Lyubov Tsareva 12/15/2017 17:36
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Two of the leaders in the ranking richest people world, we are sure that in order to achieve something in life, you need to read books. Business Insider published their joint list of books that both gurus regularly recommend reading.
1. "Creativity, Inc." Ed Catmull
This is the history of Pixar, written by one of the founders of the giant computer animator. Catmull shares wisdom and talks about management and entrepreneurship, and also argues that any company should consciously avoid all sorts of things that can become an obstacle to the creativity of employees.
“I love learning first-hand how people build great companies like Pixar and innovate and creativity"- wrote.
2. "Gin: An Intimate Story" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
Genome science is hardly a mainstream subject of interest to the masses, but says Mukherjee has captured its relevance to everyday life people. It seeks to answer the big questions about our personalities and what makes us ourselves.
"Mukherjee wrote this book for the general public because he knows that new genome technologies are on the cusp of affecting us all in different ways," Gates said. Mukherjee is what Gates calls a "quadruple threat" - a practitioner, teacher, researcher and author.
3. “The Better Angels of Our Nature” by Steven Pinker
Zuckerberg admits that this 800-page book, written by a Harvard psychologist, is daunting. However, it is written easily. Zuckerberg credits Pinker's research with how the proportion of violence in the world has decreased over time, despite the increase in the 24-hour news cycle and the rise of social media. Gates also considers this one of the most important books he has ever read, as the book gives hope for changing the world for the better.
4. Gang Leader for a Day by Sujeer Venkatesh
Venkatesh is a sociology professor at Columbia University who participated in a radical sociological experiment by joining a Chicago gang in the 1990s. Zuckerberg says Venkatesh's story inspires communication across economic and cultural barriers.
5. Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari
We weren't always the only human species on Earth—about 100,000 years ago there were six, but only homo sapiens survived. How did this happen?
“Both Melinda and I read this book and it led to many wonderful conversations between us. dining table, Gates said. – Harari takes over difficult task: to tell the entire history of the human race in just 400 pages.” But the author does not dwell on the past. He looks to a future in which genetic engineering and artificial intelligence make our definition of “human” even more blurred. “I would recommend Sapiens to anyone interested in the history and future of our species,” Gates added.
6. “Putting Shoes on the Dog” by Phil Knight
Co-founder of Nike, published the first insider book about the world famous brand. Gates called the book a "refreshingly honest reminder" that the path to success is never a straight line, but a winding path rife with disagreements and mutual resentments.
"I've met Knight several times over the years," Gates said. “He’s terribly sweet, but he’s also quiet and it’s not easy to find out what’s on his mind.” Here Knight opens up in a way that few leaders are willing to open up.”
7. “The Structure of Scientific Revolutions” by Thomas S. Kuhn
Its look at the evolution of science and its impact on the modern world has made the book "one of the most cited academic books of all time," according to the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Zuckerberg believes that recognizing how scientific breakthroughs become catalysts for social progress can be a "force for social good." Kuhn's book is famous for introducing the term "paradigm shift" and provides examples in scientific history, when the perspective was significantly shifted, for example when quantum physics replaced Newtonian mechanics.
8. “String Theory” by David Foster Wallace
No, it's not about scientific theory strings The book is a collection of essays by Wallace, all of which revolve around one topic: tennis. This is the late author's favorite game. Gates says he was trying to get back into sports after some minor professional endeavors (like launching one of the largest tech companies in the world and becoming a famous philanthropist) got in the way. "You don't have to play or even watch tennis to love this book," Gates said. “Wallace wielded a pen as skillfully as Roger Federer wielded a tennis racket.”
9. Why Nations Fail by Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson
The authors argue that "extractive governments" use controls to ensure the power of a select few, while "inclusive governments" create open markets that allow citizens to spend and invest money freely. They also say that economic growth does not always indicate the long-term health of a country.
