The Bright Side
Why Optimists Have the Power to Change the World
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The Bright Side
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Narrated by:
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Sumit Paul-Choudhury
About this listen
Optimism, irrational though it might be, is central to the human psyche: it seems to give us an advantage both in everyday life and in the evolutionary race.
What does Ernest Shackleton’s Antarctic expedition have in common with the chicken that crossed the road? Or James Baldwin’s campaign for civil rights with the development of AI? Or even Crossrail and George Bush’s ‘mission accomplished’?
The Bright Side makes a vital and transformative new argument: that optimism is not only the natural state of humanity, but an essential one. Without optimism we would never have survived the unpredictable – and often hostile – world we evolved into. Yet optimism is not reserved for times of extremity. Its benefits manifest throughout our everyday lives: our relationships, careers, bodies and minds. And it will play a critical role in overcoming the challenges of the twenty-first century.
In this book, astrophysicist-turned-journalist Sumit-Paul Choudhury offers practical suggestions on what it really takes to be an optimist today and, in doing so, provides a powerful manifesto for hope and a much-needed new perspective on our prospects. He shows how, by embracing action, imagination and possibility, we can find a path to the bright side, even – perhaps especially – when the future seems dark.
Both realistic and revolutionary, The Bright Side is a guidebook for troubled times that will make you re-evaluate your habits and outlook.
Critic reviews
'The Bright Side is a book we desperately need right now. This is science-based chicken soup for the soul. It will both nourish and empower you' (ROBERT WALDINGER, bestselling co-author of THE GOOD LIFE)
'This moving, insightful argument for optimism stands up against the cynical mood of the twenty-first century, challenging - and equipping - the reader to help create a better world' (DR MICHAEL BROOKS, author of THE ART OF MORE)
'The next few years are some of the most important in human history. The problems we face are huge, and can feel overwhelming, but it is vital that we don't fall into what Sumit Paul-Choudhury calls the pessimism trap - the sense that all is lost and there's no point struggling. This book brilliantly shows the way out. Both personal and universal, interwoven with examples from literature, history and modern science, this book shows us how to find within us fierce imagination and determined hope, and create a better future' (ROWAN HOOPER, author of SUPERHUMAN)
'I love this book so much! The Bright Side is a thrilling and galvanising ride. The optimism Paul-Choudhury describes is not just for the self-help aisle - it is a societal engine for creating the best of all possible worlds. This book is nothing less than a set of operating instructions for a better future' (SALLY ADEE, author of WE ARE ELECTRIC)
'The Bright Side makes a compelling case for optimism. Psychological science shows that optimism is up to us, an existential choice. The facts of our external world, however, do not compel optimism, and Paul-Choudhury in a masterful historical review finds that it is the optimists who change the external world for the better while the realists passively accept their lot. I went away from this book inspired and enriched' (MARTIN E. P. SELIGMAN, bestselling author of LEARNED OPTIMISM and FLOURISH)