A Critical Essay on Steven Pinker's 'Why the World Is More Peaceful'

This essay critically analyzes Steven Pinker's argument in 'Why the World Is More Peaceful,' which posits that the present era is the most peaceful in human history due to lower rates of brutality and crime compared to earlier civilizations. The analysis explores Pinker's claims about the decline of barbarity, the impact of violence on cultural institutions, and the glorification of violent acts. It also examines his argument that increased commercial activity contributes to decreased violence by fostering cooperation and the development of transportation systems. The essay concludes by suggesting that technological advancements have played a significant role in establishing peace by reducing violent activities, thus supporting Pinker's view that the modern world is more peaceful than previous eras. Desklib offers similar essays and study tools for students.

1ANALYSIS AND ARGUMENT
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note
ANALYSIS AND ARGUMENT
The following paper attempts a discussion on the essay that was penned down by Steven
Pinker in the year 2012. The essay is entitled “why the world is more peaceful” and opines that
the present-day situation is one of the most peaceful eras of the human history. The present-day
world is known to demonstrate a lower rate of brutality and crimes as compared to the earlier
eras of the human civilization.
The essay in discussion attempts a discussion on the present-day criminal scenario as
compared to the one that existed within the societies that were present in the earlier days. The
author of the essay argues that there have been greater amounts of the barbarity that was
demonstrated by the people in the earlier days of the civilization (Pinker). The author tends to
argue on the fact that the peaceful existence of human beings tends to be at stake when there is a
high tension in the background regarding the victimization to the various criminal activities
within the concerned area. The author further argues that the constant threat to the institutions
that support the activities related to the art and culture tend to minimize the scope of the
flourishing of the cultural aspects of the culture of the organization (Pinker). These institutions
were threatened to be destroyed by the highly spread fires and loots that were conducted by the
people who never supported the wide spreading nature of the cultural aspects within the society.
The author further states that though the criminal activities are still existent within the
world, there are found major instance of the peaceful coexistence among the people all around

2ANALYSIS AND ARGUMENT
the world. The author suggests that the uprise and the maintenance of the criminal logic within
the organization tends to spring from the issue of the glorification of the various violent activities
that have taken place in the past. These might include the incidents that involved the injecting of
a lethal drug for the killing of a murdered in Texas, some incidents of the occasional hate crimes
that are implemented by the hooligans in order to intimidate a certain minority community within
the given society (Pinker). The other instances that might be stated in this case refer to the
physical violence that is implemented by the parents on their children. This leads to the
conditions wherein the fear is instilled within the minds of the children regarding the actions that
they might face on doing activities that are disapproved by their parents. This was considered to
be a part of the slavery that has long been abolished but was retained in the disciplinary actions
that were undertaken by the parents (Pinker). The activity of the various states to wage war
among themselves or even lead to war like situations might also be considered to be an act of
violence that is glorified by a certain section of the society.
The authors further opine that the increase in the commercial activities tend to lead to the
conditions of decreasing violence within the present-day society. The increase in the commercial
activities have led to the conditions of higher requirement of the physical as well as
technological support within the various organizations that are involved in the commercial
activities that have been taking place within the countries. The authors claim that this situation
can be dated back to the Middle Ages (Pinker). During the Middle Ages, the countries and
nations were observed to have been establishing the various trading relationships with each other
which in turn led to the exchange of the various goods and ideas thereby creating a harmonious
exchange among the nations. The exchange resulted in the availability of the required goods and
ideas in a peaceful manner without having to resort to the violent ways like the wars (Pinker).

3ANALYSIS AND ARGUMENT
The author further states that the advent of the business attitude among the various nations also
helped in the development of the transportation system that were used by the nations thereby
leading to the useful and positive changes in the scenario that had been existent in the then
world.
Thus, in lieu of the above discussion, it might be pointed out that the advent of the
technology actually led to the setting of peace within the world from the various violent activities
that were practiced within the world. This in turn leads to the conditions wherein the modern
world is observed to be more peaceful than the earlier times.

4ANALYSIS AND ARGUMENT
Works Cited
Pinker, Steven. “Why the World is More Peaceful.” 2012. Academic Writing, Real World
Topics, edited by Michael Rectenwald and Lisa Carl, Broadview Press, 2015, pp. 626 –
635.