Member-only story
The Fuel for Big War
Understanding what drives societies to conflict
“The Better Angels of Our Nature” by Steven Pinker is one of my favorite books about society. The author describes the history of humanity from a completely unconventional angle. He argues that, contrary to popular belief, the level of violence in the world is not increasing, but decreasing. The book takes us through the history of humanity as we know it — from ancient times to the present, and tells us that the world has become a safer place, not the other way around.
I am writing this article in early April 2025. What`s on the table so far? News headlines and articles warn us of a possible Third World War, another technological revolution is at the doorstep, and the economy, while maybe not exactly collapsing, definitely risks doing so. Narratives like these are an area of great fear for each of us, and there remains a high level of anxiety in our society.
In this article, I will not be considering the motives of wars or delving too deep into history. I do not have a magic crystal sphere to make predictions either. Instead, let’s focus on the major societal trends that historically preceded global conflicts. Are we seeing something similar today — in you and me?
