Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About The World - And Why Things Are Better Than You Think

by Hans Rosling

It’s not either/or. It’s both and it’s case-by-case.

To control the single perspective instinct, get a toolbox, not a hammer.

If you really want to change the world you have to understand it. Following your blame instinct isn’t going to help.

The idea that India, China, and other countries moving up the levels should be blamed for climate change, and that their populations should be forced to live poorer lives in order to address it, is shockingly well established in the West.

The blame instinct drives us to attribute more power and influence to individuals than they deserve, for bad or good. Political leaders and CEOs in particular often claim they are more powerful than they are.

If you really want to change the world, you have to understand how it actually works and forget about punching anyone in the face.

Fear plus urgency make for stupid, drastic decisions with unpredictable side effects.

We should ideally show a mid-forecast, and also a range of alternative possibilities, from best to worst. If we have to round the numbers we should round to our own disadvantage. This protects our reputations and means we never give people a reason to stop listening.

We know that 800 million are suffering right now. We also know the solutions: peace, schooling, universal basic health care, electricity, clean water, toilets, contraceptives, and microcredits to get market forces started. There’s no innovation needed to end poverty. It’s all about walking the last mile with what’s worked everywhere else.

tell you to ignore the noise, but keep an eye on the big global risks.

If something is urgent and important, it should be measured.

We should be teaching them that cultural and religious stereotypes are useless for understanding the world.

spreading a fact-based worldview