A Critical Review of Humankind
Rutger Bregman’s book Humankind is one of the books that questions negative ideas about human nature and makes readers think. For many years, many people believed that humans are naturally selfish, bad, and only care about themselves. However, Bregman does not agree with this idea. According to him, human nature is not as dark as people think. Instead, people are more willing to help each other, understand others’ feelings, and do good things. In the book, the author supports these ideas with many examples from wars, psychology experiments, history, and biology. One of the best parts of the book is that it gives hope about humanity. Still, when I finished the book, I did not only feel admiration. On one side, I was happy to read it because it made me think differently. On the other side, some of the author’s ideas felt too optimistic to me. Because of this, the book was both interesting and questionable for me.
One of the strongest parts of the book is that it makes people question ideas about human nature that many accept without thinking. Today, we often see violence, murder, wars, and fights on television, social media, and in the news. After some time, people start to believe that the world is full of bad people. At this point, Bregman asks an important question: If humans were really bad by nature, how could societies survive for so many years? A big part of human history was shaped by helping each other, working together, and surviving together. From this side, the writer’s ideas are important and meaningful.
His ideas against the belief that humans are naturally wild are especially interesting. Today, when someone behaves badly, people sometimes say, “Did you grow up in a cave?” However, Bregman says that hunter-gatherer societies were not as violent as many
Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt looks at spirituality in a humanist way. He thinks it is a source of wisdom and beauty that helps people in life. His style is special because he does not try to change the reader or strongly criticize beliefs. Instead, he invites people to discover empathy and understand feelings naturally.
There are conversations between a Jewish family and a Muslim shopkeeper in the story. The book talks about religion, morals, differences, and similarities between people.
I do not think it is a superficial book. I think it should be read again from time to time. I can recommend it.
I had not read such a different book for a long time, so I had mixed feelings while reading it.
Reklam
I was initially drawn to this novel by the evocative nature of its title and the specific spectrum of color it represents. In Korean, the word 'parang' (파랑) possesses a unique depth; it encompasses not only the vastness of the blue sky but also the verdant freshness of greenery. This linguistic nuance creates a perfect bridge between the robotic precision of Coli and the natural world.
Reading this story felt like a persistent state of déjà vu. I found myself deeply resonating with the metaphor of the horse, Today, who is trapped in a world where the only audible command is to go "faster." Through the shifting perspectives of Yeonjae, Coli, and Today, I felt the suffocating pressure of a society that prioritizes speed and efficiency over the quiet rhythm of life.
While categorized as Sci-Fi, the book avoids the trap of an overly complex plot. Instead, the author uses futuristic details as a vessel for a much more grounded, emotional message. It is a story about empathy, the bond between species, and the courage to stop running. As the narrative comes full circle, ending exactly where it began, it left me with a sense of bittersweet peace—a reminder that sometimes, the most revolutionary act is simply to slow down.
Daniel Keyes’in bu etkileyici romanı, zihinsel engelli bir adam olan Charlie Gordon’ın hikâyesini anlatır.
Charlie, zekâsını artırmayı amaçlayan deneysel bir ameliyata katılır. Bu ameliyat daha önce Algernon adlı bir fare üzerinde başarıyla uygulanmıştır. Ameliyattan sonra Charlie’nin zekâsı hızla artar ve bir süre sonra dahi seviyesine ulaşır.
Ancak bu süreçte:
Eskiden arkadaş sandığı insanların aslında onunla alay ettiğini fark eder
Zekâ arttıkça yalnızlaşır ve duygusal olarak zorlanır
Bilimin ve insanların ona yaklaşımını sorgulamaya başlar
Daha sonra Algernon’un zekâsı gerilemeye başlar ve ölür. Charlie de aynı sonun kendisini beklediğini anlar. Gerçekten de zamanla eski hâline geri döner.
Hikâyenin sonunda Charlie, tekrar eski hayatına döner ve son dileği, Algernon’un mezarına çiçek bırakılmasıdır.
Bu kitap sadece bir bilim kurgu hikâyesi değil; insan olmanın ne demek olduğunu sorgulatan oldukça duygusal bir anlatı. Charlie’nin değişimi, okuyucuya empatiyi, yalnızlığı ve kabul edilme ihtiyacını çok güçlü bir şekilde hissettiriyor. En etkileyici tarafı ise şu: Zekâ arttıkça mutluluğun garanti olmadığını çok çarpıcı. Başta sadece ilginç bir deney hikâyesi gibi geliyor ama Charlie’nin değişimini okudukça içimde garip bir hüzün oluştu. En çok da şunu düşündüm: İnsan gerçekten neyle “değerli” olur? Zekâ mı, yoksa hissettikleri mi?
Charlie’nin yalnızlığı ve anlaşılma isteği bana çok gerçek geldi. Özellikle zekâsı arttıkça insanların aslında ne kadar yüzeysel olabildiğini fark etmesi biraz sarsıcıydı. Kitabı bitirdiğimde içimde hafif bir boşluk kaldı diyebilirim.
Bana göre bu kitap, sadece okunup geçilecek değil; insanın kendine dönüp bakmasına neden olan bir hikâye.
Kısacası: Hem düşündüren hem de insanı derinden etkileyen bir klasik.
8/10
Peki siz okudunuz
Bu kitabı okuduğum zamanlar çok fazla empati kuramamıştım fakat yıllar sonra o insanlara umut olduğumda aslında amacım acımak değildi onlara hayatlarındaki kolaylığı sağlamaktı , her zaman bizden biri olduklarını inandırmaktı:)
I read this book almost to the end, but unfortunately it wasn’t my kind. The constant repetition of low self-esteem, self-doubt, and similar thoughts started to feel monotonous rather than deep for me. While I understand that this reflects the author’s real struggles, I personally couldn’t connect with the narrative. Because of that, I would give this book a lower rating. Still, hearing that the author passed away recently made me read it with more empathy and respect.
Reklam
Reklam