Job Discussion Forums

fluffyhamster · Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2011 4:04 pm Post subject: Pinker's latest

Steven Pinker's got a new book out (about the decline of violence), the Guardian article on which includes an interview with the author:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/oct/15/steven-pinker-better-angels-violence-interview

johnslat · Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2011 4:22 pm Post subject:

Dear fluffyhamster,

I read a review of it - sounds very interesting. I don't always agree with Pinker, but I was pleasantly surprised to see (based on the review) that we shared very similar ideas about this topic.

Regards,
John

Sashadroogie · Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2011 5:15 pm Post subject:

Great! Thanks for sharing this Fluffy.

Here a TED video on the same topic from a while back:

http://www.ted.com/talks/steven_pinker_on_the_myth_of_violence.html

Captain_Fil · Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2011 5:26 pm Post subject:

Interesting interview.

But the man is overly optimistic.

Sad

johnslat · Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2011 5:57 pm Post subject:

Dear Captain_Fil,

Ah, you've read the book, I see. Would you counter his arguments for us, then?

Regards,
John

Captain_Fil · Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2011 7:17 pm Post subject:

Dear John,

Ahhh, but I know something of human nature. It does not really change.

All of this has happened before and all this will happen again.

Regards,

CF

johnslat · Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2011 7:38 pm Post subject:

Dear Captian_Fil,

Ah, but having been around for a while, I like to think that I, too, know something about human nature.

People don't change - how many times have you heard that? And it's quite true, I believe.

People don't change - human nature doesn't change.

But people's BEHAVIOR can (and does) change, and so can (and has) the behavior of the human race.

Hope you agree - otherwise, you're saying no one can ever improve.

Also hope you're planning to read the book - I am.

Regards,
John

Sashadroogie · Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2011 7:46 pm Post subject:

All we need is a proper Great Leader to help us engineer humanity's souls. Banish greed and hunger etc.

johnslat · Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2011 7:58 pm Post subject:

Dear Sasha,

Actually humanity's had a few such leaders: Zarathustra, the Buddha, Confucius, Muhammad, Socrates, Plato and the Stoics, the Jewish prophets, Jesus Christ, etc.

Problem is not enough followers who have truly practiced what those leaders
advocated.

Regards,
John

Captain_Fil · Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2011 8:08 pm Post subject:

johnslat · Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2011 8:18 pm Post subject:

Dear Captain_Fil,

Hmm, just what do you think humanity is made up of: zucchinis? Very Happy

Regards,
John

Captain_Fil · Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2011 8:32 pm Post subject:

Dear John,

No. Not zucchinis.

Humanity is made up of: wienies! Laughing

Regards,

CF

johnslat · Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2011 8:51 pm Post subject:

Dear Captain_Fil,

SInce I think it's unlikely that you've had the chance to make evaluations of all the humans on the globe, I can only hope that you're not indulging in projection:

Projection, also called projective identification, involves the tendency to see your own unacceptable attributes in other people.

As part of humanity, surely you don't consider yourself to be a wienie, do you?

Regards,
John

Captain_Fil · Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2011 9:35 pm Post subject:

Dear John,

No one is perfect. We've all been wienies.

I've been a wienie. You've been a wienie. Everyone has been a wienie.

(But I suspect that I've been a bigger wienie than you. Wink

)

Regards,

CF

johnslat · Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2011 9:42 pm Post subject:

Dear Captain_Fil,

I'm not quite sure what your definition of "wienie" is, but I probably have been one on occasion.

However, I'm sure we've both learned from our excursions into wienieness and are both better human beings today Very Happy

Regards,
John