Death and Destruction? Stats show it's getting better.

Violence is everywhere. Drug wars in Mexico, war in the middle east, war in Africa, shootings in the USA, riots in Europe. Yet stats are showing this to be one of the most peaceful times in the history of mankind. This theory is the basis of three books, one of which is Harvard Psychologist Steven Pinker. He figures that, with evolution, we get smarter. With intelligence, violence declines. Over the centuries, the human race have developed a higher value on human life. Murder rates have fallen, racism has fallen, genocide has fallen, and discrimination has fallen, just as examples. Pinky says that even when you add terrorism, the world is far more peaceful."Terrorism doesn't account for many deaths. Sept. 11 was just off the scale. There was never a terrorist attack before or after that had as many deaths. What it does is generate fear," he said.

Despite it being a hard concept to understand, the numbers are still standing. Times now, although they don't seem like it, are the most peaceful in history

Paul Ford, News from Africa

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