Powerful ideas from top nonfiction
Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,000+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.
Start your free trial
Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
Listen to the Intro
The Right Side of History summary
Ben Shapiro
How Reason and Moral Purpose Made the West Great
20 mins
Brief summary
The Right Side of History by Ben Shapiro is a reflection on the Western civilization's greatest ideas and achievements, and how a defense of these values can help preserve and improve the future.
Topics
Table of Contents
The Right Side of History
Summary of 7 key ideas
Audio & text in the Blinkist app
Key idea 1 of 7
True happiness is derived not from pleasure but from moral purpose.
Are you happy? If not, you certainly aren’t alone. Nearly three-quarters of Americans say they’re not confident that life for the next generation will be better than today, according to a 2014 story in the Washington Post.
Why are we so despondent? Well, perhaps it’s because we’ve lost sight of what happiness truly is. We associate it with pleasure – having sex, playing golf or watching our children grow. But the Bible and the philosophers of Athens tell us that true happiness comes from leading a life of moral purpose.
In the Hebrew Bible, the word used for happiness is simcha, meaning correct action in line with God’s will. It is commanded to live with simcha, and rejoice in the purpose that God has given humans. As Solomon says, “There is nothing better for a person than to rejoice in his work, because that is his lot.”
The philosophers of Athens took a similar view. Aristotle, for example, developed a concept of happiness that was also about living a good life. But a good life for Aristotle wasn’t a subjective concept that we can determine for ourselves. For him and his followers, something was good if it fulfilled its purpose. A good watch, to give a modern example, tells the time. And a good human acts in line with reason, because what makes humans unique is our capacity for reason, and our ability to use reason to explore the world.
So both the Bible and the Athenian philosophers arrived at similar conclusions. True happiness in life comes from moral purpose, whether that is serving God with joy, or following our moral duty as humans to pursue reason.
This may sound like hard work. Happiness, in this view, isn’t about frolicking at a festival, but instead about living a good, purposeful life. And this more serious approach is the only way to unlock true meaning in life.
The Austrian psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl wrote in his memoir that those who saw no purpose in life were quickly lost. He argued that, in order to survive, those caught up in the terrible events of World War II had to quickly learn that what mattered was not what they expected from life. What mattered, rather, was what life expected of them.
So now that we understand the correlation between happiness and moral purpose, let’s take a look at what this means in practice.
Want to see all full key ideas from The Right Side of History?
Key ideas in The Right Side of History
More knowledge in less time
Read or listen
Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
Find your next read
Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
Shortcasts New
We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.
What is The Right Side of History about?
The Right Side of History (2019) is both a rousing defense of Western civilization and a handy guide to the religious and philosophical thinking that underpins it. It explores the centuries of thought that have helped build and sustain the West, and seeks to understand and dispel more recent threats to that way of thinking.
The Right Side of History Review
The Right Side of History (2019) by Ben Shapiro explores the importance of moral values and cultural heritage in shaping society. Here's why this book is worth reading:
- With logical reasoning and historical analysis, it offers a thought-provoking examination of societal issues, challenging readers to question prevailing narratives.
- By addressing topics like identity politics and individualism, it provides a comprehensive understanding of the philosophical foundations behind current social debates.
- Through its intellectual rigor, the book ensures that readers are engaged and kept intellectually stimulated throughout the reading journey.
Best quote from The Right Side of History
Never were stronger foundations set for human happiness than in the founding philosophy.
—Ben Shapiro
Who should read The Right Side of History?
- People interested in the history of philosophy
- Those searching for a conservative guide to today’s world
- People skeptical about contemporary left-of-center political thought
Categories with The Right Side of History
Book summaries like The Right Side of History
People ❤️ Blinkist
Sven O.
It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.
Thi Viet Quynh N.
Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.
Jonathan A.
Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.
Renee D.
Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.
People also liked these summaries
4.7 Stars
Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
31 Million
Downloads on all platforms
10+ years
Experience igniting personal growth
The Right Side of History FAQs
What is the main message of The Right Side of History?
The main message of The Right Side of History challenges conventional wisdom and examines the decline of Western civilization.
How long does it take to read The Right Side of History?
The reading time for The Right Side of History varies depending on the reader, but it typically takes several hours. However, the Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is The Right Side of History a good book? Is it worth reading?
The Right Side of History offers a thought-provoking perspective that makes it worth reading for those interested in understanding the direction of society.
Who is the author of The Right Side of History?
The author of The Right Side of History is Ben Shapiro.
What to read after The Right Side of History?
If you're wondering what to read next after The Right Side of History, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- The Secret History by Donna Tartt
- How To Destroy America in Three Easy Steps by Ben Shapiro
- A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson
- How Highly Effective People Speak by Peter Andrei
- Indistractable by Nir Eyal
- The Authoritarian Moment by Ben Shapiro
- Super Human by Dave Asprey
- Common Sense by Thomas Paine
- What Is the Bible? by Rob Bell
- Dopamine Detox by Thibaut Meurisse