Our better selves are NOT the exception. The bad stuff just gets a lot more press. Of the over 6 billion people on this planet, the vast majority live pretty much in peace with each other, and more are becoming prosperous every year.

The number of people who die in wars each year is a fraction of the population. In 2002, it was estimated at a bit over 170,000. It's certainly more now, but even if you double that, the toll runs to about a tenth of a percent. Not much consolation for those actually in the conflicts, but as a species, there's remarkably little conflict, even in crowded areas.