TED Talk Summary
This discussion explores the provocative ideas presented in Steven Pinker’s TED Talk as well as another academic source, offering a thorough analysis of the advancements and difficulties that our world is currently confronting. In his TED Talk, Pinker challenges the widely held negative perception of the status of the world by making a strong case supported by facts (Pinker, 2018). When analyzed via the prism of statistics, the discussion provides a novel viewpoint on the advancements made by humanity in the last several decades.
Reflections on Data Trends and the Optimism Project
A few salient aspects caught my attention; first of all, the data Pinker provides shows considerable advancements between the worlds of thirty years ago and now. There have been notable decreases in murder rates, child mortality, severe poverty, and life expectancy (Pinker, 2018). These tendencies align with the project on optimism that we have been studying this semester. The facts and information we have learned during the course highlight how far mankind has come in a variety of areas.
I found Pinker’s explanation of cognitive biases and the nature of journalism to be quite interesting. He correctly noted that concentrating on bad news and the availability heuristic, which causes us to remember bad things more efficiently, might distort our picture of the world (Pinker, 2018). This feature struck a chord with the course topic, which discussed how the media prioritizes bad news and how this adds to our gloomy worldview.
Scholarly Perspective on Dr. Pinker’s Findings
I discovered an academic source that supports Pinker’s optimistic viewpoint and adds another level of understanding. Similarly, Richard Horton’s article “Prescriptions for an Age of Apprehension” addresses the status of the globe today. Horton stresses that we are clearly living in a better society while acknowledging the anxiety of the modern day. Like Pinker, he draws attention to Hans Rosling’s concept of an overdramatic worldview, which favors a gloomy outlook in spite of notable advancements. Horton emphasizes how solid our intellectual base, healthcare infrastructure, and political commitment to development aid are.
This piece supports Pinker’s assertion that we ought to acknowledge the advancements and assets we have inherited. Moreover, in line with Pinker’s focus on the use of information to promote human happiness, Horton emphasizes the significance of viewing health, global health, and medical research as national strategic assets (Horton, 2019). As a result, both sources stress how important it might be to use knowledge and moral values in order to keep improving human well-being.
References
Horton, R. (2019). Offline: Prescriptions for an age of apprehension. The Lancet, 393(10190), 2478. Web.
Pinker, S. (2018). Is the world getting better or worse? A look at the numbers. TED Talk. Web.