Peace article with pic by Judy Green
from w
An article in Saturday's Age newspaper was illustrated by my cousin's daughter, Judy Green, so here is her picture.
The writer of the article, Steven Pinker from Harvard University, says that there has been a decline in violence over the centuries. It certainly does not seem so because in the present time we are inundated with images and stories in the daily news about atrocities and man's inhumanity to man. However he said we are moving forward.
Perhaps today there are many people out there who do recognize violence as obscene and that something ought to be done about it.
Are we getting kinder and gentler?
Labels: Judy Green, Steven Pinker, violence
posted by Peceli and Wendy's Blog at 6:37 PM
2 Comments:
Maybe it's just that we actually expect people to be able to get along...even if they don't.
Historically speaking, it wasn't all that long ago when anyone you saw along the road while traveling was presumed hostile and you greeted any stranger with a drawn dagger...until you both agreed to sheathe your weapons and shake hands.
There are certainly different perceptions about 'strangers'. I presume that people are mostly okay so I don't carry a weapon, yet some people do have a huge anxiety. Surveys in our city and petitions show that people want more police presence in the city streets, older people want more security. People lock up their homes so tightly. I just walk around without thinking that groups of youth hanging about the mall might want to steal my purse!
However when I'm in Fiji, particularly Suva, I am more cautious and not as carefree as when I once lived in Toorak unafraid of anything or anyone.
It's an interesting article the guy wrote because his premis goes against the perceptions that many people have that our world has become more violent. I might edit the post and add quotes from the article when I have time.
w.
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