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jared_schroeder's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
w_timmes's review against another edition
I didn’t realize this before looking at Goodreads, but this author was on the intellectual dark web. So, this is a nope from me.
francisjshaw's review against another edition
4.0
An interesting read and certainly not for those who don't like charts and short books. Although I don't agree with all the conclusions in this book, it does build a good case that the world is overall not in the dire situation often reported. There is still much to be done especially around climate change, but as long as the media wants to push bad news other conversations will be difficult to become mainstream.
waido's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
4.25
Overall, a pretty good book. Sometimes it's a bit too hopeful to my liking (for instance the chapter on why inequality is actually not that bad, rich people actually just having their "fair share", and life is actually quite good for the poor). However, the case for humanity's progress is a solid one, and it is comforting to have faith that even in these troubling times, it is likely that we'll make it out wealthier, healthier, happier, and more educated.
Populism might win in the short-term, but historical trends show that false beliefs are things that we can graduate from, and become more mature as a civilization.
Populism might win in the short-term, but historical trends show that false beliefs are things that we can graduate from, and become more mature as a civilization.
chelsiek22's review against another edition
3.0
I like the overarching content in this book, but there was so much information packed into it. I wasn't able to finsh the book and towards the end I lost interest.
nheredia's review against another edition
4.0
This book reminds me A LOT of Factfulness by Hans Rosling. However, it’s been a while since I’ve read that, and after the last 2 years, this breath of positivity and the message that things are actually- on the aggregate- getting better was so nice. Sometimes the way Pinker makes an argument or dismisses a body of thought is not the most graceful (and definitely not always politically correct- but I believe thats being done purposefully) and sometimes I disagree and am even annoyed by how actively he tries to denigrate “the left” in the name of being fair to both sides, but on the whole a worthwhile read to help reframe the narrative around human progress and modern life.
panzerbjrn's review against another edition
1.0
I would probably not have rated Steven Pinker as a moron, if he was consistent in how he applies his methods and arguments.
For example, he says early on, and repeats a few times, that we don't realise how everything is getting better because progress is slow and thus not very noticeable; but bad things are usually sudden and thus noticeable.
However, when he then gets to the environment, he says not to worry, because it isn't getting critical quickly and suddenly. That climate change is slowly and steadily becoming a greater problem for the world, and with more scientists each day warning us that we are getting close to the point of no return doesn't seem to concern him.
It is almost as if he only believes in science and reason that confirms his own biases...
So this is a 1 star review, which is disappointing.
For example, he says early on, and repeats a few times, that we don't realise how everything is getting better because progress is slow and thus not very noticeable; but bad things are usually sudden and thus noticeable.
However, when he then gets to the environment, he says not to worry, because it isn't getting critical quickly and suddenly. That climate change is slowly and steadily becoming a greater problem for the world, and with more scientists each day warning us that we are getting close to the point of no return doesn't seem to concern him.
It is almost as if he only believes in science and reason that confirms his own biases...
So this is a 1 star review, which is disappointing.
sylvrwlf's review against another edition
1.0
Some good points on the state of the world being OK. However, the author manages to alienate any sympathy I have for his points by hating on pretty much every group of people ever, even as he points out the psychological traps that people can’t help but fall into to think that the world is doing badly because predominately bad things are reported to us/observed by our brains. Like, thank you for pointing out that this is a problem with how our brains work. Now can you please focus on what we can do to make things even better, rather than complaining about how we’re all ungrateful for what we have even though we kind of don’t know any better?
zelmal's review against another edition
3.0
This was a fun read and I wholeheartedly agree that we have come far and should not give up :)
But Pinker also severely downplays many important issues we face today. An example: the section on climate change starts with a graph plotting CO2 emissions per $ of GDP over time that shows a downwards trend over the last 50 years. For Pinker this is “the long sweep of decarbonisation”, no matter that the world’s total annual CO2 emissions (the next graph) have grown about 4 times over the same period. I would call this the “quick and efficient sweep of carbonisation”.
Moments like these are serious flaws that contradict Pinker’s own (agreeable) narrative that we should base arguments on good data/science and that progress is not a miracle, but problem-solving.
I get that Pinker wrote the book to remind people of the good things the world has achieved. But there are enough good things that downplaying the bad on purpose is just not “enlightenment”.
But Pinker also severely downplays many important issues we face today. An example: the section on climate change starts with a graph plotting CO2 emissions per $ of GDP over time that shows a downwards trend over the last 50 years. For Pinker this is “the long sweep of decarbonisation”, no matter that the world’s total annual CO2 emissions (the next graph) have grown about 4 times over the same period. I would call this the “quick and efficient sweep of carbonisation”.
Moments like these are serious flaws that contradict Pinker’s own (agreeable) narrative that we should base arguments on good data/science and that progress is not a miracle, but problem-solving.
I get that Pinker wrote the book to remind people of the good things the world has achieved. But there are enough good things that downplaying the bad on purpose is just not “enlightenment”.
tall_dutch_guy's review against another edition
5.0
Identity-protective cognitive dissonance
To name something is to gain power over it.
To name something is to gain power over it.