“EARLIER this week I finished reading ‘Humankind: A Hopeful History’ by the Dutch historian, Rutger Bregman. It is a book not without its critics, but the central message is one of optimism. His philosophy is that, “Most people, deep down, are pretty decent.” He argues that the instinct to cooperate rather than compete, to trust rather than distrust, have an evolutionary basis going right back to the beginning of humanity.
“We have certainly seen evidence of this throughout the pandemic, most poignantly through the example of Captain Sir Tom Moore. He epitomised decency, empathy and hope. Examples such as Captain Sir Tom provide an antidote to the more pessimistic view of humankind (which we may develop from our daily intake of the news).
“In his own words, “Let’s try not to get downhearted, we will get through this, whatever is thrown at us, and together we can ensure that tomorrow will be a good day.”
“All the very best.”