Punchline

摘要

FIRST the good news-people are much nicer than they used to be and they are becoming steadily less violent. This is the thesis of Steven Pinker's absorbing and detailed survey of human behaviour that goes right back to early Christendom. His work is based on two arguments. The first is that the past was far more unpleasant than it was thought to be, whereas the present is altogether more peaceable, contrary to what many believe.