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，日常新闻里充斥着战争、枪击、污染、不平等、核武器……世界似乎变得越来越糟糕，尤其是对边缘人口来说。
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·平克认为，世界并没有那么糟糕。事实上，人类每天都在进步。从数据来看，我们生活在有史以来最美好的时代。
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《当下的启蒙》一书的作者，这是比尔·盖茨最喜爱的书籍。该书记录了人类取得的进展，并得出结论：现在是有史以来最美好的时代。
Pinker relies on data to back up this claim. Here are a few takeaways from his talk:
最近，他在TED发表演讲，用数据支撑自己的观点。
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.
三十年前的美国：自杀率为十万分之8.5，颗粒物(一种危险的空气污染物)达3,500万吨，贫困率为12%。今天的美国：自杀率降至十万分之5.3，颗粒物降至2,100万吨，贫困率降至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场战争、60个独裁政府、10%的极端贫困人口、10,325件核武器。1988年，数据分别为：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，恐怖主义在西欧猖獗，造成238人死亡。但在1988年，伤亡人员达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.
在漫漫历史长河的大部分时间里，全球人类的平均寿命约为30岁。如今，全球平均寿命超过70岁，部分发达国家甚至超过80岁。
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，在全世界最富裕的国家里，三分之一的儿童活不过5岁。如今，在全世界最贫困的国家里，只有不到6%的儿童活不过5岁。
Today, less than 10% of the world subsists in extreme poverty, but 200 years ago, 90% did.
200年前，90%的人口生活在极端贫困中。如今，这个数据降至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.
过去一百年来，人们死于车祸的概率下降96%，走在路上被人杀死的概率下降88%，死于坠机的概率下降99%，死于工伤的概率下降95%，死于自然灾害的概率下降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.)
过去一百年来，人们的家务劳动时间从每周60小时减少至每周15小时。(不过，女性的家务劳动时间多于男性。)
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.
识字率达到空前的高度。在17世纪以前，只有5%的欧洲人能够阅读或写字。如今，在全世界所有25岁以下人口中，90%以上具备读写能力。
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.
平克认为，进步就是解决问题。他说，人类应该把气候变化和核战争当作有待解决的问题，而不是即将来临的末日。另外，他认为，人类应该对目前所取得的成就心怀感激。
