Book Club: Moral Ambition by Rutger Bregman - Session 1
What does it mean to aim high not just on the career ladder, but in your social impact?
A career consists of 2,000 workweeks, and how you spend that time is one of the most important decisions of your life. Still, millions of people are stuck in mind-numbing, pointless, or just plain harmful jobs. There’s an antidote to this waste of talent, and it’s called moral ambition.
In Moral Ambition, Rutger Bregman reveals how our conventional definitions of success are harming us and the planet, and shows how we can shift the focus from personal gain to societal benefit. He invites us to rethink how ambition and moral conviction can go hand-in-hand, offering a bold take on what it means to “do good” in the modern world.
Rutger Bregman is a Dutch historian, co-founder of The School for Moral Ambition, and best selling author. His books Humankind (2020) and Utopia for Realists (2017) were both Sunday Times and New York Times best sellers. His work has been translated into 46 languages and has sold over two million copies.
EA Barcelona is excited to host a 2-session in-person book club about Moral Ambition, to unpack the ideas in this energizing (and slightly provocative) read. Together, we’ll explore questions like:
What exactly is "moral ambition", and how does it differ from traditional career ambition?
Can personal drive, social status, and ethical conviction truly co-exist?
How do these ideas compare (or clash) with the philosophy of effective altruism?
We welcome anyone who's curious to discuss Moral Ambition. Each of the two sessions will include:
📖 Suggested reading: For Session 1, we will discuss Chapters 1-5 (about 100 pages)
💬 Guided discussion in groups with light snacks & drinks provided
🌍 A space to reflect on how this book intersects with your own impact goals
Grab the book here → or check local stores like La Central or Santos Ochoa.