10. “The Three-Body Problem” by Xixin Liu
The Three-Body Problem was first published in China in 2008, and the recent English translation won the 2015 Hugo Award for Best Science Fiction Novel. The action takes place during Cultural Revolution Mao Zedong and begins when alien race decides to invade Earth after Chinese government secretly sends a signal into space. Zuckerberg called the book "fun" and a welcome break from heavier intellectual reading.
“A good book bears fruit by begetting other books; its fame expands from century to century, and its reading constitutes an entire era in the lives of readers,” said Thomas Carlyle in the 19th century. In the 21st century, the speed of information dissemination is even higher thanks, of course, to the Internet and social networks. Especially if the founder of the largest international social network, which has more than a billion registered users from all points globe– Facebook. Mark Zuckerberg continues his “A Year of Books”, and we, in turn, continue to follow this with interest.
After reading The End of Power by Moises Naim, Zuckerberg moved on to Steven Pinker's The Best of Us angels our nature"), The Better Angels of Our Nature: The Decline of Violence in History and Its Causes (2011).
Steven Pinker is a Canadian-American scientist, one of the world's leading experts in the field of psycholinguistics. He has taught in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is a professor in the Department of Psychology at Harvard University. His scientific research is devoted to the problems of language and cognition, and he has worked extensively on the issues of language acquisition in children. Steven Pinker was awarded the Troland Prize for his research in the psychology of language. National Academy Sciences, two awards from the American Psychological Association. He is a member of several scientific societies, including the American Academy of Humanities and exact sciences and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
The title "The Best of Us" is an allusion to English expression, which was used by Abraham Lincoln in the First Inaugural Address, which he delivered during his inauguration as the 16th President of America. That year the Confederacy was formed southern states, and Lincoln hoped to avert the impending bloodshed by speaking primarily to Southerners. Lincoln considered philanthropy, compassion, good will-benevolence, respect-tolerance to be “the best in us,” “the angels of our nature.” Lincoln believed that only this would ensure peace and harmony.
From the book's annotation: We've all read about bloody wars and shocking crimes and ask: “Where is the world coming to?” But we rarely ask, “How bad was the world in the past?” In this amazing new book, bestselling author and cognitive scientist Steven Pinker shows that the world was a much worse place in the past. With over a hundred graphs and maps, Pinker illustrates some startling numbers. Tribal wars were 9 times deadlier than the combined wars and genocides of the 20th century. The murder rate in medieval Europe was more than thirty times higher than it is today. Slavery, sadistic punishments, unjustified hasty executions were the best characteristics of life for thousands of years - and suddenly they began to disappear. Wars between developed countries have disappeared, and even in developing countries, wars kill a fraction of those they did a few decades ago. Rape, assault, hate crimes, child abuse, animal cruelty have all dropped significantly. How could this happen if human nature has not changed? What made people stop sacrificing children, stabbing each other with knives at the dinner table, or burning cats and disemboweling criminals as popular entertainment? Pinker argues that the key to explaining the decline in violence is awareness of the inner demons that drive us toward violence (such as revenge, sadism, tribalism) and the brightness that draws us in the other direction. Thanks to the spread of nationhood, literacy, trade and cosmopolitanism, we are much better able to control our impulses, empathize with others, negotiate rather than take by force, expose destructive ideologies, and use the power of our minds to limit impulses to violence. With his signature style and the intellectual passion that has made his past books international bestsellers and literary classics, Pinker will challenge you to rethink your deepest beliefs about progress, modernity, and human nature. This stunning work will certainly be one of the most talked about to come out this century.
