The Power of Ideas: Is the World Getting Better or Worse? Better, Of Course
By Uma Hiremath
INE TED Columnist
Aren’t we living through it? Curiously, that was a record claimed both at the end of 2016 followed by 2017. In this 18-minute talk, author and professor of cognitive science, Steven Pinker, presents a response to the question, “Is The World Getting Better or Worse.”
Better, argues Pinker; even though “news capitalizes on our morbid interest in what can go wrong… if you combine our cognitive biases with the nature of news, you can see why the world has been coming to an end for a very long time…”
To watch the Pinker’s TED talk, please click here or on the image below.
Even if you disagree with the data he presents, as many have done, his arguments make for robust discussion. Even if you find his fealty to Enlightenment norms specious, as many have done, the artistry of his rhetoric is compelling.
Named as one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People, an invited speaker at global forums such as the Davos World Economic Forum, and popular contributor to TED talks, Steven Pinker has an amplified voice in ongoing discussions on the human trajectory.
