Continental Hotspot

The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined by Steven Pinker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Steven Pinker’s “The Better Angels of Our Nature” is a masterpiece that challenges people’s conventional wisdom about the state of human violence. Things are good and getting better (even if there is still a lot wrong). Pinker guides you through a journey of human history, showcasing a remarkable decline in violence over centuries. The analysis behind this is compelling and his assertions are cited to the teeth. His insights are not only enlightening but also profoundly optimistic, which makes this one of my favourite books ever. This book is a testament to the power of reason and progress, making it a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the trajectory of human civilization. If you ever lose faith in humanity, this book will restore it.

I read this book as an audiobook on various night busses in Eastern Europe back in 2016. I couldn’t sleep much due to how cramped it was and how many stops we had to make. Still, starting in Tallinn, the book was finished by the time I reached Bratislava.

Incidentally this is the first book which showed me that there was something severely wrong with what we do to animals. This book started a reorientation of my ethics towards more compassion because it really doesn’t make sense to be kind to every other group but not them.

Similar books that expand on this already voluminous work are:
Factfulness – Hans Rosling
The Moral Arc – Michael Shermer

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You may also be interested in the notes on this book by philanthropist Bill Gates: Better Angels of Our Nature in graphs & numbers.