Rutger Bregman and Rune Lykkeberg on Moral Ambition

What if success were not measured by salary, title, and prestige but by the difference you make in the world? That is the premise of Dutch historian and journalist Rutger Bregman’s new book Moral Ambition. Bregman is especially known for his appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos in 2019, where he confronted billionaires about their hypocrisy.

From a young age, we are trained to be ambitious: get high grades, choose a good education, and secure a prestigious job. But is that really where our ambitions belong? Are you getting enough out of the time you spend on your full-time job? What if we all devoted our time to something more meaningful? In his book, Bregman presents an antidote to widespread talent waste: moral ambition. He shows how we can apply our talents to the greatest challenges of our time – from the climate crisis and inequality to the next pandemic. With moral ambition, everyone can help change the course of history.

To mark the publication of Moral Ambition, journalist Rune Lykkeberg and Rutger Bregman meet for a conversation about how the desire to change the world allows us to be both idealistic and successful.

The conversation will be in English and is presented in collaboration with People’s.

Rutger Bregman (b. 1988) is a Dutch historian and journalist. He is widely regarded as one of Europe’s most prominent young thinkers. His books Utopia for Realists (2017) and Humankind (2021) have both appeared on the Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller lists, have been translated into more than 46 languages, and sold over two million copies. His third book, Moral Ambition, will be published in October 2026.

Rune Lykkeberg (b. 1974) is editor-in-chief of Information. He is an active public commentator and author, and each week he interviews leading thinkers and intellectuals on topics ranging from poetry, punk, and pop music to climate, economics, and politics.