Maciej Bitner, Chief Economist at WISE Institute talked about Steven Pinker’s 2011 book, “The Better Angels of Our Nature”, in the evening programme in the Polish radio. It is a treaty on the problem of violence across the ages. It presents the history and theory of violence understood as war, terrorism, genocide, murder as well as aggression against women or ethnic, religious and sexual minorities. The author, drawing from economic, historical, philosophical and psychological knowledge, claims that the phenomenon of violence is disappearing at the moment.
Steven Pinker sees in humans the opposing forces of good and evil, locked in constant struggle. He points out that, biologically speaking, aggressive behavior is written in our genes, but codes and social behavior developed over centuries led to peaceful solutions. Trade (enhancing the habit of self-control), manners (tame the animal side of human nature), feminization (as a force drawing away from violence), deepening knowledge, rationalism, moral rules (based on both common sense and empathy) are opposed to greed, need to dominate, revenge and sadism. It was, according to the author, empathy, self-control, morality and reason that made it possible for the contemporary world to resort to violence so rarely.
The book is optimistic in its tone, although careful read indicates that dualism is still present in human nature – Maciej Bitner said. Referring to the title, one can say that the better angels of our nature are dominating, while forces of aggression and repression are on the defensive.
The programme can be viewed on the polskiegoradia.pl (in polish).