You can read the details of the discussion of this book on the official
Shortlisted for the Samuel Johnson Prize 2012This acclaimed book by Steven Pinker, author of The Language Instinct and The Blank Slate, argues that, contrary to popular belief, humankind has become progressively less violent, over millenia and decades. Can violence really have declined? The images of conflict we see daily on our screens from around the world suggest this is an almost obscene claim to be making. Extraordinarily, however, Steven Pinker shows violence within and between societies - both murder and warfare - really has declined from prehistory to today. We are much less likely to die at someone else's hands than ever before. Even the horrific carnage of the last century, when compared to the dangers of pre-state societies, is part of this trend. Debunking both the idea of the " noble savage" and an over-simplistic Hobbesian notion of a "nasty, brutish and short" life, Steven Pinker argues that modernity and its cultural institutions are actually making us better people."One of the most important books I"ve read - not just this year, but ever... For me, what's most important about The Better Angels of Our Nature are their insights into how to help achieve positive outcomes. How can we encourage a less violent, more just society, particularly for the poor? Steven Pinker shows us ways we can make those positive trajectories a little more likely. That "s a contribution, not just to historical scholarship, but to the world" Bill Gates "Brilliant, mind-altering ... Everyone should read this astonishing book" David Runciman, Guardian "A supremely important book. To have command of so much research, spread across so many different fields, is a masterly achievement. Pinker convincingly demonstrates that there has been a dramatic decline in violence, and he is persuasive about the causes of that decline" Peter Singer, New York Times"[A] sweeping new review of the history of human violence... the kind of academic superbrain that can translate otherwise impenetrable statistics into a meaningful narrative of human behavior...impeccable scholarship" Tony Allen-Mills, Sunday Times "Written in Pinker"s distinctively entertaining and clear personal style...a marvelous synthesis of science, history and storytelling" Clive Cookson, Financial Times "Pinker"s scholarhsip is astounding...flawless...masterful" Joanna Bourke, The Times Steven Pinker is the Johnstone Family Professor in the Department of Psychology at Harvard University. Until 2003, he taught in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at MIT. He conducts research on language and cognition, writes for publications such as The New York Times, Time and Slate, and is the author of six books, including The Language Instinct, How the Mind Works, The Blank Slate and The Stuff of Thought.
The best angels of our nature . What a wonderful phrase! It appears in the last paragraph of Abraham Lincoln's first inaugural address in 1861. When I first wrote about it and used the words as a chapter in my book Caveman Logic(2009), I was very proud of myself for resurrecting a dramatic phrase from a century and a half of neglect. My self-sacrifice did not last long. In 2011, Steven Pinker named it the best-selling book on violence reduction in modern world. Because of this “joint discovery,” I hasten to add that in this article we're talking about not about Pinker's book, but about violence as such. I say this to warn readers who may have been drawn into criticizing Pinker's work or expanding on his themes.
Before Pinker's book, when "The Better Angels of Our Nature" was used, it often appeared as part of a sermon or opening address. I understand why. The phrase has a poetic and deeply inspiring sound. It usually appears in a sentence along with the words "call to". Special people or special circumstances calls to the “better angels of our nature” are considered.
I have always understood the phrase to mean that under certain conditions we must go beyond what comes easily or naturally. Whether in thinking or action, we must go within ourselves and think or act in a way that is somehow more evolved or enlightened. By definition, this will not be easy. For some it won't come at all.
The phrase “better angels” suggests that not all angels who inspire us are created equal. This is a strange thought. I grew up believing that “angels are angels.” But apparently Lincoln thought differently. Some of these alternative angels may be "worse" even if their agenda stems from a well-traveled path that comes more naturally.
Evolutionary psychology (see, for example, Susan Blackmore's book " Machine Meme" or Pascal Boyer's book " Religion") teaches us that not all ideas or cultural things are created equal. Some of them have no problem with how our minds work; others charge a lot social change or individually focused attention (commonly called "" these days) to resist. Not getting caught up in what we see around us will certainly require more work and may not get much on the way social support. Remember that these memes and cultural patterns exist for a reason. You can't just wish them on. But despite the difficulties and lack of consensus, the non-Caveman part somehow knows that this path is better than we can be proud of. Some might describe it as higher or purer. Some of us will view such changes in attitude or behavior as “progress.” And just as likely, some of us will resist change. Many of us, when conflicted about whether change is good, will look at what others are doing. Social norms can be a powerful force.
