# The Better Angels of Our Nature by Steven Pinker

4 Hacker News commenters recommended The Better Angels of Our Nature by Steven Pinker and 1 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 3 of 13 months.

**Verdict:** Recommended to show how far society has come; critics say it ignores major problems and historians dispute its claims.

## Why people recommend it

- Companion read on human progress (2 comments): "For a different perspective you should read Better Angels by Pinker." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46478174)) "See also Pinker's book Better Angels." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48304720))

## What people warn about

- Ignores major problems (1 comments): "Sometimes he says smart stuff but he ignores or actively disregards massive problems" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48306336))
- Has many issues (1 comments): "Pinker’s The Better Angels of Our Nature had lots of issues." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49872720))
- Historians dispute its claims (1 comments): "historians took a lot of issue with his claims" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49874673))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [The Cuckoo's Egg by Cliff Stoll](https://hackerapproved.com/p/cuckoo-s-egg.md): 40 recommend
- [Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman](https://hackerapproved.com/p/amusing-ourselves-to-death.md): 36 recommend
- [The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt](https://hackerapproved.com/p/anxious-generation.md): 24 recommend
- [Bullshit Jobs by David Graeber](https://hackerapproved.com/p/bullshit-jobs.md): 20 recommend
- [Enshittification by Cory Doctorow](https://hackerapproved.com/p/enshittification.md): 19 recommend

## Where to get it

- [See price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/0141034645?tag=hackerapprove-20) (affiliate link)
- [Bookshop.org](https://bookshop.org/a/130825/9780141034645) (affiliate link)

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "The Better Angels of Our Nature by Steven Pinker", https://hackerapproved.com/p/better-angels-of-our-nature/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).