Compared to the vast number of books on the science of happiness published in the last few years, there is almost nothing on forgiveness. When you consider that every human being will be wronged, betrayed, aggressed against, and hurt by another person as well as witness wars, genocides, and atrocities at home and abroad, it's about time that an expert culled together all there is know about what leads people to forgive as opposed to executing revenge.
McCullough's book is incredibly refreshing because he provides a new lens to understanding forgiveness and in turn, how to successfully maintain harmonious relationships (whether it is between people or nations). Instead of mindlessly touting the beauty of forgiveness and the evils of vengefulness, McCullough captures the complexity of these topics. Essentially, we are hard-wired to be both forgiving and vengeful and we need to understand how these strategies developed over the course of evolution to be able to wield them effectively.
I am always impressed when a scientist can describe complex ideas in an extremely interesting and simple manner. McCullough walks the reader through fascinating research studies and provides an excellent presentation of how the brain evolved to add both a craving for revenge and desire to forgive to our toolbox for dealing with other people. Yet, the best chapters are when McCullough moves from this research to the real-world. References to the ongoing war in Iraq, the "code of the street" in volatile inner cities, and the distinguishing features of diverse cultures bring his theories and research to life. He provides compelling logic for how to create the best conditions for people to be more forgiving and for nations to resolve their differences with the best possible outcomes in the aftermath of death and destruction.
Too many books are written by journalists and freelance writers reading and summarizing the work of scientists. Michael McCullough is one of the most prolific and influential thinkers on forgiveness and morality. There are only a handful of people who are qualified to write this book. Based on his own original research, new interpretations of old findings, and ability to dispel long-standing myths (for example, that revenge is rare and a sign of pathology), it is obvious that McCullough is one of them.
Anyone interested in evolution and understanding human nature, should read this.
Anyone interested in justice, morality, and the reduction of conflict, violence, and war, should read this.
Anyone interested in enhancing their own lives and learning about fundamental strengths that exist in some capacity in all of us, should read this.
Anyone interested in being intellectually stimulated, should read this.
On the back of the book, Richard Wrangham says that "every Secretary of State should read it." I couldn't agree more. This book is relevant to everyone because we all have far too much first-hand experience with the suffering caused by other people. Don't get me wrong, this book is not overly political and it is not cynical. You will walk away with a sense of optimism about how forgiveness can be cultivated in a complex and demanding world.
