If we assume the best in people, we can radically redesign our democracy and welfare states.
Rutger BregmanRead
Well, the news is mostly about things that go wrong, right? It's about sensationalist incidents that happened today, instead of things that happen every day. So if you watch and follow a lot of the news, at the end of the day, you know exactly how the world is not working.
Interpretation
What this quote means
News often focuses on negative events, overshadowing the positive aspects of daily life.
Rutger Bregman's quote highlights the tendency of news media to emphasize sensational events and failures rather than the ordinary, positive occurrences that define our everyday lives. This focus can lead people to develop a skewed perception of reality, where they become overly aware of societal problems and neglect the continuous efforts and successes that contribute to a functioning world.
Themes
NewsNegativityPerceptionSensationalismReality
In practice
Example use cases
During a discussion about media influence, someone might quote this to emphasize the importance of balanced reporting.
More from Rutger Bregman
All quotes →Since long workdays lead to more errors, shorter workdays could reduce accidents. Overtime is deadly. Tired surgeons have been found to be more prone to slip'ups, and soldiers who get too little shuteye are more prone to miss targets.
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My hope is that the corona crisis will help bring us into a new age of cooperation and solidarity and a realization that we're in this together.
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This is what a crisis does: It makes you question the status quo. That doesn't mean that after a crisis we move into some kind of utopia. But it is an opportunity for political change.
Rutger BregmanRead
While it won't solve all the world's ills - and ideas such as a rent cap and more social housing are necessary in places where housing is scarce - a basic income would work like venture capital for the people.
Rutger BregmanRead
Believing in the good of humanity is a revolutionary act - it means that we don't need all those managers and CEO's, kings and generals. That we can trust people to govern themselves and make their own decisions.
Rutger BregmanRead
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