# Rutger Bregman thinks happiness is overrated

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-exchange-long-form-interviews-from-the-new-statesman-7519113/rutger-bregman-thinks-happiness-is-overrated
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-exchange-long-form-interviews-from-the-new-statesman-7519113/rutger-bregman-thinks-happiness-is-overrated.md
Podcast: [The Exchange | Long-form interviews from the New Statesman](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-exchange-long-form-interviews-from-the-new-statesman-7519113)
Published: 2026-02-18T08:45:00+00:00
Episode link: https://shows.acast.com/the-new-statesman-interview/episodes/rutger-bregman-thinks-happiness-is-overrated
Audio file: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68de580c52ddd4d4572281cb/e/6994cace3ba25772fee10c2e/media.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-exchange-long-form-interviews-from-the-new-statesman-7519113/episodes/rutger-bregman-thinks-happiness-is-overrated
Duration seconds: 3298

## Resource

In his 30s, Rutger Bregman, the Dutch historian, had what he described as “an early midlife crisis”. After a decade spent as a pundit, commenting on the global state of politics and economics, as well as publishing optimistic titles such as Utopia for Realists and Humankind: A Hopeful History - Bregman felt stuck. Something had to change. And if he wanted to see that change in the world, he needed to make that change in himself. In January he joined Oli Dugmore for an extended interview, delving into the prospects of a moral life, how morality has changed history, and how it could serve our current moment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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## Transcript

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