Open Vs Closed Societies

 In his thought-provoking book, ‘Open’, published by Atlantic Books, Johan Norberg, a Swedish historian and thinker, has said that a study of human history has shown that societies flourished when it was open and stagnated or collapsed when it became closed. In a closed society, there is a heightened degree of nationalism, an Us Vs Them mentality and the stifling of all critical voices. 

As authoritarianism grows all over the world and with the advent of snooping software that penetrates into the deepest levels of a person’s life, Johan’s book is an important reminder of the dangers we face. 

A section of the blurb: From Stone Age hunter-gatherers to contemporary Chinese-American relations, Open explores how across time and cultures, we have struggled with a constant tension between our yearning for co-operation and our profound need for belonging. 

Here are some quotes from the book: 

The government’s role in an open society is to protect the search for better ideas, and people’s freedom to live by their individual plans and pursue their goals through a system of rules applied equally to all citizens. 

We all have psychological predispositions that push us towards tribalism, authoritarianism, and nostalgia, especially when we are threatened by recessions, foreigners or pandemics.

By glorifying conquest and national superiority an unceasing culture of blood thirst has emerged that will end up undoing civilisations and will surely end in blood and tears. 

Openness makes us uncomfortable and we search for a kind of certainty and belonging that freedom does not guarantee. 

Two-thirds of the average person’s material worth is determined by where in the world they happen to work. If people were allowed to move to the place where their labour is paid the best, the gains to world income would be astronomical. 

Mankind has always been on the move. We have always searched for a better climate, richer soil, or mate. We have always tried to escape hunger, troublesome neighbours and violence. 

Groups that are too similar are afflicted with group thinking. 

Fire grew our brains since cooked food releases more nutrients than raw food.