Factfulness - a book by Hans Rosling on how facts matter in a world of "fake news"

We have just finished reading the book “Factfulness” by Hans Rosling, Ola Rosling & Anna Rosling Roennlund. We think it is definitely a must read book as it provides us with ten reasons why we are wrong about the world. These ten reasons are based on ten human instincts that distort our perspective on how we see the world, such as the tendency to divide the world into two segments like the developed world versus the underdeveloped world. Rosling also reasserts that there is a lot of ignorance about true facts in the world and this can also sometimes be true amongst experts. Factfulness explains and confirms that the world, with all its imperfections, is in a much better state than you think. Rosling also provides you with tools to consume the news more factually and meaningfully. It is in total contrast to ongoing media headlines such as “fake news” and other “doomsday” scenarios.

Hans Rosling was a global health lecturer, Ted phenomenon, and Professor of International Health at Karolinska Institute in Sweden. He was also cofounder and chairman of the Gapminder Foundation, which developed the “Trendalyser” software to improve data visualization by the UN and the World Bank. Trendalyser can convert data into moving graphics which is crucial to better explaining the world. “Factfulness” is also highly recommended by Bill Gates on his 2018 list of summer reading. Gates, who was a friend of Rosling, says about him that he was a “kind, often patient, and never judgemental” person who mastered his work to share "what he learned in a fun, clear way with a broad set of people” in mind. In fact Bill Gates is so convinced by Rosling's work that every US student graduating in 2018 will receive a free download of Hans's Rosling's "Factfulness".

For more information on Bill Gates thoughts on "Factfulness": https://www.gatesnotes.com/Books/Factfulness