Don, I would strongly agree on the rapid and sometimes rabid dissemination of information point. Exposure has it's way of awakening those who think their atrocities are OK in their own private little minds. China seems to still be chopping heads off in the public square and issuing death penalties for corporate mismanagement, so I don't know that it is a universal concept. As you say the reduction of blatant offenses may be attributed to global exposure but the fact is some countries just don't really care. Concerning Pinker's historical splay of violence, he might as well added the stepping on of ants and insects as a demonstration of humanity's penchant for violent behavior. I don't see humanity's reduction of violence but rather see it as simply wearing a different costume, like the wolf in sheep's clothing. Predators, in recognition of the exposure risks, seek new ways to camouflage their devious practices. Pinker fails to produce statistics concurrent with modernist methods of concealing violence, as in the trendy practice of human trafficking for various exploitations. While it is true we no longer burn cats for entertainment purpose it is also true that we now find reason to exterminate our own children for convenience, and anyone else who gets in our way. You have your concealed weapon permit and it's only a matter of time before someone will actually make your day. Piss ant countries are fine tuning their pernicious weapons capability ready to dispense death in a perfunctory manner, essentially rendering Pinker's view imaginary. I don't know where religion fits in as I don't have any inclination towards it. I think you are realistically cynical.
On Feb 21, 4:17 am, Don Johnson <[email protected]> wrote: > Does anyone else have problems taking seriously a grown man in such > dire need of a haircut? It's distracting. Anyway, I think he's on to > something here. The biggest reason violence is down is the rapid > dissemination of information and the difficulty in disguising gross > injustice. Governments want the rest of the world to think highly of > them and aggressively promote themselves with favorable PR. This > reduces the likelihood of blatant, uncalled for aggression. I don't > think we are at all nobler but I do think we all like to at least > appear to be so. > > It ties in nicely with my theory of why religion was invented. An > Omnipotent being judging your every move is motivation to behave. I > don't believe in Santa Claus any more but I do believe in the power of > the Press. And the internet. I wonder how long before our leaders > find a way to suppress it or bend it to their will? Oh wait, we're > already there. Google in China. Most major American newspapers > except the WSJ are in the tank for President Obama. All cheerleaders > for waste. We are squandering our global advantage. I understand why > international news agencies like the AP and Reuters would be in favor > of a socialist president but the fawning of our own papers is a little > disconcerting. > > Am I a cynic or a realist? Or sadly misinformed? > > dj > > On Fri, Feb 20, 2009 at 8:47 PM, Slip Disc <[email protected]> wrote: > > > I do have this tendency to throw public notables out on a bed of nails > > to see which of you are inclined to take some steps across them. > > Ouch! However, this is not just about curiosity but evaluation of my > > views for either reinforcement or modification. > > Steven Pinker, the Johnstone Family Professor in the Department of > > Psychology at Harvard University has a lecture video in which he > > asserts humans to be peaceful by nature and merely corrupted by modern > > institutions and concluding that we are living very peaceful lives by > > historical comparisons. > > Pinker writes, "Now that social scientists have started to count > > bodies in different historical periods, they have discovered that the > > romantic theory gets it backward: Far from causing us to become more > > violent, something in modernity and its cultural institutions has made > > us nobler." > > This approach is a combination of empirical and biological study in > > contrast to former assertions formed upon human cultures and > > socialization without regard to biological recognition. > > Steven Pinker concludes that violence in the world has actually > > decreased, and conveys this idea in his "A History of Violence" > > lecturehttp://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/163 > > I for one never conceived of the notion but have tossed some bones > > around with my good friend gruff, who also asserts that mankind has > > made significant strides in the quest for a more peaceful existence in > > contrast to my view that man is as violent now as ever and desires > > aggressive conflict in perpetuity. > > I think Pinker's inclusion of such behaviors as cat burning in 16th > > century Paris is a stretch to expand the degree of historical > > violence, as is reference to human sacrifice, slavery, governmental > > conquests, real estate acquisition via genocide, torture and > > mutilation as routine punishment, the death penalty, assassination, > > massacres, conflict resolve through killing, all of which still take > > place in our time. Pinker also references Biblical examples of > > genocide and stoning deaths for any number of infractions, also > > attributing the same and similar torturous behaviors to historical > > accounts of Hindus, Christians, Muslims, and Chinese, etc. > > Pointing to a "change is sensibility" Pinker writes: "Violence has > > been in decline over long stretches of history, and today we are > > probably living in the most peaceful moment of our species' time on > > earth." > > > Somehow I can't seem to dance to the tune. > > > Please take the time to view this lecture, only 19 minutes and respond > > as to........... > > > Truth or Wishful Thinking? > > > State your Stance! --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups ""Minds Eye"" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Minds-Eye?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
