Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress

In this fascinating yet frustrating work, Pinker (The Stuff of Thought) argues that as bleak as they may seem, modern times are not as dark as they appear. The values and techniques that arose from the Enlightenment have guided humanity into a better world at an uneven pace, which can be verified through statistical analysis guided by those same values. The material produced is a wide-ranging and deeply interesting examination of many aspects of culture over time, from agriculture to gun ownership. This exploration is a bit marred by the reliance on long lists and digital charts; though they are included as PDFs, listeners not sitting at a computer may struggle to follow along. The breadth of the material covered is commendable, but small errors, omissions, and a tendency to dip into the irrational techniques the author decries are noticeable to a listener in the know, and that tends to undercut the author's credibility, e.g., the author failed to address the Deepwater Horizon tragedy while discussing oil spills. Emphasizing the potential problems of a successful white male academic explaining why the world isn't so bad, the author has the poor taste to include extensive quotes from Louie C.K. and Woody Allen without commentary on their actions. He also fails to speak to the problems of underreported statistics such as sexual abuse and harassment. Both the author and narrator Arthur Morey frequently come across as talking down to the listener, which can make for an unpleasant experience.