Pain and humiliation distract children from pondering what they did wrong.

Steven Pinker

In 1987 only half of Americans thought it was always wrong for a man to strike his wife with a belt or stick.

Steven Pinker

No two countries with a McDonald's have ever fought in a war.

Steven Pinker

We find that living in a civilization reduces one's chances of being a victim of violence fivefold.

Steven Pinker

Part of the bargain of being alive is that one takes a chance at dying a premature or painful death, be it from violence, accident or disease.

Steven Pinker