Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress

by Steven Pinker

In earlier times, women’s list of responsibilities rarely extended beyond the domestic sphere. Today young women increasingly say that their life goals include career, family, marriage, money, recreation, friendship, experience, correcting social inequities, being a leader in their community, and making a contribution to society.83 That’s a lot of things to worry about, and a lot of ways to be frustrated: Woman plans and God laughs.

Agree with this but highlighted as I feel it also applies (to a lesser extent I imagine) to males in the other direction. I know I found the demands of active fatherhood very difficult on top of the existing (work based) demands. I had to reduce my (self) expectations of what I achieve in work to make time/space for being a good dad. That process (with hindsight) caused me much stress and anxiety (a reshaping of the self).

There is no law of complex systems that says that intelligent agents must turn into ruthless conquistadors. Indeed, we know of one highly advanced form of intelligence that evolved without this defect. They’re called women.

Nuff said!

We are born into a pitiless universe, facing steep odds against life-enabling order and in constant jeopardy of falling apart. We were shaped by a force that is ruthlessly competitive. We are made from crooked timber, vulnerable to illusions, self-centeredness, and at times astounding stupidity. Yet human nature has also been blessed with resources that open a space for a kind of redemption. We are endowed with the power to combine ideas recursively, to have thoughts about our thoughts. We have an instinct for language, allowing us to share the fruits of our experience and ingenuity. We are deepened with the capacity for sympathy—for pity, imagination, compassion, commiseration.

Love this. Flawed but wonderful.