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The Better Angels of Our Nature
- Why Violence Has Declined
- Narrated by: Arthur Morey
- Length: 36 hrs and 39 mins
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Cognitive scientist Professor Steven Pinker has spent his life thinking about thinking, and now he wants us to join him. With the aid of his critical thinking toolkit, he hopes to help us make smarter choices, become more rational, gain a greater understanding of the confused world we live in—and maybe even become better citizens. In this fascinating series, produced in partnership with the Open University, he examines the different ways the human brain can be tripped up, from understanding probability to the difference between correlation and causation.
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Great
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Published first in 1912, Psychology of the Unconscious was one of the most important stepping stones in the development of Jung’s thought and practice. It has a long subtitle: A Study of the Transformations and Symbolisms of the Libido. A Contribution to the History of the Evolution of Thought. This expressed the underlying impetus - a break from the view of the libido and its functions as taught by Sigmund Freud, which Jung had earlier adopted. It was from this point that the two approaches, which came to be known as the Swiss and Viennese schools, emerged.
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Everything is Everything Else
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Performance
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This is the first volume in a bold new series that tells the stories of all peoples, connecting historical events from Europe to the Middle East to the far coast of China, while still giving weight to the characteristics of each country. Susan Wise Bauer provides both sweeping scope and vivid attention to the individual lives that give flesh to abstract assertions about human history. This narrative history employs the methods of "history from beneath" - literature, epic traditions, private letters, and accounts - to connect kings and leaders with the lives of those they ruled.
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Iffy narration, abrupt ending
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Publisher's Summary
“If I could give each of you a graduation present, it would be this - the most inspiring book I've ever read." - Bill Gates (May, 2017)
Selected by The New York Times Book Review as a Notable Book of the Year
The author of Enlightenment Now and The New York Times bestseller The Stuff of Thought offers a controversial history of violence.
Faced with the ceaseless stream of news about war, crime, and terrorism, one could easily think we live in the most violent age ever seen. Yet as New York Times bestselling author Steven Pinker shows in this startling and engaging new work, just the opposite is true: violence has been diminishing for millennia and we may be living in the most peaceful time in our species's existence. For most of history, war, slavery, infanticide, child abuse, assassinations, programs, gruesome punishments, deadly quarrels, and genocide were ordinary features of life. But today, Pinker shows (with the help of more than a hundred graphs and maps) all these forms of violence have dwindled and are widely condemned. How has this happened?
This groundbreaking book continues Pinker's exploration of the essence of human nature, mixing psychology and history to provide a remarkable picture of an increasingly nonviolent world. The key, he explains, is to understand our intrinsic motives - the inner demons that incline us toward violence and the better angels that steer us away - and how changing circumstances have allowed our better angels to prevail. Exploding fatalist myths about humankind's inherent violence and the curse of modernity, this ambitious and provocative book is sure to be hotly debated in living rooms and the Pentagon alike, and will challenge and change the way we think about our society.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
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What listeners say about The Better Angels of Our Nature
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- André
- 2021-08-30
best book I ever read.
I was always told that there was nothing good about modern times and the great wars of the twentieth century prove it. I always felt that somehow this had to be wrong. Science and progress should bring real improvements.
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- Anonymous User
- 2019-10-21
Excellent book
Loved this book for the vast breath of subjects touched on regarding the betterment of human kind.
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- Zuppu
- 2021-04-24
incredible insight
this was a well researched book that uses evidence to provide an optimistic outlook. examples provided are reflected by the motivations of human beings. Pinker has written a book that can be listened to twice just because I'm sure I will find insights that may have been overlooked. some examples can be absolutely disgusting to hear, but need to be understood to know how far we have come.
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- Lee Haber
- 2023-01-22
You’ll gain a new appreciation of how good things are now
The past was a violent place and Steven Pinker does a thorough job explaining why it has declined through history.
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- William H.
- 2018-12-07
Best and most interesting book I have ever read.
This is my first time listening to the book after having read it once. I suggest reading the physical copy and taking your time to understand the relevence of the information in everyday life. Understanding why we behave the way we do helps you to control your impulsive responses and genuinely enjoy life more. So many interesting behavioural studies referenced. Unfortunately, I found the audio quality to be poor. Whenever he makes an 'S' sound it is piercing.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 2021-04-05
stunning
Pinker has given me reason to hope for a positive future. I did not expect that outcome, thank you
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- Hermes
- 2019-05-14
A masterpiece
At first I didn't like this book. After listening to all of it, now it is among my favourite three.
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- Jeremy Latawiec
- 2019-04-30
Good news, everyone!
Great narration. Spectacular insight on human nature and our collective journey. Humbling, uplifting, enlightening. Will make you yearn for an even better world and motivate you to work for it. A still more glorious dawn awaits.
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- Dan
- 2018-06-04
So damn long
Like at least one person has probably developed a hernia carrying the physical copy. Like you can probably burn through a dictionary in 36 hours. Like if you tried listening to this for 30mins a day at lunch it will take you a quarter of a year.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 2018-10-08
A must-listen
incredible experience. I'd recommend it to anyone who wants to have a more nuanced understanding of history, modernity and human nature.
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