
Ideas It's time for a 'moral revolution.' This is a call to action
7 snips
Jan 20, 2026 Rutger Bregman is a Dutch historian and journalist known for his thought-provoking works like Humankind. In this engaging discussion, he critiques the moral decay among elites, drawing parallels to Roman decadence. He advocates for a moral revolution, emphasizing the role of small groups in historic change. Bregman warns against rising fascism and tech authoritarianism, while suggesting that moral ambition and integrity should guide leadership. He also explores how businesses can lead positive change and the power of sociological shifts in morality.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
The Bermuda Triangle Of Talent
- Top graduates get funneled into consultancy, finance, and corporate law, creating a Bermuda Triangle of talent.
- This siphons ability away from building public goods and entrenches profit-first incentives.
Europe: Museum Not Builder
- Europe risks becoming a rent-seeking museum like Venice: beautiful but hollow and stagnant.
- Bregman argues Europe excels at regulation but fails at building frontier industries and innovation.
Degrowth's Practical Limits
- The degrowth movement names real environmental problems but offers impractical, elitist solutions.
- Bregman argues degrowth discourages building and risks making progressive movements irrelevant within a generation.





