當下即是比較好的時代

Every day, we read news articles about war, shootings, pollution, inequality, and the threat of nuclear weapons. These stories may suggest that the world is in its worst state ever, especially for those who are marginalized.

如今，日常新聞里充斥著戰(zhàn)爭、槍擊、污染、不平等、核武器……世界似乎變得越來越糟糕，尤其是對邊緣人口來說。

But in a new TED talk and book, Harvard professor and acclaimed science writer Steven Pinker argues the world is not that bad. In fact, he says, humanity is improving every day. When you look at the data, our world is the best it's ever been.

然而，哈佛教授兼著名作家史蒂芬·平克認為，世界并沒有那么糟糕。事實上，人類每天都在進步。從數(shù)據(jù)來看，我們生活在有史以來最美好的時代。

Pinker also happens to be the author of Bill Gates' favorite book, "Enlightenment Now." Published in early 2018, the book chronicles human progress and concludes that now is the best time to be alive.

他是《當下的啟蒙》一書的作者，這是比爾·蓋茨最喜愛的書籍。該書記錄了人類取得的進展，并得出結(jié)論：現(xiàn)在是有史以來最美好的時代。

Pinker relies on data to back up this claim. Here are a few takeaways from his talk:

最近，他在TED發(fā)表演講，用數(shù)據(jù)支撐自己的觀點。

Thirty years ago in the US, there were 8.5 homicides for every 100,000 Americans, 35 million tons of particulate matter (a hazardous type of air pollution), and a poverty rate of 12%. Today, those figures are 5.3 homicides, 21 million tons of particulate matter, and a 7% poverty rate.

三十年前的美國：自殺率為十萬分之8.5，顆粒物(一種危險的空氣污染物)達3,500萬噸，貧困率為12%。今天的美國：自殺率降至十萬分之5.3，顆粒物降至2,100萬噸，貧困率降至7%。

In 2017, the world had 12 ongoing wars, 60 autocracies, 10% of its population in extreme poverty, and 10,325 nuclear arms. But in 1988, those stats were 23, 85, 37%, and more than 60,000, respectively.

2017年，世界上有12場戰(zhàn)爭、60個獨裁政府、10%的極端貧困人口、10,325件核武器。1988年，數(shù)據(jù)分別為：23、85、37%、60,000多。

While 2017 may have seemed like a bad year for terrorism in Western Europe, with 238 deaths, 1988 was worse, with 440 casualties.

2017年，恐怖主義在西歐猖獗，造成238人死亡。但在1988年，傷亡人員達440人。

For most of human history, life expectancy was around 30 years old worldwide.Today, it is more than 70 years old,and in most developed parts of the world,it's over 80.

在漫漫歷史長河的大部分時間里，全球人類的平均壽命約為30歲。如今，全球平均壽命超過70歲，部分發(fā)達國家甚至超過80歲。

Just 250 years ago, a third of children in the world's richest countries did not live to see their fifth birthday.Today, less than 6% of children in the world's poorest countries die before they reach age 5.

250年前，在全世界最富裕的國家里，三分之一的兒童活不過5歲。如今，在全世界最貧困的國家里，只有不到6%的兒童活不過5歲。

Today, less than 10% of the world subsists in extreme poverty, but 200 years ago, 90% did.

200年前，90%的人口生活在極端貧困中。如今，這個數(shù)據(jù)降至10%以下。

O ver the last century, w e've become 96% less likely to die in car accidents, 88% less likely to be killed on the sidewalk, 99% less likely to die in a plane crash, 95% less likely to be killed on the job, and 89% less likely to die from a natural disaster.

過去一百年來，人們死于車禍的概率下降96%，走在路上被人殺死的概率下降88%，死于墜機的概率下降99%，死于工傷的概率下降95%，死于自然災(zāi)害的概率下降89%。

The amount of time we devote to housework has fallen from 60 hours a week to fewer than 15 hours a week. (However, that latter figure is higher for women than men.)

過去一百年來，人們的家務(wù)勞動時間從每周60小時減少至每周15小時。(不過，女性的家務(wù)勞動時間多于男性。)

Literacy is at an all-time high. Before the 17th century,just 5% of Europeans could read or write. But more than 90% of the world's population under the age of 25 can read and write today.

識字率達到空前的高度。在17世紀以前，只有5%的歐洲人能夠閱讀或?qū)懽?。如今，在全世界所?5歲以下人口中，90%以上具備讀寫能力。

Pinker defines progress as problem-solving, and says humanity should think of issues like climate change and nuclear war as problems to be solved, not "apocalypses in waiting." Another over-arching argument of the book is that the world should feel grateful for the progress it has made.

平克認為，進步就是解決問題。他說，人類應(yīng)該把氣候變化和核戰(zhàn)爭當作有待解決的問題，而不是即將來臨的末日。另外，他認為，人類應(yīng)該對目前所取得的成就心懷感激。