Humankind: A Hopeful History

　　「這本書擁有成為年度重點大書的一切條件……它若成為2020年的《人類大歷史》，絕不令人意外。」──衛報盛讚
　　「這本書讓我對於人性有不同的看法，且顛覆我長久以來的信念。」──《人類大歷史：從野獸到扮演上帝》哈拉瑞力薦

　　「人性本惡」──真的是如此嗎？

　　綜觀古今，各領域學說五花八門，心理學家、哲學家、古代哲人與當代思想家的想法時常相互牴觸，但他們奇蹟似的默認一點：人性本惡。西方世界的思想家馬基維立和湯瑪斯·霍布斯，乃至佛洛伊德與史迪芬‧平克，都對此深信不疑。人們相信正是因為天性之惡，社會事件層出不窮、無數法律條文為此被制定，我們的生活也不知不覺因此形塑。

　　然而，本書卻大膽指出：事實可能並非如此。

　　羅格‧布雷格曼繼暢銷書《改變每個人的3個狂熱夢想》後，再創新作，他研究人類20萬年來的歷史，向我們證明，從智人時代開始即可看出人性本善、人類天生傾向群居合作而非競爭猜忌。小說《蒼蠅王》的孩子因在荒島求生而激發出其殘忍野蠻本性，但在真實世界中，在荒島求生的孩子們卻攜手合作，奇蹟獲救；史丹佛監獄實驗展現出人性的暴力極端面，然其充滿疏漏，實驗結果令人存疑；閃電戰後，各國團結起來共創和平世界；在南非實行種族隔離政策時，原本各自擁護不同立場的雙胞胎最後選擇合作幫助曼德拉對抗種族隔離。

　　從布雷曼提出的例子，我們可以相信，人性真的存在著良善與樂於合作的本質，而非只是空話。而或許人類社會改變的契機，也在於我們是否願意拋棄這一根深蒂固的想法──若我們始終認為人類天性邪惡，那麼以此出發所制定的法令與創造的經濟體系，也會是冷血且令人生厭的；但如果我們相信人性本善，我們便能從根本改變社會，為這個世界帶來全新氣象。(文/博客來編譯)

　　From the author of the New York Times bestseller Utopia for Realists, a "bold" (Daniel H. Pink), "provocative" (Adam Grant) argument that our innate goodness and cooperation have been the greatest factors in humanity's success.

　　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.