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jupyyy 's review for:
Good book. Provides irrefutable data for how the vision of the enlightenment, and the embracing of certain ideals has made the world a better place. Better as measured on almost every relevant metric. Pinker provides convincing arguments for why we should strive to contribute to further progress. As well as arguments for why history is not bound by some magical force that ensures either progress or decay; it all depends on what we do to make things better or worse.
My gripe with the book lies in the obvious left-wing bias of Pinker. He doesn't provide a fair view of the Trump phenomenon or Brexit. It would have been more convincing if he tackled the real underlying issues that led to both Trump and Brexit. Instead he paints both as populist backlash driven by backwards aging cohorts in both the US and UK. Never acknowledging that perhaps some driving factors were genuine bungling on the part of politicians (particularly European immigration policy in recent years). As well as justified frustration with an increasingly Identity politics/ SJW oriented media and intellectual class that, to use a cliched term, is out of touch.
The book is also too long. I feel Pinker could have been more concise on many points, and made his case in fewer pages. I was often dragging myself along, forcing myself the complete certain chapters. Perhaps it was Pinker's writing style rather than the length; perhaps it was the data driven nature of the book that made it tiresome to get through; either way I wasn't eagerly turning pages despite myself.
I would recommend one reads a summary of the positive data showing the world is getting better rather than the entire second part of the book. But I would also recommend people read part 3, particularly the chapter on humanism which contains a very engaging criticism of Nietzsche and his philosophy. Describing it as anti-humanist.
My gripe with the book lies in the obvious left-wing bias of Pinker. He doesn't provide a fair view of the Trump phenomenon or Brexit. It would have been more convincing if he tackled the real underlying issues that led to both Trump and Brexit. Instead he paints both as populist backlash driven by backwards aging cohorts in both the US and UK. Never acknowledging that perhaps some driving factors were genuine bungling on the part of politicians (particularly European immigration policy in recent years). As well as justified frustration with an increasingly Identity politics/ SJW oriented media and intellectual class that, to use a cliched term, is out of touch.
The book is also too long. I feel Pinker could have been more concise on many points, and made his case in fewer pages. I was often dragging myself along, forcing myself the complete certain chapters. Perhaps it was Pinker's writing style rather than the length; perhaps it was the data driven nature of the book that made it tiresome to get through; either way I wasn't eagerly turning pages despite myself.
I would recommend one reads a summary of the positive data showing the world is getting better rather than the entire second part of the book. But I would also recommend people read part 3, particularly the chapter on humanism which contains a very engaging criticism of Nietzsche and his philosophy. Describing it as anti-humanist.