Bill Gates & Steven Pinker discuss Enlightenment Now | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

The book "Enlightenment Now" highlights the immense progress humanity has made, despite the popular perception that things are getting worse.

Key Insights

• 📈 Progress: Measures of violence, hunger, infant and maternal mortality, and traffic accidents have all improved significantly over the last few decades, showing that humanity is making progress in multiple areas.
• 🌍 Disconnect: There is a disconnect between the actual improvement and people's perception of the past being better or the future being worse. Understanding where this disconnect comes from is important.
• 📰 News Bias: The nature of news focuses on negative events rather than positive ones, leading to a skewed view of the world. Positive progress is often overlooked in news reporting.
• 💡 Ideas Matter: Despite the odds being stacked against us, understanding how the world works and focusing on making people's lives better bit by bit can lead to success. Ideas have the power to create positive change.
• 🧪 Intellectuals' View: The concept of progress through gradual improvement is not popular among 21st-century intellectuals. However, the evidence shows that this approach is effective.
• 🌟 Positive Message: There is a need to spread a positive message about progress and the potential for further improvement. Highlighting the successes can inspire and motivate people to work towards a better future.
• 🔎 Curiosity: As a psychologist, the speaker is curious about the disconnection between improvement and people's perception. Understanding the psychological factors behind this disconnect is important.
• 📚 Book Inspiration: The speaker's next book, "Enlightenment Now," was inspired by the graphs showing improvement in various areas. The aim is to provide a comprehensive understanding of progress and how we can continue to improve.

Transcript

Do we morph into each other or? You can do this with software, you know. Well I loved Better Angels of Our Nature. I’m even more thrilled about your next book, Enlightenment Now. I was inspired to write it after I finished Better Angels of Our Nature, which had all of these graphs showing measures of violence in decline. And people started to write... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: Why is there a disconnect between the actual progress humanity has made and people's perception of it?

One reason for this disconnect is the nature of news, which focuses on negative events rather than positive developments. Good news is often overlooked and not given enough attention, leading to a skewed perception of the world.

Q: What are some examples of the progress showcased in "Enlightenment Now"?

The book highlights various improvements, such as the decline in violence, hunger, infant mortality, maternal mortality, traffic accidents, and even deaths from lightning strikes. These examples demonstrate how humanity is consistently making positive advancements.

Q: How does the author argue that ideas matter for progress?

The author believes that understanding how the world works and striving to make people's lives better can lead to progress, albeit gradually. Despite the challenges humanity faces, embracing this perspective can pave the way for continued improvements.

Q: Why is the concept of progress not popular among modern intellectuals?

The idea of progress is often met with skepticism among 21st-century intellectuals because it suggests a linear trajectory and a departure from certain philosophical and cultural perspectives. However, the author argues that the facts support the notion that progress is achievable, albeit in incremental steps.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The author was inspired to write "Enlightenment Now" after receiving feedback on their previous book, which revealed the tremendous improvements in various aspects of human life.

• The book showcases the decline in violence, hunger, infant mortality, and many other positive developments.

• The author discusses the disconnect between these improvements and people's pessimistic perception of the past and the future.