Sam Harris speaks with Rutger Bregman about Rutger’s new book, Moral Ambition: Stop Wasting Your Talent and Start Making a Difference. They discuss why it seems like we are at the hinge of human history, wealth inequality, how altruism should be rewarded, how we should think about philanthropic billionaires, effective altruism, why empathy is overrated, moral entrepreneurship, universal basic income, work and meaning, existential risk, and other topics.

Rutger Bregman is a Dutch historian and author. His books Utopia for Realists (2017) and Humankind (2020) have sold over 2 million copies and have been translated into 46 languages. In 2024, he co-founded The School for Moral Ambition, a non-profit inspired by his book Moral Ambition: Stop Wasting Your Talent and Start Making a Difference (Dutch edition 2024), which helps ambitious people tackle the world’s most pressing problems. The English edition of Moral Ambition will be released on May 6, 2025.

Website: rutgerbregman.com

X: @rcbregman

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Learning how to train your mind is the single greatest investment you can make in life. That’s why Sam Harris created the Waking Up app. From rational mindfulness practice to lessons on some of life’s most important topics, join Sam as he demystifies the practice of meditation and explores the theory behind it.

S05 Episode 06: Recap & Fedi