The Opposition…

The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined

Steven Pinker

Discussion: 2011-Oct-Nov-Dec

Why we're reading this: October 18, 2011
segment guest August 13, 2013
[close] October 18, 2011
segment guest August 13, 2013

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2011-Oct-Nov-Dec

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* December 2011
By Tiffany , WristStrong · 1 post · 35 views

last updated Dec 20, 2011 06:46PM

* November 2011
By Tiffany , WristStrong · 1 post · 29 views

last updated Dec 03, 2011 08:09PM

What Members Thought

Apr 25, 2012 Andy rated it it was ok

"The Better Angels of our Nature" is an impressive intellectual feat, and the snarky tone was entertaining, but it was a bit like reading the phone book (800 pages of lists within lists). Despite the size of Pinker's tome, the nitty-gritty of peace-making is given short shrift, even though I think this is the most important issue.

I don't care too much about the decline in violence over many centuries. I already don't want to live in the Middle Ages, and I couldn't if I wanted to. What matters fo ...more

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Jun 28, 2013 Denise rated it it was amazing

Undoubtedly the best non-fiction I have ever read, and winning a position in my top 5 favorite books of all time. In his discussion on the waning trend in violence, the author delves into the numerous facets of the argument: genocide, war tactics, continental trajectories of violence, racial violence, capital punishment, and extends his theory in favor of empathy, feminization while emphasizing the importance of the Republic of Letters and the Ages of Reason and of Enlightenment. This book provi ...more

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