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The Better Angels of Our Nature: The Decline of Violence in History and Its Causes | Hardback

Released on 06 October 2011

Author: Steven Pinker | Format: Hardback

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Do we really care about each other less than we did in the past? This myth-destroying book shows that, contrary to popular belief, humankind has become progressively less, not more, violent from prehistory to today. Even the twentieth century, commonly perceived as the most brutal, is part of this trend. Debunking both the idea of the 'noble savage', and the Hobbesian notion of a 'nasty, brutish and short' life, and ranging over everything from the Enlightenment to warfare, art to religion, Steven Pinker argues that modernity and its cultural institutions is actually making us better people.

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 Complex, intelligent and important.

| | See all 12thMonkey's reviews (10)

The notion that we are gradually becoming nicer to one another seems counterintuitive, with wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, rioting in the streets of many cities last summer and the Stephen Lawrence affair occupying headlines.

The book is very long, and in fairness needs to be in order to present the masses of evidence that its main theme requires, and to elaborate upon any limitations or inconsistencies that may exist. I've not quite finished it yet (so forgive the slightly premature review), but I find Pinker to be a plausible and balanced man. Clearly there's no way a lay person can digest all the source material, so we have to make our judgements about what we read at a less rational level. I understand that this is what I am doing.

If his conclusions are right, it would be logical that the less frequent instances of violence will be noticed more and will appal us all the more. I hope (and see enough in the book to believe) that this is true.

Be warned though that some of the descriptions about acts which we were capable of in centuries past require something of a strong stomach. And the notion of halcyon days for previous generations is not one which survives closer examination.

Highly recommended.

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AuthorSteven Pinker
PublisherPenguin Books Ltd (United Kingdom)
Year2011
ISBN9781846140945
FormatHardback - 800 Pages