> The whole "better angels of our nature" optimism thing kind of seems like sticking your head in the sand to me. I think it's a necessary counterbalance to a

> The whole "better angels of our nature" optimism thing kind of seems like sticking your head in the sand to me. I think it's a necessary counterbalance to a 24 hour news cycle that brings the most violent and strife-filled events into constant focus. It is easy to get the impression that the world is worse than its ever been. That's why it's important to take a step back and see a different perspective that accurately reflects how the world today compares to the past -- a past which we as humans are biased towards romanticizing anyway. > My current pessimism about the future is not a function of how bad things currently are-- it has definitely been much worse-- but that all the incentives are aligned toward making it worse and I don't see many people or forces aligned toward making it better. That is one perspective that may or may not manifest into measurable "worseness" in the future. Some people have a different perspective, and could point to things like: https://givingpledge.org/ https://givingpledge.org/