – A Hopeful History last year. I was intrigued by the more positive approach to historic analyses. Naturally, trying to see positivity in all of human history does not help to understand it better. However, a more positive take on certain events offers a fresh perspective and possibly hope for the present. While Humankind is currently still on my to read list, I decided that Bregmans latest book Moral Ambition would be a good start for me to dive into his work. Not only has Rutger Bregman written his this book about practical approaches to transform your ambitions into action, but he has also founded The School of Moral Ambition, a community for people who aim to create shared impact.
The Book: Moral Ambition
How can you create impact in today’s world? This is one of the key questions Rutger Bregman tackles in his latest book. As with most contemporary issues, it is worth looking into past events not only to investigate causes, but also in order to find solutions. Moral Ambition is a collection of historical examples of people who have acted on their personal convictions. When it comes to the question of doing “the right thing” (in whatever context) you commonly see a gap between what people know or believe to be right and the actions that result from it. This phenomenon, known as the “knowledge-action gap”, has been studied extensively. Bregman wants to go beyond these findings and find out what motivated people to close this gap: in what situations and how did individuals or groups act for the common good, even if it meant compromising their own comfort or safety?
In this book, you learn about many examples where moral ambitions were translated into action, from the beginnings of the British anti-slavery movement to the fight against climate change and animal cruelty. Time and time again, it all began with people showing interest in the fate and struggles of others and not just stopping there, but taking action in order to improve the situation. A small spark can ignite a fire. The stories in this book show that there are often already initiatives and organised groups that just need that final spark to set a movement in motion. We learn about the lives of extraordinary people such as Rob Mather, founder of the Against Malaria Foundation, and Katharine McCormick, a biologist who funded the development of the first contraceptive pill.
Moral Ambition is easy to read and, despite its serious subject matter, conveys a hopeful perspective. Bregman makes acting on moral intuition seem like the most meaningful commitment to dedicate one’s life to. Many books with a similar focus present inspiring stories, but they stop at the gap between knowledge and action, leaving the reader feeling somewhat helpless and overlooking the fact that many of us want to make a positive contribution rather than just accumulate knowledge. Before I warmly recommend this book, I must mention two aspects that disappointed me somewhat. Firstly, some of the graphics in the book are not explained in the text, leaving one wondering why they were included at all. Secondly, the book reduces certain stories of great impact, such as that of philosopher Peter Singer, to a minimum. I strongly recommend taking notes while reading this book and returning to certain aspects for further research. This is not necessarily negative as a single book can only cover so much, but the controversy surrounding some of Singer’s public statements could at least be mentioned briefly. Nevertheless, I find that Bregman’s book succeeds in arousing curiosity, and as we learn, curiosity is at the heart of moral ambitions, which ideally lead to action.