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If Books Could Kill@ifbookspod.bsky.social |
Episode 26: The Better Angels of Our Nature, part 1 Have human societies become less violent due to a complex mixture of economic development, medical advancement and political structures? Or did some European guys write some books saying murder was bad?
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@avidavsky.bsky.social
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Once again, I'm reminded why I hate Pinker
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James Hultgren
@jameshultgren.bsky.social
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The Better Angels of Our Flatter World: turns out one of the flatteners was outsourcing violence to undeveloped and less civilised countries.
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Susie Steinbach
@susielaurie.bsky.social
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I love this episode but it hurts to hear the great historian Lynn Hunt referred to as Lynn Hart
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Scott 🗯️
@sh94.bsky.social
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You guys @ifbookspod.bsky.social absolutely need to take a look at "The War of Art" - a book about winning the creative battle and completing *that* novel. A lot more in there about Al Qaeda than I anticipated.
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Matt Goldberg
@mattgoldberg.bsky.social
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When the Donkey Kong 64 joke hits
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James Umbanhowar
@jumbanho.bsky.social
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Societal manners were great until the damn progressives got all woke and wouldn't let me do the racism.
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Everything is Public Health
@everythingisph.bsky.social
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Hypeeeee Every episode I dread whether it was a book I've read before, thankfully never read this one lol
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Natasha Sills
@grittyknits.bsky.social
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"Imagine being poor and also wet all the time... you'd wanna kill someone!" 😂🤣😂 I'm dying. So glad you're back
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Spoon Dune 🍉
@spoondune.bsky.social
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I feel like half of my posts are recommending David Graeber's The Dawn of Everything, but it really demolishes Pinker's arguments
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Kurodou
@kurodzuchi.bsky.social
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I feel like the wild leap into blaming fascism on Marxism was a desperate bid to distance them both from the Enlightenment. When he tried to scrub the eugenics out of 1800s intellectualism, he created this rift in his own argument that he had to backfill with more and more horseshit.
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@tirelesstribal.bsky.social
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Also: But how bad was World War II, REALLY!?
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L McG
@nellq.bsky.social
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That R.E.M. earworm, though. 🙃
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Ben 🏳️🌈
@bvigeant.bsky.social
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i listen to be smart and worldly but deep down I'm just in for Donkey Kong 64 jokes
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Marc
@schoenen.bsky.social
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Uh-oh, David Wallace seems to take *direct issue* with some of Pinker's claims. I'm sure I'll just dismiss his assertions based upon the random happenstance of the law of large numbers, amiright?
www.nytimes.com/2024/02/28/o...
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Chris Longhurst
@potatocubed.bsky.social
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I think you got about ten minutes in and mentioned 'the civilising principle' and I could see the racism gathering like a storm on the horizon.
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Just (Dr.) Monica
@pkpd-babe.bsky.social
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Great episode!
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sho
@shoshoctopus.bsky.social
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every few minutes, my east asian study degree is going "wait, he thinks what led to what because of what? worldwide? but what about--" and then i have to remind myself that this is a best seller in the US and therefore very eurocentric. anyway, I'm at the printing press bit
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Lankfried
@lankfried.bsky.social
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Hook it up to my veins
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Dr. Sheila Addison
@drsaddison.bsky.social
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I'm thinking about this episode while reading comments on my neighborhood news blog, and it's pretty clear that these people are not using 12th century Europe as their reference point when they conclude that "crime has gotten out of control." They should read this book!
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AndyK250.gb
@andyk250.bsky.social
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I wasn't aware who wrote this before I started listening. The instant you named the author, I made the same sort of face I'd make if I stepped barefoot into cat-shit.
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Sarah Siedschlag
@sarahofsb.bsky.social
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This episode reminded me of every late winter where it gets sunny for like a day and I immediately insist that it's spring now and it will not be cold and rainy ever again
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Rich
@otiose.bsky.social
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I'm only halfway through but does he only look at European historic data?
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@fleezlow.bsky.social
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I'm listening to this right now, and (you prob address this) but a huuuuge problem I have with this is that people aren't numbers. Whether some 4th century despot or a 20th century dictator murders someone, you can't minimize the destruction by juking the stats.
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Dr Neil and Mr Price
@drneil.bsky.social
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Herder genes innit?
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Local Oaf
@snackalgorithm.bsky.social
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It might be my recency bias showing, but I'm not sure I ever heard Peter so ready throw hands at the author.
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