About to start my Q&A in 5 mins! Ask me all your questions with the hashtag #AskRutger
Q: #AskRutger when looking at how humans react to catastrophic events, would you say that we are anarchist by nature?
- @cslanarchist
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- @cslanarchist
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Main message: most people, deep down, are pretty decent.
(But power corrupts.)
(But power corrupts.)
Vegan spicy
No I’m a vegetarian trying to become vegan. Already succeeded with breakfast. But as a Dutchman it’s so hard to say bye to cheese. Huge respect for vegans
Q: #AskRutger do you have a response to the people who said your story of "the real lord of the flies" was colonialist. E.g. in the way it focused more on the sailor who found the boys than the boys themselves?
- @Minihood
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- @Minihood
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Nope, but would love to read such a book!
Q: You mention in Humankind that it is when civil society is broken down that people become kinder to others, however you advocate for policies that require serious government intervention. How can we ensure that the structures in society do not i… #AskRutger
- @RonaEBurns1
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- @RonaEBurns1
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Some scientists believe 150 is the magic number. I don’t really buy it. Networks of nomadic hunter gatherers, for example, can be much larger.
Q: #AskRutger Loved your first book and the chat the other day on Guardian Live 🤙 Question: In your research, did you find any difference in kindness by women vs. men, in any culture? E.g. numbers, frequency, type of action, jobs, acceptance (self/by others)?…
- @YazH2012
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- @YazH2012
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I’m a big admirer of Pinker’s work, but we really disagree about the (deep) history of warfare.
Q: #AskRutger Do you think your positive view of humanity might be influenced by living in a country like the Netherlands? Perhaps you might be more pessimistic about human nature if you had grown up elsewhere.
- @Bamfurlough
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- @Bamfurlough
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Frans de Waal, primatologist say: People have two legs - a social leg and a selfish leg. Question is which leg we train.
Spot on
Honestly don’t know! Think about what Harold Macmillan said: ‘events, dear boy, events’
Q: Could you say something about how and why you are mostly optimistic about the future ?#AskRutger
- @gnosticlause
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- @gnosticlause
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Q: #AskRutger How did you feel about the reception to the article about the real life LOTF marooned kids? I loved that story BTW.
- @jeyfree21
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- @jeyfree21
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Q: #AskRutger Of all of the concepts discussed in your book "Utopia for Realists," which one would you think has the best chance at success in the United States?
- @illiteratgenius
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- @illiteratgenius
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Q: Often I’ve used UforR to ground myself in the idea that an optimistic future is possible and can be reached & to keep myself from getting too dejected by where things are...what do you look to to keep yourself hopeful, optimistic, and moving forwa… #AskRutger
- @Schicke7
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- @Schicke7
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Bertrand Russell
Q: #AskRutger @rcbregman How could we change the mindsets of the powerful? If most aren't sociopaths, how do we pierce the veil and connect with them to break them out of their Machiavellian delusions? How do we make them blush?
- @jakebowman_
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- @jakebowman_
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Love his work. We have very different views on the (deep) history of war though.
Q: #AskRutger how can I as an American remain hopeful when it seems like we keep hearing stories of people refusing to do their part to stop the spread of COVID 19 here?
- @JamesRLeVan1
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- @JamesRLeVan1
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Finished the book last year and have been writing mostly about climate change ever since. And the need for mobilization.
Q: #AskRutger Lots of autocrats gain power by inciting hate. Hate against China, against Jews, migrants, ... there's always an 'enemy'. Why do you think people are so susceptible to that? Do we only become decent in times of crisis?
- @sbajlova
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- @sbajlova
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Rebecca Solnit, David Graeber, James C Scott, Brian Hare, Gina Perry, Douglas Fry, Peter Gray, Elinor Ostrom, David Van Reybrouck and so many others!
Yes, will be published in September!
