The Better Angels of Our Nature
Why Violence Has Declined
by Steven Pinker
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“@JoshPhillipsPhD @profjmb I might phrase it slightly different, but, yeah. Harvard anthropologist Richard Wrangham has written some great books on the topic of male violence. And Steven Pinker's 'Better angels' is still highly relevant, in terms of how violence got tamed historically. | Encouraged the better side of ourselves. | I recommend anything by this author. He’s one of the clearest thinkers and communicators of our time. | One of my favorite recent books. | One of the most important books I’ve read—not just this year, but ever. | Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization | Takes a long view and shows the longterm decline in violence that has occurred. | The books I've given most as a gift. | When you finish The Better Angels of Our Nature, which takes a long time, you conclude that the world is in a much, much better place than it has been in the past.”
Source →
Co-founder, Chairman, and CEO of Meta Platforms
“@JoshPhillipsPhD @profjmb I might phrase it slightly different, but, yeah. Harvard anthropologist Richard Wrangham has written some great books on the topic of male violence. And Steven Pinker's 'Better angels' is still highly relevant, in terms of how violence got tamed historically. | Encouraged the better side of ourselves. | I recommend anything by this author. He’s one of the clearest thinkers and communicators of our time. | One of my favorite recent books. | One of the most important books I’ve read—not just this year, but ever. | Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization | Takes a long view and shows the longterm decline in violence that has occurred. | The books I've given most as a gift. | When you finish The Better Angels of Our Nature, which takes a long time, you conclude that the world is in a much, much better place than it has been in the past.”
Source →“@JoshPhillipsPhD @profjmb I might phrase it slightly different, but, yeah. Harvard anthropologist Richard Wrangham has written some great books on the topic of male violence. And Steven Pinker's 'Better angels' is still highly relevant, in terms of how violence got tamed historically. | Encouraged the better side of ourselves. | I recommend anything by this author. He’s one of the clearest thinkers and communicators of our time. | One of my favorite recent books. | One of the most important books I’ve read—not just this year, but ever. | Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization | Takes a long view and shows the longterm decline in violence that has occurred. | The books I've given most as a gift. | When you finish The Better Angels of Our Nature, which takes a long time, you conclude that the world is in a much, much better place than it has been in the past.”
Source →“@JoshPhillipsPhD @profjmb I might phrase it slightly different, but, yeah. Harvard anthropologist Richard Wrangham has written some great books on the topic of male violence. And Steven Pinker's 'Better angels' is still highly relevant, in terms of how violence got tamed historically. | Encouraged the better side of ourselves. | I recommend anything by this author. He’s one of the clearest thinkers and communicators of our time. | One of my favorite recent books. | One of the most important books I’ve read—not just this year, but ever. | Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization | Takes a long view and shows the longterm decline in violence that has occurred. | The books I've given most as a gift. | When you finish The Better Angels of Our Nature, which takes a long time, you conclude that the world is in a much, much better place than it has been in the past.”
Source →“@JoshPhillipsPhD @profjmb I might phrase it slightly different, but, yeah. Harvard anthropologist Richard Wrangham has written some great books on the topic of male violence. And Steven Pinker's 'Better angels' is still highly relevant, in terms of how violence got tamed historically. | Encouraged the better side of ourselves. | I recommend anything by this author. He’s one of the clearest thinkers and communicators of our time. | One of my favorite recent books. | One of the most important books I’ve read—not just this year, but ever. | Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization | Takes a long view and shows the longterm decline in violence that has occurred. | The books I've given most as a gift. | When you finish The Better Angels of Our Nature, which takes a long time, you conclude that the world is in a much, much better place than it has been in the past.”
Source →“@JoshPhillipsPhD @profjmb I might phrase it slightly different, but, yeah. Harvard anthropologist Richard Wrangham has written some great books on the topic of male violence. And Steven Pinker's 'Better angels' is still highly relevant, in terms of how violence got tamed historically. | Encouraged the better side of ourselves. | I recommend anything by this author. He’s one of the clearest thinkers and communicators of our time. | One of my favorite recent books. | One of the most important books I’ve read—not just this year, but ever. | Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization | Takes a long view and shows the longterm decline in violence that has occurred. | The books I've given most as a gift. | When you finish The Better Angels of Our Nature, which takes a long time, you conclude that the world is in a much, much better place than it has been in the past.”
Source →“@JoshPhillipsPhD @profjmb I might phrase it slightly different, but, yeah. Harvard anthropologist Richard Wrangham has written some great books on the topic of male violence. And Steven Pinker's 'Better angels' is still highly relevant, in terms of how violence got tamed historically. | Encouraged the better side of ourselves. | I recommend anything by this author. He’s one of the clearest thinkers and communicators of our time. | One of my favorite recent books. | One of the most important books I’ve read—not just this year, but ever. | Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization | Takes a long view and shows the longterm decline in violence that has occurred. | The books I've given most as a gift. | When you finish The Better Angels of Our Nature, which takes a long time, you conclude that the world is in a much, much better place than it has been in the past.”
