by Danielle Stephens, Head of Accounting and Finance
When continually reading about “Death and Destruction,” it is no wonder we begin to think we might be nearing an end. Unfortunately, the media feels that good news is not news, and we are fed only sensationalism. Sadly, it does sell newspapers.
With two World Wars this century, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Afghan and Iraqi wars, unrest in the Middle-East and Africa, daily doses of murder, terrorism and genocide, it is no wonder we become negative, believing we are far more violent.
And what a surprise to realize we are more peaceful than any time in history---any time in history. A Harvard psychologist, Steven Pinker, recently wrote a book entitled “The Better Angels of our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined.” It is peer reviewed, is intensely sourced and documented, and was followed by two other authors essentially reporting the same outcomes. As civilizations have evolved, the number of people killed in wars is 1000 fold less in the 20th century than in early millennia. Today, there is an average of 60 people killed in war or genocide per 100,000 population vs. 500 per 100,000 population only a few centuries before.
Naturally, of interest is WHY the decline, especially after reading every morning’s newspaper. According to Steven Pinker, much of it is due to our higher IQ. IQ test scores have consistently risen over time, despite their being adjusted constantly to keep the mean at 100. As we get smarter, we learn there are other ways to settle disputes. Or perhaps it is simply because human life is more precious today.
This is also another reason to value our agricultural communities and the strong moral values encouraged there. We see lower levels of violence and mayhem in rural communities than in urban. We are incredibly blessed to be involved in the agricultural industry and should always recognize and appreciate such a profound environment.
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