Lately, it seems we’re living in some crazy times. After centuries of human history, we’re still contending with racism, sexism, terrorism, wars, famine and murders. Shouldn’t we, as a society, be past these things? It’s enough to make you wonder: are we getting better or worse?

Steven Pinker is an experimental psychologist, a professor at Harvard University and he’s been named one of the world’s most influential thinkers. In his latest book, Enlightenment Now, he ponders just how far we are progressing as a society and whether the future looks bright or bleak.

He joins Growing Bolder for a lively discussion about the times we’re living in and weighs in on where he thinks we’re heading.