The book 『Humankind』 tackles the question of whether human nature is inherently good or evil. It presents shocking evidence that much of the basis for the long-held belief in human depravity, and many of the experiments supporting it, were deliberately manipulated. It makes a surprising and welcome claim about human nature: in short, humans are inherently kind (Humankind).

While the debate between the doctrine of innate goodness and the doctrine of innate evil has been a subject philosophers have grappled with for centuries, both in the East and the West, the author does not dwell on such fundamental and exhausting discussions. Instead, through persistent investigation, he reveals that theories we have blindly trusted or famous experimental results were actually fabricated or that specific outcomes were produced under the coercive influence of the experiment designers. The Stanford Prison Experiment is a prime example. This experiment, which involved assigning students the roles of prisoners and guards, supposedly revealed humanity’s dark nature, leading to violent incidents and a state of uncontrollable chaos. However, it was later revealed that the results were fabricated, and the students simply played pranks without incident. The media amplified these fabricated findings without verification. When corrections or apologies were later issued, they were reported very passively, inadvertently creating an environment where fake news proliferated. The novel Lord of the Flies, depicting children adrift on a desert island turning violent, is also pure fiction. In actual similar cases, children reportedly cooperated orderly to overcome crises.

Reading this book made me realize how profoundly influential even a small number of malicious voices can be when reproduced in the media under the name of a prestigious university or institution. This likely stems from people finding analysis tedious or feeling burdened to challenge authoritative opinions. It felt frightening how, like a single muddy fish stirring up murky water, unverified information from a minority can transform into accepted truth and spread like cancer through a community. The peaceful routines of a city, the good deeds of kind citizens, and the stories of ordinary people living diligently each day rarely make the news. Yet, it’s precisely these humble moments that collectively allow us to live each day without incident. The sprouts that emerge in spring, the clear sky after rain, the beautiful people around us—these are miraculous moments only visible when we pause our busy lives and observe them carefully. Like the sun that rises and sets every day, or like this piece I’ve written. I believe human nature is inherently good, desiring cooperation and harmony. Today, too, amidst the indifference of many, I rise at 4:30 a.m. to deliver packages at dawn, starting my day energetically to share small moments of happiness.