Nowhere has it been suggested that we call on the “better angels of our nature” all the time. It definitely takes some pressure. But it puts the spotlight on these special situations: we must call on those better angels and rally that extra energy when it really matters. At least we know it's an affordable option, and that's important. We know that sometimes it really is possible to let go of those default settings or shortcuts that Natural Selection has saturated our minds with. In the language of cognitive psychology, sometimes you have to use the algorithm and forget the heuristics. Choose kindness over meanness. Not being a bully even though we feel angry or want a specific outcome that could easily lead to m. Thinking about what we see or do and invading those "lesser angels" that are trying to force their way into our consciousness, like what something senseless and rude. Even though the same rude person may be doing his work on the minds of our friends and family, we can resist social pressure and consider the better angels of our nature. Doing what comes naturally, discovering the differences between “my tribe” and yours, reaching for weapons: these are the Pleistocene default settings. They are not our better angels. That's what Natural Selection, that ruthless efficiency expert, has shared his thoughts on. What made sense a quarter of a million years ago may be terribly outdated today, no matter how “natural” it may feel.
Natural selection acquired our species in the Pleistocene era and drove our ancestors into the 21st century. Now you may need time to get a hold of you. It is unknown how many millennia, if ever, it will take to clear the appeal of this wired circuit. It would be easier to face the world without this Pleistocene baggage rattling around in our heads (that's exactly the point Caveman Logic), but this kind of change is unlikely to happen in the foreseeable future. The alternative is that we acknowledge the clutter in our heads and strive to express those “better angels” anyway. As clinicians say, “Don’t believe everything you think.” It's okay to acknowledge the Pleistocene default settings in our minds, but not relinquish control over them - and to those around us who intrude on these lowest tendencies.
The irony is that the idea of "The Better Angels of Our Nature" was expressed by the President of the United States and at a time when the country was in turmoil. Do you think we're divided now? Lincoln was president during the Civil War: North against South, brother against brother, black against white, neighbor against neighbor. We killed each other back then, about 150 years ago, on battlefields that have historical markers on them today. But we were separated again. The issues that divide us may have changed over time, but we feel like two nations again: then it was Blue versus Gray; today it is red states versus blue states. Only this time we have elected a president who is using rather than trying to heal these units. Unfortunately, most this indulgence seems good, even natural. How do we resist? How do we cope when the President's character, as well as his behavior, often exemplifies the "worse angels of our nature?" And make no mistake: we all have “worse angels” within us. What we certainly don’t need is a role model—a means, if you will—to spy on these very low qualities in yourself.
Role models, especially those with authority, like presidents, are powerful figures. How much better would we be if the meanness of spirit and vindictiveness that lay within us all had not been given license to come out? Decades of Research social psychology(see Aiello et al., 2001; Zajonc, 1965) have demonstrated the power social assistance. May those of us chosen (or chosen) to lead use this gift for the benefit of our fellow men and worry less about our tribe.
* * A version of this article with slightly different content appeared in my book " Caveman Logic" (2009).
* * Sculpture of an angel on home page images by Jana Hoffman
Every day, each of us is bombarded with a stream of news with incidents that happened in different parts of the planet: wars, violence, rape, maniacs and murders. It seems scary to go outside. However, Harvard University psychologist Steven Pinker came to the optimistic conclusion that humanity is becoming less evil and aggressive.
Archeology, which specializes in the study of the history of violence, is called in the West atrociology (atrocity- cruelty, atrocity). Based on the results of this discipline and relying on the fundamental work of the German sociologist and cultural scientist Norbert Elias "On the Process of Civilization" (Norbert Elias. Über den Prozeß der Zivilisation / 1939), Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker argues that the established modern states norms human hostel gradually changed psychology, and people became more tolerant of each other. Western civilization as a whole played a big role in this.
Steven Pinker outlined his own conclusions in a plump intellectual bestseller " The best sides our nature. On the reasons for the decline in violence" (Steven Pinker. The Better Angels of Our Nature. Why Violence Has Declined). The Canadian scientist, using statistical data, argues in favor of his hypothesis and analyzes the reasons that, in his opinion, led to such positive results.
