A review by lifepluspreston
Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress by Steven Pinker

5.0

Enlightenment Now by Steven Pinker--It's an easy week for some to allege that the world sucks. I have a feeling that the author of this book would still suggest that things are quite all right. Who's right? Who's to say? What I can tell you is that this book is optimistic yet clear-headed, approaching with data the idea that humanity is progressing, sometimes in spite of those who claim to desire progress. It's both thoughtful and thought-provoking. While Pinker doesn't explicitly ask the reader this, I found myself thinking something I've been considering quite a bit lately: What would it mean to believe that the world is good and getting better? How would it color the world and society? I'm not talking about a blind or naive optimism that ignores the issues that exist, but the idea of putting aside "existential" threats and focusing on history as precedent for a brighter future is certainly appealing. And if nothing else, in this book, it's well-argued. Two thumbs up.