In many peoples’ minds, adherence to a moral code or “doing the right thing” is the domain of religion—an indoctrination into a social agreement in order to serve as a foundation of trust. In contrast, this book examines morality not as doctrine but as the product of evolution without ignoring or discrediting the values of parables and religious examples. With a modern, humanist perspective, the author looks at morality as the means by which people cooperate and co-exist in order to ease the burden of all who participate, a flexible adaptation that is ever-changing in the face of new industry, education, and technological shifts like artificial intelligence. Readers in search of a pragmatic view of society that veers well clear of nihilism will find understanding and even justification in the author’s perspective that morality is part of human nature.

It would be a simple matter to introduce these ideas as ephemeral best-case scenarios that wither in the face of everyday stress and hardship. However, the author of this book spends the first portion of the book explaining his position and strengthening his argument before turning the focus over to examples that are easily relatable to the everyday person. Biblical stories, Shakespearean plays, and real-world figures like Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi are presented to the reader as ways in which morality is exercised. Similarly, opportunities to do right by others are found in both fiction and real life. Additionally, the author has fables of his own involving an elephant and a bird that entertain as well as enrich and are digestible for readers of all ages. This concise book offers an explanation and the optimistic view that our best selves are always within reach and often found through what we do to support those around us.

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