One of my pet hates is the extreme irrationality of people when faced with certain risks. Yes, I know the fears are understandable, it's just that it bugs me that in a world where we have so much information available to us, we can't seem to make decisions based on anything more than gut instincts...
Part of breaking down irrationality would seem to require some basic information concerning why people worry about particular things. Today's New York Times (free registration required) has a nice piece that outlines some of the main reasons for worry and gives examples of how people react.
After you've read the piece, think about how many government policy decisions seem to be based on irrational fears. But we can't just blame a government - we are all far too ready to look for a scapegoat for any problem or risk. Instead, we must consider how our opinions about risk are driving government policy decisions. As a simple example, there is incontrovertible evidence that many lives would be saved if everybody wore seatbelts in cars yet governments in some jurisdictions won't enforce it by law because of public pressure against it.
3:10:07 PM Your views []