Steven Pinker: Humans are less violent than ever

[vminfla]

Where did you find evidence for how violence has changed over time?
For prehistoric times, the main evidence is from forensic archaeology: the proportion of skeletons that had bashed-in skulls, or arrowheads embedded in bones, together with archaeological evidence such as fortifications. For homicide over the last millennia or so, there are records in many parts of Europe that go back to the Middle Ages. And we know from documents of the era that crucifixions and all manner of gory executions took place in the ancient world.

For data about wars, there are many databases that estimate war deaths, and in recent eras, governments and social scientists have tracked just about every aspect of life, so we really can get a clear view of things like child abuse, spousal abuse, rape and so on.

How do you explain the decline in violence?
I don't think there is a single answer. One cause is government, that is, third-party dispute resolution: courts and police with a monopoly on the legitimate use of force. Everywhere you look for comparisons of life under anarchy and life under government, life under government is less violent. The evidence includes transitions such as the European homicide decline since the Middle Ages, which coincided with the expansion and consolidation of kingdoms; the transition from tribal anarchy to the first states. Watching the movie in reverse, in today's failed states violence goes through the roof.


http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21228340.100-steven-pinker-humans-are-less-violent-than-ever.html

A good read. Definitely check out the 20 worst things people have done interactive graph http://www.newscientist.com/embedded/20worst

[dawg]

1. I saw him on the Daily Show, I think.

Man, I just wanted to kick his smug ass!

:sarcasm:

[pipoman]

2. In the even shorter term

violent crime in the US has been in decline for nearly 4 decades. Even accidental injury is in decline.

[kysrsoze]

3. Tell that to the People of Uganda, Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Pakistan, American slums, etc.

[mainer]

4. I'm reading the book now. It's fascinating

He summarizes the Old Testament in a few pages -- basically rape, slaughter, rape, slaughter, all sanctioned by Yahweh.

[applegrove]

9. Yeah. I'm really enjoying it.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

5. the video lecture is over in Political Videos.

Excellent.

[and-justice-for-all]

6. Well that is bloody wrong....nt

[War Horse]

7. Very true

24 hour news, the interwebz... Easy to think that this is the worst it's ever been. People tend to forget the level of utter carnage our common history is littered with.

[pampango]

8. True, but more a function of how bad humans were centuries ago than how good we are today.

It is progress, though, so that much is good.

[Exultant Democracy]

10. This fits in with other data that suggest a self domestication process.

Rapidly declining bone density sperm counts in addition to a legion of other indicators.