Scrolling through our daily newsfeeds we see violence and cruelty, turmoil and injustice, fake news and clickbait, and worsening environmental and social crises--just a few of the dark currents feeding a tidal wave of pessimism. In the face of so many challenges, how can we stay optimistic? And, more important, why should we?
In The Bright Side, Sumit Paul-Choudhury answers these pressing questions, arguing that optimism is not only essential for overcoming the challenges we face, but also fundamental to human wellbeing. Drawing on a wide array of evidence--from biology to history, and from economics to meteorology--he delves into the underappreciated roots of optimism, examines its impact on mental health and professional success, and discusses why it has a power that wishful thinking lacks.
Additionally, The Bright Side shows how we can apply the principles of optimism to cope with environmental crises, artificial intelligence, and social change. From the polar reaches to the world's mightiest cities, through inspirational figures including explorers, activists, and scientists, the book illustrates optimism in action.
A beacon amid dark times, The Bright Side provides a lens through which we can see the challenges we face more clearly--and it also offers tools for solving them, to create a better future for ourselves and generations to come.
Book reviews from the daily and weekend Wall Street Journal.
An optimistic outlook can nudge us to take steps to make the world and its future—our own future included—a little less terrible... The Bright Side aims to make an argument about the value of optimism generally and also, along the way, to show us how to cultivate optimism in our own lives.
"A SPELLBINDING TOUR DE FORCE. Paul-Choudhury has crafted an expansive and convincing argument for why building a better future demands that we believe in it first. An urgent call to arms to choosing change over doom, action over despair, optimism over hope."
--Roberto Trotta, astrophysicist and author of Starborn
"DEFTLY MELDS SCIENCE, PHILOSOPHY, AND CULTURE to build a convincing case for optimism. I left this book feeling energized and empowered."
--David Robson, author of The Expectation Effect: How Your Mindset Can Change Your World
"A TRULY INSPIRATIONAL AND BEAUTIFUL BOOK WITH A POWERFUL AND TIMELY MESSAGE...I was left wondering how much humanity would change for the better if everyone read this book."
--Jim Al-Khalili, author of Paradox: The Nine Greatest Enigmas in Physics
"DAZZLING. Optimists believe problems can be solved--and we could sure use some optimism right now. Sumit Paul-Choudhury's The Bright Side lights the way."
--Gregg Easterbrook, author of The Progress Paradox