Steven Pinker cites archaeological evidence that in prehistoric times violent death every seventh person died. In contrast, the death toll in the first half of the 20th century in Europe, despite two world wars, reached "only" three percent of the population, according to the researcher. The author compares the approximately 55 million killed in World War II with the 40 million killed by the Tatar-Mongols in the 13th century.
And since the planet's population at the time Mongol conquests constituted only a seventh of the 20th century's population, Pinker contrasts the 280 million victims of Mongol bloodlust with the 55 million who died in World War II. The list includes the 20 most bloody pages in the history of mankind, the Second World War, according to Pinker, ranks 11th, and civil war in Russia (twentieth century) the most last place by the number of victims.
“In prehistoric settlements, from half to two-thirds of the inhabitants died a violent death,” writes Pinker. “For European cities, statistics were compiled on the basis of every 100 thousand population (although their population was then much smaller). It turned out that in the 14th-15th centuries In London, 55 people per 100 thousand people became victims of violence. In Oxford - 100, in Amsterdam - 50, in Rome - between 30 and 70. Now the annual statistics of murders in Rome is one person for every 100 thousand population. London - two people, in Oslo - also two (and even after Breivik’s terrorist attack on the island of Utøya, this will add no more than 16 people per 100,000. Now in Europe your chance of being killed is 10-20, or even 50 times lower). than 500 years ago."
In the United States, rape and murder rates dropped by 80 percent between 1973 and 2008 alone. And then the researcher mentions one piquant detail. It turns out that the intelligence quotient (IQ) of US presidents is directly related to the losses in the wars that the United States fought while in power. The lower the IQ of the owner of the White House, the higher the number of victims, Pinker writes in his book.
According to Pinker, many factors contributed to the improvement in the crime situation. One of the main reasons is that humanity is getting smarter. IQ tests show the increased intellectual level of the younger generation. The development of democracy, the spread of education that promotes rational thinking and prevents, as psychologists say, emotional short circuits.
The author believes that commerce also played a huge role in the history of Western civilization, thanks to which many people developed a sense of altruism. He also noted the increasing role of women who have ceased to be passive. Pinker argues for this thesis by the fact that women began to use contraceptives for family planning, which reduced the birth of (unwanted) offspring.
Back in the late 1980s, Canadian evolutionary psychologists Martin Daly and Margo Wilson, in their book “Homicide,” put forward the thesis that there was much more violence in the lives of people in the past, and the lives of most of our ancestors were more frequent. than today, ended in murder. Of course, there have been periods in history when aggression retreated, but they were too short to be explained evolutionary mechanism natural selection.
Unlike the outstanding Austrian ethologist and Nobel Prize winner Konrad Lorenz, in particular, the author of the book “Aggression” (Konrad Lorenz. Das sogenannte Böse. Zur Naturgeschichte der Aggression), who in the 1960s argued that aggressiveness is innate, instinctively determined property of all higher animals and species Homo sapiens , for the psychologist Pinker, the answer is rooted in the human spirit, more precisely in that highly organized system of cognitive and emotional abilities of the individual, which are realized in the brain and owe their basic design to evolutionary processes.
Let us recall that the founder of ethology considered “intraspecific aggression the most serious danger that threatens humanity in modern conditions cultural-historical and technical development".
Like Konrad Lorenz, also on rich factual material, using the results of previous studies of his colleagues, Pinker comes to the conclusion that a person is able to master his five inner demons: predatory and exploitative instincts aimed at achieving his own benefit or, for ideological reasons, the desire for domination - authority, glory and power - revenge and sadism.
Against these five demons, Steven Pinker sets up four so-called “better angels of our nature” - as he once called them American President Abraham Lincoln. By these Pinker means self-control; empathy or understanding emotional state another person through empathy; morality and reason, which together form a striking connection.
