The Daily
'The Interview': Rutger Bregman Wants to Save Elites From Their Wasted Lives
May 17, 2025
Rutger Bregman, a historian and writer known for his thought-provoking views on utopian ideas, challenges elite individuals to abandon self-centered ambitions for morally significant work. He discusses redefining success from wealth to impactful contributions and highlights the need for ambitious activism to address societal issues like the tobacco industry. Bregman emphasizes the importance of moral ambition, collective action, and using one's talents for the greater good, pushing for a cultural shift towards altruism and meaningful change.
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Quick takeaways
- Rutger Bregman advocates for high-achieving individuals to redirect their talents from lucrative jobs to socially impactful careers through moral ambition.
- He emphasizes the necessity of building coalitions across diverse groups to achieve significant social change, illustrating this with historical examples like the abolitionist movement.
Deep dives
The Call for Moral Ambition
The discussion centers on the need for high-achieving individuals to redirect their ambitions toward more socially impactful careers. Rutger Bregman emphasizes the importance of transforming self-interest into socially beneficial action, suggesting that many bright individuals currently settle for lucrative yet unfulfilling jobs in fields like consulting or finance. Through his book, 'Moral Ambition,' Bregman seeks to inspire these individuals to pursue paths that not only provide personal satisfaction but also contribute significantly to society. His vision includes establishing the School for Moral Ambition, aimed at cultivating talent for meaningful work.
