I absolutely love your optimism, Steve Pinker... I feel like I've lost all faith in humanity, post-2016. Plus, I don't have as many neat graphs as you, to convince me that the better angels of our nature are winning this fight *sadface*
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Unlike climate, though, Democracy requires active human participation. Couldn't it be true that panicking about its end might, in fact, be part of the way in which it stays preserved?
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Exactly. Pinker should read fellow Harvard writer
@RobertDPutnam on declining social capital. A healthy democracy cannot exist without civic engagement and social trust. The ability to vote is secondary to community involvement. - 1 more reply
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We should take a closer look at the so-called democracies. In UK, Colombia and Brazil referendum results were disrespected by political elite. In European Union, huge power concentrated in burocrats in Brussels. That’s the threat: supressing from people real power of decision.
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Yeah but how about those examples you gave 20-50 years ago? I think there’s just more info available now so we can see what’s happening vs more blind trust in the past.
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I agree for the Nineties. You don´t see any rise of authoritarianism in the world at all at the moment?
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I believe Pinker argues the overall trend to democracy outweighs the (recent) uptake in authoritarianism.
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I would love to agree, but am not convinced.
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What data do you base that on?
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I am just a citizen, reading newspapers, so I am worried about recent changes for the worse in Pologne, Hungary, Turkey. But I will buy Pinker book enlightenment now, as soon as it is translated into german in autumn in order to see his data.
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Good to worry. I worry also.
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Im still asking, what is the evidence to claim realistically that american democracy is at risk with Trump...
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I would argue rule of law, the amazing US Constitution, the Bill of Rights and a good separation of powers at the executive level will save American democracy. For now...
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The world has never been more democratic in the sense that, thanks to freedom, prosperity and technology, people are more empowered than ever... but political democracy is a farce and it's definitely on its way out.
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It's not real democracy, it's a facade in front of pure capitalism for the rich.
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Yeah, but the crucial question is: does Pinker believe Israel is a democracy? Then, we can get somewhere with his grand narrative.
Thanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. UndoUndo
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pinker is on the koch brothers payroll, there can no longer be any doubt
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