Another brilliant book by my favourite Dutch author. Few importants points I want to share regarding this Humankind book :
1. Majority of us believe in the phenomenon of mean world syndrome: whose clinical syndrome are cynicism, misanthropy and pessimism. We believe people only care for themselves and individuals are helpless to better the world. That’s why we are more likely stressed and depressed.
2. Evolutionary evidence has suggested that actually humans thrive on ‘survival of the friendliest’ qualities.
3. Human do evil things because it has been disguised as doing good, as believed by the doer with the influence of ideologies and delusional trust system.
4. Empathy is a hopelessly limited skill. We usually able to care for people close to us. A better world doesn’t start with more empathy. It makes us less forgiving because the more we identify with the victims, the more we generalise about the enemies. Choose the path of compassion as it takes us beyond ourselves and the rest of the world.
5. Studies show that human with power exhibit ‘acquired sociopathy’, as similar as having a blow to the head that damages key regions of the brain and can turn nicest people into the worst kind of Machiavellian. People in power literally act like someone with brain damage, and they are more self-centered, arrogant, rude, reckless and shameless.
6. Cynicism is another word for laziness. It’s an excuse not to take responsibilty. If we believe most people are rotten, definitely we don’t need to get worked up on injustice.
7. What’s naive today may be common sense tomorrow.
8. Here are his 10 rules to live by :
i) When in doubt, assume the best
ii) Think in win-win scenarios
iii) Ask more questions
iv) Temper your empathy, train your compassion
v) Try to understand the other, even if you don’t get where they’re coming from
vi) Love your own as others love their own
vii) Avoid the news
viii) Don’t punch Nazis
ix ) Don’t be ashamed to do good because it’s infectious
x) Be realistic
This is simply my book of the year.
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