Faced with an endless stream of news about wars, crime and terrorism, it is not difficult to believe that we are living in the most terrible period in human history. But Steven Pinker shows in his amazing and exciting book that in fact the opposite is true: Violence has been declining for thousands of years, and we are likely living in the most peaceful time in the history of our species. In the past, wars, slavery, infanticide, child abuse, murder, pogroms, genocide, bloodshed, and genocide have all been business as usual. But in our reality, Pinker shows (including with the help of more than a hundred graphs and maps) that all these types of violence have decreased significantly and are increasingly condemned by society everywhere. How did it happen? In this revolutionary work, Pinker explores the depths of human nature and, combining history and psychology, paints a surprising picture of a world that is increasingly renouncing violence. The author helps us understand our complicated motivations—the inner demons that lead us to violence and the good angels who point us in the opposite direction—and traces how changing conditions of life have helped our good angels gain the upper hand. Debunking the fatalistic myths that violence is inherent characteristic of human civilization, and the times in which we live are cursed, this bold and touching book is sure to cause heated debate in the offices of politicians and scientists, and in the homes of ordinary readers, as it questions and changes our views on society.