Social aspects · Nonviolence · Violence
The Better Angels of Our Nature by Steven Pinker — Summary, Key Ideas & Quotes
2011802 pages✦ 3-min Big ideas★ 3.9 (10)
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What is The Better Angels of Our Nature about?
From Goodreads: Selected by *The New York Times Book Review* as a Notable Book of the Year The author of *The New York Times* bestseller *The Stuff* of Thought offers a controversial history of violence. Faced with the ceaseless stream of news about war, crime, and terrorism, one could easily think we live in the most violent age ever seen. Yet as *New York Times* bestselling author Steven Pinker shows in this startling and engaging new work, just the opposite is true: violence has been diminishing for millennia and we may be living in the most peaceful time in our species's existence. For most of history, war, slavery, infanticide, child abuse, assassinations, pogroms, gruesome punishments, deadly quarrels, and genocide were ordinary features of life. But today, Pinker shows (with the help of more than a hundred graphs and maps) all these forms of violence have dwindled and are widely condemned. How has this happened? This groundbreaking book continues Pinker's exploration of the essence of human nature, mixing psychology and history to provide a remarkable picture of an increasingly nonviolent world. The key, he explains, is to understand our intrinsic motives- the inner demons that incline us toward violence and the better angels that steer us away-and how changing circumstances have allowed our better angels to prevail. Exploding fatalist myths about humankind's inherent violence and the curse of modernity, this ambitious and provocative book is sure to be hotly debated in living rooms and the Pentagon alike, and will challenge and change the way we think about our society.
A glimpse inside
Violence Has Declined Over Time
Pinker’s central thesis is that, contrary to popular perception, rates of violence—ranging from homicide and warfare to domestic abuse and cruel punishments—have dramatically decreased over centuries. Drawing on historical records, archaeological findings, and statistical analyses, he demonstrates that the modern era is far less violent than any previous period. This decline is not uniform or unbroken, but the long-term trend is clear and significant.
The Civilizing Process
Pinker attributes much of the decline in violence to what he calls the 'civilizing process,' a historical trend where the rise of centralized states, commerce, and norms of self-control led to less personal and collective violence. As governments monopolized force and societies became more interconnected, people had greater incentives to resolve disputes peacefully and develop empathy for others.
Ratings at a glance
Open Library
★ 3.9 / 5
10 ratings
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Get smart in 3 min
6 key ideas, distilled
- 1Violence Has Declined Over Time
- 2The Civilizing Process
- 3The Role of Reason and Enlightenment
- 4Empathy, Self-Control, and Moral Progress
- 5The Power of Institutions and Social Norms
Popular quotes from The Better Angels of Our Nature
“The decline of violence may be the most significant and least appreciated development in the history of our species.”
“We are living in the most peaceful era of our species’ existence.”
More by Steven Pinker
Frequently asked
From Goodreads: Selected by *The New York Times Book Review* as a Notable Book of the Year The author of *The New York Times* bestseller *The Stuff* of Thought offers a controversial history of violence.
Faced with the ceaseless stream of news about war, crime, and terrorism, one could easily think we live in the most violent age ever seen. Yet as *New York Times* bestselling author Steven Pin