Civilized to Death: The Price of Progress

New York Times bestselling author Christopher Ryan questions the widespread belief that progress and civilization are inherently positive. Many of the wonders of modernity, he suggests, are based more on propaganda than scientific fact. While prehistoric life was not without certain serious disadvantages, the lives of our foraging forebears were far from nasty, brutish, or short-despite what we've been led to believe. On the contrary, today's "enlightened" societies have much to learn from our "primitive" ancestors. At a time when our health, our society, and our planet all feel increasingly imperiled, an accurate understanding of our species' true nature is vital to a clear sense of the ultimate value of civilization-and its costs. In Civilized to Death, Ryan argues that we should look back to the past to navigate our way to a better future.