Good companions in our human nature

Why has violence decreased?

Author Name: Steven Pinker

The book traces the historical trend of violence and the reasons for its increase or decrease. Given the overwhelming torrent of news about wars, crimes, and terrorism, one might immediately conclude that we are living in the most violent era in history. However, this book, supported by evidence, makes a completely opposite argument: it finds that violence is constantly decreasing. In fact, it argues that we are currently living in the most peaceful era compared to past eras in history! In the past, wars, slavery, infanticide, assassinations, massacres, deadly fights, and genocide were features of normal life throughout most eras of history. Today, however, all these forms of violence have diminished. How did this happen? The book seeks to answer this question through the facts of psychology and history, in an attempt to dispel inherited myths about the inherent violence of the human psyche.