Risk of dying by violence is 1/1,000th what it used to be

[mooncliff]

As flawed and violent and embarrassing as the world is now, it is a whole lot better, in almost every way I might add, than the world of the past. Another example of something that is not a little better but is ten times, a hundred times, a thousand times better.

We have come so far. We are almost all of the way there.

In the 22nd century, on Earth, there is no poverty and there is no war. Let's get there in the 21st.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mobile...n_1026723.html

There of course is a lot of controversy about what Pinker says. There are many discussions going on about this book. They are all part of trying to deeply understand this trend.

[c1ue]

Re: Risk of dying by violence is 1/1,000th what it used to be

Given that we're only 12 years into this 100 years, and EJ/iTulip are in the World War III camp, I'd say this pronouncement is a bit premature.

[wayiwalk]

Re: Risk of dying by violence is 1/1,000th what it used to be

+1.

I suspect TPTB are doing all they can to correct this trend.

[gwynedd1]

Re: Risk of dying by violence is 1/1,000th what it used to be

Is that a trend, or just the bottom of the boom-bust cycle?

[flintlock]

Re: Risk of dying by violence is 1/1,000th what it used to be

Violence goes up and down throughout history. I dont see that much of a long term downward trend seeing how we are just 12years in. Domestic violence has probably decreased. But how much do we really know about crime stats in china in the 3rd century AD. Yeah sure, the good ole days of beating your wife and harrassing Gays are mostly over, but is it really that much less violent today? Certainly there is more law and order in most countries today. Most. I suppose that has an impact. Violence is not seen as being an acceptable way of settling arguements las much as it used to be. At least not by the individual. Now the state, thats another matter.......

[lakedaemonian]

Re: Risk of dying by violence is 1/1,000th what it used to be

Define "violence" and "violent death".

Here's a couple examples of where indirect violence and/or totalitarianism resulted in millions and millions of preventable dead:

China 59-61
Biafra 1967-70
Bangladesh 1974
Kampuchea 75-79
Ethiopia 84-85
North Korea 1990's


I almost wonder if the article, when looked at with a broader perspective, may anecdotally show our current ending period of artificial economic awesomeness to be correlate with the end of a period of lower than average chaos/death.

I believe the lower corruption and lower crime stats the US has enjoyed in the past couple of decades could correlate with the artificially higher standard of living and quality of life temporarily enjoyed by so many with cheap credit and cheap energy.

As cheap credit and cheap energy ends I expect crime to go higher......shouldn't we expect the same result in terms of war/famine?

We haven't had a big "We Are the World" sized famine in a while....I'm afraid we may be well overdue when we look at the effects from this ongoing process on the 3rd/4th world.

I just don't belief in all the "enlightenment" stuff....we are who we are...and our fangs come out just like wild animals when the rainy season ends....the dry season begins...and the water hole shrinks.

[aaron]

Re: Risk of dying by violence is 1/1,000th what it used to be

I believe the lower corruption and lower crime stats the US has enjoyed in the past couple of decades could correlate with the artificially higher standard of living and quality of life temporarily enjoyed by so many with cheap credit and cheap energy.

It also correlates with legalized abortion. All those unwanted, future criminals were never born.

It also correlates with the rise in prison population. Lockin' 'em all up seems to be good. It also correlates with increased strength in marijuana; stoned people do not do violence.