Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World--and Why Things Are Better Than You Think
paperback, 352 pages
Published April 7, 2020 by Flatiron Books.
It turns out that the world, for all its imperfections, is in a much better state than we might think. But when we worry about everything all the time instead of embracing a worldview based on facts, we can lose our ability to focus on the things that threaten us most.
Passionate book about getting your facts straight first, THEN forming an opinion. Includes lots of practical tips to help you see through misinformation and fearmongering. Rosling will surely be missed by many.
I absolutely loved this book. If you've seen Rosling's talks before, it's likely you know a lot of what's in here. But the real value of this book for me was solidifying the idea of the World Bank's "Level" system, borrowed from Rosling, into my brain.
Canada is Level 4. India is Level 2. My friends in India are Level 4. My off-grid cabin is Level 3 (but a comfortable Level 3, since it's in a Level 4 country). Getting away from the concept of "us" and "them", "normal" and "poor" is a valuable lesson for almost anyone I know. This vocabulary stimulates a whole new kind of conversation.
Beyond the Level system, readers will come away with a stronger understanding of the basic statistics that go into this data, some helpful tools for dealing with the world around them (and their own minds), and some genuine hopefulness rooted in …
I absolutely loved this book. If you've seen Rosling's talks before, it's likely you know a lot of what's in here. But the real value of this book for me was solidifying the idea of the World Bank's "Level" system, borrowed from Rosling, into my brain.
Canada is Level 4. India is Level 2. My friends in India are Level 4. My off-grid cabin is Level 3 (but a comfortable Level 3, since it's in a Level 4 country). Getting away from the concept of "us" and "them", "normal" and "poor" is a valuable lesson for almost anyone I know. This vocabulary stimulates a whole new kind of conversation.
Beyond the Level system, readers will come away with a stronger understanding of the basic statistics that go into this data, some helpful tools for dealing with the world around them (and their own minds), and some genuine hopefulness rooted in fact. One day, I hope this book becomes a household name and a core part of peoples' local cannon.
