Beyond Bad: How obsolete morals are holding us back

Chris Paley argues that morality is a malfunctioning relic of our evolutionary past, and that we should abolish it. He uses evolutionary psychology to show how and why morality emerged, but argues that it constrain us and bias us, and pushes us in the wrong direction. The biggest challenges our species faces are pan-human, and our moral minds were not designed to cope with them.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: 10 March 2022
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Brilliantly unillusioned thinking is an absolute necessity in today's morally-driven world, where the lines between right and wrong seem increasingly blurred. In his thought-provoking book, "Beyond Bad," James Marriott argues that morality, which has played a pivotal role in shaping empires, keeping soldiers in line, feeding the hungry, passing laws, building walls, and governing our sexual lives, may be nothing more than a malfunctioning relic of our evolutionary past.

This is not an attack on any particular moral code or ethical framework; rather, it is a call for the complete abolition of morality itself. Marriott employs evolutionary psychology to shed light on the origins and functions of morality, demonstrating how they emerged as tools for our forebears to survive and prosper in tribal groups. However, in the modern world, our morals constrain us, bias us, and often lead us astray.

The biggest challenges our species faces, such as global warming, nuclear proliferation, and the rise of robots, are truly pan-human in nature. These challenges are far beyond the capabilities of our moral minds, which were designed to cope with primitive, competitive groups. We cannot build smartphones with stone-age axes and solve the complex problems of modern humanity with tools that promote division and conflict.

In "Beyond Bad," Chris Paley challenges the very foundations of morality and offers a compelling argument for why we should abandon it. He argues that morals hinder us from achieving our true desires and that by eliminating them, we can unlock our full potential and work towards a better future for ourselves and our species.

This book is a must-read for anyone who seeks to break free from the constraints of morality and explore new, more effective ways of achieving success and happiness. It is a thought-provoking and provocative exploration of the human mind and the forces that shape our behavior.

Weight: 196g
Dimension: 130 x 196 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781529327120