Factfulness: Ten Reasons We’re Wrong about the World–and Why Things Are Better Than You Think by Anna Rosling Ronnlund, Ola Rosling, Hans Rosling

Factfulness: Ten Reasons We’re Wrong About the World–and Why Things Are Better Than You Think is a 2018 book written by Anna Rosling Ronnlund. It’s a book that encourages readers to reset how they think about the world. Based on the author’s research and personal insights, in it she provides a unique global outlook and encourages readers to adopt a more fact-based approach when looking at the state of the world.

The book starts out with an illuminating introduction that informs readers of where the author was in her life that made her want to write this book. In fact, she goes into detail about the global facts she was led to believe based on her upbringing, and how these facts made her believe the world was infinitely worse than it actually was. This personal anecdote gives readers a glimpse of how Anna Rosling Ronnlund reframed her worldview, which serves as a jumping-off point for the book.

The first part of Factfulness follows with explanations of the 10 instincts that cause people to think and act in ways that are often inaccurate. The author examines these instincts, such as “gap instinct”, “fear instinct” and “size instinct” and shows readers how they can be redefined and corrected to provide more accurate views of the world. The crux of the book, however, is the second part, which focuses on the global facts and figures that demonstrate the world is, in fact, better than we think it is.

The author makes use of graphs, charts, and tables to clear up some of the misconceptions we have about the world. She explains that while the news cycle often focuses on negative stories, the data itself paints a much more nuanced and optimistic picture of global development. Anna Rosling Ronnlund discusses how poverty, illiteracy, and diseases are all in a much better state than people think, and she provides data to back this up. She also dives into issues like the environment, education, gender equality and the economy to demonstrate that many of the things we worry about are in the state of gradual improvement.

Furthermore, the author argues that the concept of “Global North and South” isn’t as clear-cut as we think it is. She points out that while there is a rural-urban divide, with most rural areas existing in the “south”, the actual success rates of the countries follow no set pattern, with some countries lagging behind and some surpassing expectations. This demonstrates that the world isn’t so binary and allows for hope for the future.

Finally, the conclusion of Factfulness focuses on personal action. Anna Rosling Ronnlund argues that in order to bring about positive change, individuals and organizations must lead by example. She gives readers a set of specific strategies to put into action, from understanding current facts correctly to challenging our own instincts. She also explains that the actions of individuals and small groups can create a ripple effect and eventually impact the world positively.

Overall, Factfulness: Ten Reasons We’re Wrong about the World–and Why Things Are Better Than You Think is an inspiring and thought-provoking read that provides us with an alternative view of the world. It encourages readers to think critically and adopt more fact-based attitudes that illuminate a more optimistic and hopeful outlook.