On Wednesday Barack Obama extolled the virtues of progress at a White House press event. Here is what he said:
The truth of the matter is that for all the challenges we face, all the problems that we have,…if you had to choose any moment to be born in human history, not knowing what your position was going to be, who you were going to be, you’d choose this time. The world is less violent than it has ever been. It is healthier than it has ever been. It is more tolerant than it has ever been. It is better fed then it’s ever been. It is more educated than it’s ever been.
As a historian it is hard to argue with Obama here. I wonder what Christopher Lasch would say?
As a historian it is hard to argue with Obama here.
That's Steven Pinker's thesis.
http://www.npr.org/2013/05/31/175619007/is-the-world-a-less-violent-place
One might argue it was more true before Barack Obama took office.
Provably less true before Ronald Reagan took office.
Your call. ;-O