Book Report: Factfulness

 

Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World - and Why Things Are Better Than You Think

General Overview

Factfulness... by Hans Rosling acts as a guide for the many people who view the world negatively. The book is comprised of eleven chapters, with the first ten being named after the different "instincts" that most people in the western world have that allow them to hold a pessimistic outlook. Each chapter delves into the specific "instinct" (as coined by the author) while providing facts and statistics that prove why the world is not as bad as people think. Rosling frequently quizzes the reader on surprising facts that people often get wrong. It quickly starts to become apparent that the answer to the quizzes is always the most positive one. Each chapter ends with a subsection titled "factfulness" that uses the knowledge presented in the chapter to define what factfulness means in relation to the instinct described. 

Factfulness... has been praised by many to be an eye-opening, positive experience to all who read it. We learn that the majority of the world is not living in extreme poverty, in fact it is only 9% of the total population. Rosling strays from the idea of dividing the world in two, the rich and the poor, and instead proposes four levels of income. Level 1 consists of those making less than $2 a day. People on level 2 earn between $2–$8 a day. Level 3 earns $8–$32 a day and those on level 4 earn over $32 a day. Rosling further explains that most people around the world are better off than we think, with most having access to electricity, healthcare, and education. He explains that world as a whole has made drastic strides in the advancement of humankind. Far less children die before the age of five than they did fifty years ago. More young girls attend school than ever seen before in history. More people have access to clean water and electricity than ever before. Rosling emphasizes the fact that the reason we think the world is so bad is primarily because that is all the media is showing us. Tragic events are newsworthy, happy or average events are typically not. The main idea of the book is that many people living in the west have been made to think that the world is a cruel and dangerous place for most people, but a closer look at analytics and statistics tells a different story. 

Favorite Part

My favorite part of Factfulness... was chapter eight: The Single Perspective Instinct. I particularly liked this part because it reminded me of how so many people are today. It is a concept I have thought and talked about before, but never put a name to it. People who have the "single perspective instinct" only look at the world in one way. They only watch news sources that validate their already established beliefs, are only friends with people who agree with them and shun those who do not, and take every drop of information given to them by the "experts" as undeniable fact. Unfortunately, our country is so divided that I believe this is how the majority of Americans live; in an echo chamber. In one of our lessons, we have learned about how many people can be implanted with false memories and actually believe that they happened. I have no doubt that the media is also able to "brainwash" its viewers in such a way that they can also erase or replace memories or impose the idea that their source is the best and most reliable to the unknowing audience. 

Related

Our lesson on the end of the world made me think of how the different worldwide panics such as 2012 or Y2K relate to the instincts in the book. The two instincts that I think it relates to the most are the fear instinct and the urgency instinct. The concept of the world ending or all computer systems collapsing is a very scary thought, which is precisely why these ideas became so popular during these times. Anytime that it is speculated that something terrible will happen, with just enough traction, it will make news. News channels profit off of our fears. That is why we are always hearing about wars, murders, kidnappings, and why the "other'' political candidate is wreaking havoc on our country. The end of the world is no different, as it was heavily reported on and capitalized off of during these times in history. It is important to remember to stay calm and try to think clearly before making big decisions. The urgency instinct also played a huge role in making these conspiracies so widespread. It was pushed onto many people that they needed to act fast in order to save themselves and their families. "There is not much time left!" This idea leads people to think irrationally because they are forced to think fast which is almost never beneficial. It is important to slow down and think critically. Always look for data before taking any drastic action. For instance, if there is no proof that the world is going to end on December 12, 2012, other than an ancient calendar mysteriously ending, any drastic action taken on this idea may need to be reconsidered.

Creative

As an art major, I was thinking of different ways that I could incorporate art into the creative portion of this assignment. Eventually, I became inspired by the fallacies and biases posters provided in the syllabus and decided to recreate one of my own. I thought that the ten instincts listed in the book would correspond very well to the format of the posters. I drew the entire poster by hand and it took me several hours, but I am pretty happy with the result. Take a closer look at the poster to learn more about each of the ten cognitive instincts. You may realize that there are some that you never knew you had!

Extension

I think that if everyone were to read this book, it could solve some of the big problems faced by many Americans today. As discussed about previously, the single perspective instinct is a huge problem in the United States today, and many people do not realize that they have it. If more people were to recognize their single perspective instinct, they might consider looking at issues from the other side and perhaps be more understanding and compassionate towards those they disagree with. This could potentially break the large divide seen in America today.

Furthermore, understanding all of the other instincts would also make a large difference in society today. The urgency, blame, and fear instincts have been used significantly in recent times with examples such as covid, climate change, and politics. The media is perpetrating fear and urgency about these things which has made many people act irrationally. Without knowing about these instincts, this problem will only continue further. PEW Research Center found that the majority of Americans are pessimistic about the country's future. If more people read this book and understand the several cognitive instincts that increase their negative perspectives, maybe these numbers would change and more would feel optimistic about the future.