Q: What do you say to people, who are scared that with an universal basic income nobody wants to work anymore as a farmworker or in other not good payed jobs (but jobs we need) ? #AskRutger
- @PeterPa78248646
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- @PeterPa78248646
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Biggest inspiration was Russell Jacoby, professor in LA who taught me when I studied there in 2011
Yes!
People like Greta Thunberg, Andrew Yang, Mariana Mazzucato and many others
Very ignorant, needs to go back to school. We had much higher taxes in 50 and 60s AND much higher econ growth and jobs.
It’s already dying I think. thecorrespondent.com/466/the-neolib…
Definitely my most utopian idea right now..
Q: #AskRutger People criticize you for telling the story of the Tongan shipwreck survivors from a Western/white/colonial perspective. What did you learn from that critique? Are you doing anything to support them telling their own story? Via a Tongan film pr…
- @JurreVerhoog
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- @JurreVerhoog
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Yes thought that was pretty bewildering
There not just my ideas. My books are a synthesis of the brilliant work of so many others - sociologists, psychologists, anthropologists etc, so many scientist have been moving in the direction of a more hopeful view of human nature.
To be honest, I just thought history would be relatively easy and didn’t have big ambitions ;)
Discovers that history is fantastic though, most subversive of all the sciences. Shows that everything can be different.
Discovers that history is fantastic though, most subversive of all the sciences. Shows that everything can be different.
Babbys kitchen is my favorite
Q: #AskRutger. My favorite synopsis of the Bible is: "First part, don't mess with God. Second part, be nice to people."
Why do you think so many self described conservative Christians quote the Old Testament instead of the Gospels?
- @Mikeinsaginaw
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Why do you think so many self described conservative Christians quote the Old Testament instead of the Gospels?
- @Mikeinsaginaw
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Q: #AskRutger can the climate crisis be tackled within the system we currently have?
- @xr_cambridge
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- @xr_cambridge
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Q: #AskRutger did you only talk to Tucker Carlson during his show (when you straight bodied him) or did you get to talk to him off the air too? I mean do you think he really believes that BS he's always peddling or is he just doin' it for the $$??
- @lolatmikepeters
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- @lolatmikepeters
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Q: How do we change the myth that people who are living at or near poverty aren’t lazy or not working hard enough #AskRutger
- @tpainmc
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- @tpainmc
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Q: Do you think it is possible for my generation to overcome the hurdles, to save this planet from climate change and the growing inequalities of this world. #AskRutger
- @OriundoDylan
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- @OriundoDylan
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Yes I believe this crisis is really a pivotal moment, bigger than 2008
Q: How do you feel about Direct Democracy vs Representative Democracy? #AskRutger
- @MyLifeIsMunitz
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- @MyLifeIsMunitz
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Q: #AskRutger what do you think about Piketty view on history of the inequalities and especially it's last book ?
- @SemyClark
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- @SemyClark
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Nope but would love to read your work!
Yes
Q: #AskRutger What personal bias or preconception (everybody has them) did you invalidate in your research for the book? Or/and: What was your most surprising find?
- @scienceborglib1
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- @scienceborglib1
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Q: #AskRutger do you think labels (like 'socialism') affect how people view a concept/systems? If so, how do you suppose everyone be convinced to think beyond the labels?
- @ArianaGsparks
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- @ArianaGsparks
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Q: Long list listener, first time caller. What kind of response did you receive from Fox viewers after that segment with Tucker Carlson? #AskRutger
- @Dr_JenHunt
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- @Dr_JenHunt
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Q: In your recent book you talk about the real lord of the flies and how cooperation should be the way forward. Detractors say that it’s just a one of case. What would you say to that? #AskRutger
- @sharmapratyush
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- @sharmapratyush
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Q: #AskRutger What makes people so easily corrupted by power and how can this, be changed?
- @magdalewis
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- @magdalewis
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Thanks everyone for all the great questions! Tried to answer as many as I could 😅 until next time! #AskRutger
