Matt Ridley: The Rational Optimist

Overview

Respected science writer, and former Economist correspodent, Matt Ridley was chairman of UK bank Northern Rock in 2007, having resigned near the start of its spectacular Global Financial Crisis journey from apparent private wealth into government hands. Now, years after that experience, he’s written a book on the future of humanity, flush with optimism called The Rational Optimist. Which takes balls, or blithe single-mindedness, depending on your point of view. He's talking about his optimism live on stage at the Sydney Opera House, spilling over from his keynote at the Melbourne Festival of Ideas.

He won't be talking about his time at the Rock on stage (his employment contract apparently forbade it), but he will be talking about his thesis which suggests that despite the problems facing the world, modern tech and systems have made life better. To say that Ridley likes the free market is a bit of an understatement. If you're a fellow free market fan, then his opinions on the need for optimism will be a refreshing change of pace; if — more likely these days — you're not, then his intelligent pro-market belligerence might get you thinking angry thoughts, but hopefully interesting ones to boot.

Image by John Watson.