Move Up

As the age old-proverb goes, 'Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive. But what they hide is vital.' Move UP uncovers what has until now been conservatively hidden, exposing the real, surprising biological, social and psychological reasons why some cultures do well and some don't. Forget everything you thought you knew. As Rapaille and Roemer show, it's not about GDP or average income. With their pioneering R2 index, they evaluate 71 countries and offer a new way of understanding upward mobility. They demonstrate that our reptilian brain is most dominant. They make the case for letting our more basic instincts influence high-level decision-making. They discuss entrepreneurship, sex, investment in the arts and the fundamental biological differences between genders. The result shows how we can determine which countries are moving UP, which aren't, and which we should be a part of. This is not an academic text. It's not about the financial development of countries. It's about the reasons behind why Switzerland and Canada are getting it right while Pakistan and Bangladesh are getting it very wrong. It's a book for the curious, and anyone who sees the world differently. By reading this you're already taking steps to moving UP! 'Not since The Naked Ape have I seen a book that so gleefully revels in tweaking the nose of conventional sensitivities.' Richard Dawkins 'This is the question for the ages: why are some nations and people rich and successful, while others are poor and a failure? Many have tried to address small pieces of this great puzzle, but Rapaille and Roemer are the first to attempt a comprehensive answer to this eternal question.' Michio Kaku 'An ambitious and provocative book that tackles head-on the really Big Questions: What does it mean to be human? And what can we all do to become better people, leading better lives in a better world? A book that will stir controversy, tweak sacred cows and foment the best kind of debate.' Carl Honoré 'An entertaining and important counterweight to the ideology and cynicism that surrounds discussions of world problems today.' Steven Pinker