The brightest minds of our generation might dream of changing the world. But in reality most high achievers settle for making a lot of money for themselves and their family. World renowned historian and bestselling author Rutger Bregman is on a mission to change that. 

This April, Bregman comes to Intelligence Squared at venues across the UK to convince us that in our age of multicrisis we need to stop wasting our talent in jobs that provide little more than personal enrichment. Instead, if we want to live a meaningful life, we must pursue careers and hobbies that are morally ambitious. 

Bregman will argue that throughout history the greatest change-makers have needed to be both idealistic and ambitious. Drawing from his new book Moral Ambition: Stop Wasting Your Talent and Start Making a Difference, he will discuss why efforts to “raise awareness” of social problems are overrated. He will uncover what he believes are the real qualities that have made change possible. And he will tell the stories of some of history’s great changemakers such as the German soldier who refused to salute Hitler or the Cambridge University student who dedicated his life to abolishing slavery. 

Bregman will explain what made these changemakers so persuasive, influential and effective in achieving their goals. He will show how we, too, can lend our talents to the biggest challenges of our time. With moral ambition he will argue, we can do more than be on the right side of history: we can start to make history itself.

Join Bregman live this April. Hear the arguments. And ask your questions. 

In addition to the book Rutger Bregman will be launching The School of Moral Ambition. To find out more click here