慈善家、微軟的前首席執(zhí)行官比爾?蓋茨在Twitter上為剛畢業(yè)的大學(xué)生提供了許多有用的建議，其中一條表示，如果他能“給（他們）每人一件畢業(yè)禮物”，就會選擇史蒂文?平克的這本《人性中的善良天使：暴力與人性的歷史》（The Better Angels of Our Nature: A History of Violence and Humanity）。

本書被認(rèn)為是暴力與人性的歷史，曾經(jīng)入圍2012年塞繆爾?約翰遜獎（Samuel Johnson Prize），這個一年一度的英國獎項評選的是最優(yōu)秀的英語非小說作品。平克的出版方企鵝圖書（Penguin）在網(wǎng)站上表示，本書“與普遍觀點相反，認(rèn)為人類在數(shù)千年乃至數(shù)十年里，暴力傾向都在降低” 。

@melindagates @WarrenBuffett 9 如果我能給你們每人一件畢業(yè)禮物，那應(yīng)該就是這個了——我讀過的最受啟發(fā)的著作。

——比爾?蓋茨 2017年5月15日

自從蓋茨發(fā)表了這一系列推文后，本書的人氣就開始飆升，進(jìn)入了亞馬遜的Movers & Shakers榜單。該榜單是記錄了過去24小時之內(nèi)銷量增加最多的產(chǎn)品。本書的人氣增加了3,301%。在撰寫本文時，它的銷量排行已經(jīng)從第4,116名猛漲到第121名。蓋茨寫道：“（史蒂文?平克）展現(xiàn)了世界是怎么變得更好的。聽起來很瘋狂，不過確實如此。如今是人類歷史上最和平的時期?！?/p>

蓋茨除了推薦畢業(yè)生閱讀平克的暢銷書以外，還建議他們：“與給你挑戰(zhàn)、教你成長、讓你成為最好的自己的人在一起?！保ㄋa(bǔ)充道：“就像梅琳達(dá)?蓋茨對我做的一樣。”）他還表示如果他從今天開始白手起家，會選擇人工智能、能源或生物科學(xué)領(lǐng)域，他認(rèn)為這些都是“你可以造成巨大影響的前景廣闊的行業(yè)” 。（財富中文網(wǎng)）

譯者：嚴(yán)匡正

As part of a string of tweets packed with useful advice for new college graduates, the philanthropist and former chief executive of Microsoft told his Twitter followers that if he could "give each of [them] a graduation present" he would give them copies of The Better Angels of Our Nature: A History of Violence and Humanity by Steven Pinker.

The book, which was shortlisted for the Samuel Johnson Prize in 2012, an annual British prize for the best non-fiction writing in the English language, is described as a history of violence and humanity. Pinker's publisher, Penguin, states on its website that the book "argues that, contrary to popular belief, humankind has become progressively less violent, over millennia and decades."

.@melindagates @WarrenBuffett 9/ If I could give each of you a graduation present, it would be this--the most inspiring book I've ever read. pic.twitter.com/P67BuvpELJ

- Bill Gates (@BillGates) May 15, 2017

Since Gates posted his series of tweets yesterday, the book has surged in popularity, moving into Amazon's Movers & Shakers chart—a collection of the company's biggest gainers in sales rank over the past 24 hours. The book has increased in popularity by 3,301%, moving from position 4,116 in the sales chart to number 121 at the time of writing. "[Steven Pinker] shows how the world is getting better. Sounds crazy, but it’s true. This is the most peaceful time in human history," Gates wrote.

As well as recommending college graduates to read Pinker's bestseller, Gates advised them: "Surround yourself with people who challenge you, teach you, and push you to be your best self." ("As Melinda Gates does for me," he added.) He also revealed that if he was starting out today, he would work in artificial intelligence, energy, or biosciences, which he described as "promising fields where you can make a huge impact."