Source →“@JoshPhillipsPhD @profjmb I might phrase it slightly different, but, yeah. Harvard anthropologist Richard Wrangham has written some great books on the topic of male violence. And Steven Pinker's 'Better angels' is still highly relevant, in terms of how violence got tamed historically. | Encouraged the better side of ourselves. | I recommend anything by this author. He’s one of the clearest thinkers and communicators of our time. | One of my favorite recent books. | One of the most important books I’ve read—not just this year, but ever. | Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization | Takes a long view and shows the longterm decline in violence that has occurred. | The books I've given most as a gift. | When you finish The Better Angels of Our Nature, which takes a long time, you conclude that the world is in a much, much better place than it has been in the past.”
Source →“@JoshPhillipsPhD @profjmb I might phrase it slightly different, but, yeah. Harvard anthropologist Richard Wrangham has written some great books on the topic of male violence. And Steven Pinker's 'Better angels' is still highly relevant, in terms of how violence got tamed historically. | Encouraged the better side of ourselves. | I recommend anything by this author. He’s one of the clearest thinkers and communicators of our time. | One of my favorite recent books. | One of the most important books I’ve read—not just this year, but ever. | Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization | Takes a long view and shows the longterm decline in violence that has occurred. | The books I've given most as a gift. | When you finish The Better Angels of Our Nature, which takes a long time, you conclude that the world is in a much, much better place than it has been in the past.”
Source →“@JoshPhillipsPhD @profjmb I might phrase it slightly different, but, yeah. Harvard anthropologist Richard Wrangham has written some great books on the topic of male violence. And Steven Pinker's 'Better angels' is still highly relevant, in terms of how violence got tamed historically. | Encouraged the better side of ourselves. | I recommend anything by this author. He’s one of the clearest thinkers and communicators of our time. | One of my favorite recent books. | One of the most important books I’ve read—not just this year, but ever. | Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization | Takes a long view and shows the longterm decline in violence that has occurred. | The books I've given most as a gift. | When you finish The Better Angels of Our Nature, which takes a long time, you conclude that the world is in a much, much better place than it has been in the past.”
Source →Recommended by 12 notable people, including Bill Gates and Stewart Brand
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Recommended by 25 sources and appears in Sociology, Books Recommended by CEOs, and Books Recommended by Bill Gates.
'The most inspiring book I've ever read' Bill Gates, 2017 'A brilliant, mind-altering book ... Everyone should read this astonishing book' Guardian 'Will change the way you see the world' Daily Mail Shortlisted for the Samuel Johnson Prize 2012 Wasn't the twentieth century the most violent in history? In his extraordinary, epic book Steven Pinker shows us that this is wrong, telling the story of humanity in a completely new and unfamiliar way. From why cities make us safer to how books bring about peace, Pinker weaves together history, philosophy and science to examine why we are less likely to die at another's hand than ever before, how it happened and what it tells us about our very…
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Recommended by 25 sources and appears in Sociology, Books Recommended by CEOs, and Books Recommended by Bill Gates.
Recommended by notable people
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Jack Kornfield
“@JoshPhillipsPhD @profjmb I might phrase it slightly different, but, yeah. Harvard anthropologist Richard Wrangham has written some great books on the topic of male violence. And Steven Pinker's 'Better angels' is still highly relevant, in terms of how violence got tamed historically. | Encouraged the better side of ourselves. | I recommend anything by this author. He’s one of the clearest thinkers and communicators of our time. | One of my favorite recent books. | One of the most important books I’ve read—not just this year, but ever. | Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization | Takes a long view and shows the longterm decline in violence that has occurred. | The books I've given most as a gift. | When you finish The Better Angels of Our Nature, which takes a long time, you conclude that the world is in a much, much better place than it has been in the past.”
Appears In
Not sure if this is the right fit?
Consider Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. Recommended by 31 sources.
“Outliers reads like a series of captivating magazine profiles, each unpacking a hidden factor behind extraordinary success. Gladwell’s storytelling makes complex social science accessible, but the book relies on memorable anecdotes rather than offering systematic analysis. The book explores the idea that individual brilliance rarely stands alone; success often hinges on birth dates, cultural legacies, and the 10,000-hour rule. While the narratives are strong, the book overgeneralizes from handpicked examples, leaving skeptical readers questioning the conclusions. It’s most useful as a conversation starter about luck and timing—annoying if you want a rigorous academic treatise or a how-to guide for your own life.”
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