Economic libertarians and Christian evangelicals, united by their common enemy, are strange bedfellows in today's Republican party, just as the two Georges - the archconservative Wallace and the uberliberal McGovern - found themselves in the same Democratic Party in 1972. Steven Pinker archconservativebedfellowchristian share on social
Reading is a technology for perspective-taking. When someone else's thoughts are in your head, you are observing the world from that person's vantage point. Steven Pinker headobserveperson Change image and share on social
If anything, Powerpoint, if used well, would ideally reflect the way we think. Steven Pinker ideallypowerpointreflect Change image and share on social
All our behaviours are a result of neurophysiological activity in the brain. Steven Pinker activitybehaviourbrain Change image and share on social
When people talk, they lay lines on each other, do a lot of role playing, sidestep, shilly-shally and engage in all manner of vagueness and innuendo. We do this and expect others to do it, yet at the same time we profess to long for the plain truth, for people to say what they mean, simple as that. Such hypocrisy is a human universal. Steven Pinker engageexpecthuman share on social
An eye for beauty locks onto faces that show signs of health and fertility - just as one would predict if it had evolved to help the beholder find the fittest mate. Steven Pinker beautybeholderevolve Change image and share on social
I think that communism was a major force for violence for more than 100 years, because it was built into its ideology - that progress comes through class struggle, often violent. Steven Pinker buildclasscommunism Change image and share on social
For one thing, before the 20th century, there were plenty of genocides. We tend to forget about them, partly because they weren't as well documented and partly because, until recently, people didn't care. We used euphemisms like 'sackings' and 'sieges' instead of calling them 'genocides.' Steven Pinker 20thcallcare share on social
People know there is a difference between what you do and what you accept. There is a difference between me knowing that people swear, me hearing people swear and me swearing, and everyone accepting that this is something you can do as much as you like. Steven Pinker acceptdifferencehear share on social
Roads, better harnesses for horses, time-keeping devices, financial instruments like a currency that was recognized everywhere in the kingdom, enforceable contracts - all of this made commerce more appealing than plunder. Steven Pinker appealcommercecontract share on social