This would be a good introduction to people who have never sat down to deeply consider and perhaps even research how to align their lives (careers, families, and all) alongside their moral beliefs, not just in words but in concrete and tangible ways. Some of us don't have this luxury to begin with: the demands of real life are often messy and difficult as bills need to be paid and mouths need to be fed. But for those of us who do have a chance to think about it and position ourselves in such a way that we can make a significant effect on society that aligns with our morals, this provides an easy starting point.

I'm generally skeptical of some of the examples Bregman uses because essentially what he is asking is for those of us with latitude and energy to work within the system to achieve our goals. I do still believe in institutions but I also think that the institutions we have today are not always the ones that we need. Most of them are bloated, geriatric, and incredibly out of touch with the needs of society. Sometimes starting off fresh and building from the bottom up is better. He does acknowledge that these hard resets can be done, which I appreciated, but he also acknowledges that to do so is difficult. I personally think it's also unlikely given our aversion to inconvenience and discomfort, but who knows? Maybe we'll soon encounter something that will break the proverbial camel's back. (One lives in hope.) I definitely appreciated the Peter Singer chapter and wish more people spoke of him. His ethical philosophy is something most people would consider very radical but his arguments are sound and merit serious consideration. Unfortunately, our society is currently intolerant of Singer's level of unflinching self-examination.

Ultimately, although this was engaging and accessibly written, I didn't find it quite as enjoyable and hard-hitting as "Humankind." It employs much of the same approach with colorful anecdotes to illustrate examples of the message Bregman is trying to deliver. And it's a great message, very relevant to the world today! I just don't think that it was half as convincing as it wanted to be; I also didn't glean anything from this book that I didn't already know before.