Cynicism is making us sick; Stanford psychologist Dr Jamil Zaki has the cure - a 'ray of light for dark days' (Adam Grant, #1 New York Times bestselling author).

For thousands of years, people have argued about whether humanity is selfish or generous, cruel or kind. But recently, our answers have changed. In 1972, half of Americans agreed that most people can be trusted; by 2018, that figure had fallen to 30%. Different generations, genders, religions and political parties can't seem to agree on anything, except that they all think human virtue is evaporating.

Cynicism is a perfectly understandable response to a world full of injustice and inequality. But in many cases, cynicism is misplaced. Dozens of studies find that people fail to realise how kind, generous and open-minded others really are. And cynical thinking worsens social problems, because our beliefs don't just interpret the world; they change it. When we expect people to be awful, we coax awfulness out of them. Cynicism is a disease, with a history, symptoms and a cure. Through science and storytelling, Jamil Zaki imparts the secret for beating back cynicism: hopeful scepticism. This approach doesn't mean putting our faith in every politician or influencer. It means thinking critically about people and our problems, while simultaneously acknowledging and encouraging our strengths. Far from being naïve, hopeful scepticism is a more precise way of understanding others, and paying closer attention re-balances how you think about human nature. As more of us do this, we can take steps towards building the world we truly want.

"Zaki introduces various juicy phenomena linked to cynicism, including populism, conspiracy theories and political polarisation. He rejects the notion that cynicism is a radical, stick-it-to-the-man worldview, reframing it as a "tool of the status quo"" - The Guardian

"In this uplifting yet never saccharine narrative, Zaki ably combines scientific data with anecdotal evidence to abundantly show how "cynical beliefs eat away at relationships, communities, economies and society itself"-and why hope is a potent corrective. With both heart and academic rigour, Zaki should persuade many cynics to trust in hope" - Kirkus, *starred review*

"Zaki paints an optimistic yet realistic view of where things stand without papering over the obstacles to building trust in increasingly divided societies. This will convince readers they don't need to bury their heads in the sand to envision a more hopeful future" - Publishers Weekly

"Hope for Cynics is a timely guide, and Zaki's tribute to his radically hopeful friend adds an endearing, personal layer to this book" - BookPage

"Woven in Zaki's affable and deeply considered writing, latter day research into how optimism and hopeful scepticism build out creative problem-solving and intelligence seems to come to life for the first time. Hopefulness, it seems, can indeed be a choice leading to measurably improved outcomes − and here we are offered a clear continuum of logical, clinically studied and peer-reviewed proof" - Salon

"An ode to contemporary critical thinking" - Therapy Today