Pinker Flashcards
What are the general areas of Pinker?
Feminisation escalator of Reason Expanding circle of sympathy (e) gentle Commerce Modernity Humanistic value system
Define gentle commerce
(Cues:
What does it eliminate?
What does it depend on?)
When exchange of benefits reduces tension in conflict, by eliminating incentive to attack as countries benefit from pacifism.
Depends on if other country has something they want
Why did countries priorities change, and how?
Give an example.
(Cues:
Middle Ages, China)
In the Middles Ages, plundering was made illegal, causing trade to increase. Meaning less violent deaths.
e.g. China/Vietnam: ideology changed from communism to capitalism, so priority changed from national glory to making money.
What is a phenomenon that supports gentle commerce, and who said it?
Alan Fiske - countries will trade ‘useless gifts’ in order to ‘maintain active networks of exchange’ as ‘keeps peace amongst them’
What did Yamaguchi say about feminisation? What did he mean by this quote?
Is this true?
‘Only people who should be allowed to govern countries with nuclear weapons are mothers’
Meaning: women will avoid violence to protect children, whilst men are more violent and have more reason to compete.
Men HAVE carried out majority of genocides/more violent tendencies, whilst women take more leadership in pacifist/humanitarian institutions
When is female-tilted value system possible?
In society safe from predatory invasion, as can afford to be friendly and not defensive.
What will men do to a female-tilted value system?
Men will refuse peace to take advantage, causing women to be worse off if can’t protect themselves
How do tribes demonstrate violence of feminisation?
Tribes go to war to abduct women/avenge past abductions - showing how more violent if don’t treat women well.
How does feminisation improve culture?
What does it reduce?
Less cultural focus on ‘manly honour’ (toxic masculinity and approval of insults/violence.
Reduces areas of male-on-male violence occurrences as pacifistic.
List two forms of feminisation.
A) Social/sexual arrangements favouring women.
B) Equality in numbers
How does social/sexual arrangements favouring women cause feminisation?
Marriage reduces testosterone/life of crime, as mens priorities change from competing to raising children.
How does equality in numbers cause feminisation?
Use China as example
- Men at war, less males = causing males to be seen as more valuable.
Girls aborted, causing surplus of males + more brawling. - The rich marry now scarce girls, poor left to brawl.
- Poor create gangs, sustained by violence/work
- Country can afford to lose all spare men, so reduce gangs through war of attrition.
What must countries do to stop this INequality of numbers?
- Stop gynecide to balance out women/men ratio.
- Allow reproductive rights, not baby factories
- Less offspring, less overproduction of males, less violence
Name three effects of surplus of men.
1) Outnumber elders - reduced respect
2) Men are under/unemployed
3) Men marginalised as women taken by richer/older men, nothing to lose so turn to gangs.
Name three steps of expanding circle of sympathy.
1) Cosmopolitan society = more contact w/ diverse ppl, so take their POV
2) Change responses to well-being; start loving enemies, feeling their pain
3) Choose pacifism over aggression.
