Nomad Scry reviewed Utopia for realists by Rutger Bregman
Mixed feelings
4 stars
There are three main ideas covered, surrounded with an introduction where the author states there's little difference between the left and right, and an epilogue that claims leftists are losing because they're boring. I'm inclined to think the author is a libertarian who thinks he's a liberal, but that's applying US labels to a Dane.
The three big ideas are: UBI, a 15 hr work week, and open borders. At this point, the only reason to not implement UBI is religion. I'm more conflicted about the 15hr work week. I think that a significant portion of the population would choose the take a second job. At least in America, we're simply too infected with the Puritan work ethic (meaning, you're evil if you aren't working.) And the third is unfeasible until we rid humanity of not just religion but religious impulses. (I, simplistically, think that nationalism is a religious impulses.) …
There are three main ideas covered, surrounded with an introduction where the author states there's little difference between the left and right, and an epilogue that claims leftists are losing because they're boring. I'm inclined to think the author is a libertarian who thinks he's a liberal, but that's applying US labels to a Dane.
The three big ideas are: UBI, a 15 hr work week, and open borders. At this point, the only reason to not implement UBI is religion. I'm more conflicted about the 15hr work week. I think that a significant portion of the population would choose the take a second job. At least in America, we're simply too infected with the Puritan work ethic (meaning, you're evil if you aren't working.) And the third is unfeasible until we rid humanity of not just religion but religious impulses. (I, simplistically, think that nationalism is a religious impulses.)
Overall, I think that the author makes the exact same mistake that I do, by arguing about what is good by touting what is productive and efficient. In his defense, I don't think the title was Utopia for Idealists.
