Summary of Matt Ridley’s The Rational Optimist

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In The Rational Optimist (2010), Matt Ridley argues that human progress is advanced by cultural evolution and that, contrary to general attitudes, optimism is the way into the future. Pessimists insist that humanity is regressing and the future looks bleak. However, life is factually increasing in quality: innovation is reaching new heights, poverty is declining globally, living conditions are improving, mortality is decreasing, and economic prosperity is flourishing. By following historical trends, from the birth of trade to the current technological world, Ridley finds that humanity is on an upward spiral, and there’s plenty of cause for rational optimism.