posted December 28, 2016 #
VOX recently published this
excellent interview with cognitive scientist Steven Pinker. Despite all the bad things that happened in 2016, there is a statistically light behind it all - namely that we
are getting less violent and more accepting in general (holistically mind you) - and Pinker has the data to back it up. It's hard to see the big picture when you're mired in the details but this was an excellent reminder that all the vitriol and nastiness we see is just the overtly vocal. Overall, we're moving in the right direction.
Please read through to the end where Pinker gets into the difference between
complacent optimism and
conditional optimism. It's good to remember to shift ourselves into the later category, as it incites the proper kind of action.
