3 ms·

When I was 8-12 years old I used to run all over the neighborhood and play. Those are some of the best memories of my childhood. Would my parents be arrested to

by api 12y ago

When I was 8-12 years old I used to run all over the neighborhood and play. Those are some of the best memories of my childhood. Would my parents be arrested today? Humans are so awful at statistics. Obsession over tiny insignificant but emotionally charged risks (terrorism, child abduction, nuclear meltdowns, etc.) is causing all kinds of social pathologies while at the same time we ignore big systemic risks like vehicular death or looming realistic potential doomsday scenarios like rapid-falloff fossil fuel depletion (EROEI cliff) or abrupt climate change. Children are something like 100000X more likely to die in your car than they are to be taken by a child predator. We really need a mandatory high school course in statistical reasoning.

eliben 12y ago
> Humans are so awful at statistics. Obsession over tiny insignificant but emotionally charged risks (terrorism, child abduction, nuclear meltdowns, etc.) is causing all kinds of social pathologies Yep, humans aren't rational. The above is one of the reasons why the insurance industry is so huge.
- closetnerd 12y ago
  No dude. I think they're just trusting in a sense. Critical people would probably argue its laziness but I disagree. These obsessions aren't there own doings but voiced and argued by the governments in the first place. Its unfortunate, but the only criticism that can be placed on the people is that they should be less trusting of people. And effectively thats saying "its your fault for not knowing there are assholes out there, not the fault of the assholes". Which may or may not be a fact, but its definitely a mind fuck to think about.
pmalynin 12y ago
The child predator thing is also blown enormously out of proportion. 80% of cases involving children and sexual assault involve someone who the child already knew (like a family member, or a family friend).
closetnerd 12y ago
Its just another way for the governments to shift more responsibility on to us while they pocket some of our money. More time we have to worry about everything else, the less time we have to be critical of our governments.
- techsupporter 12y ago
  In a government made up of humans, is it not possible for a human to make a mistake and for the mistake to be noticed, examined, and magnified by a free press?
desas 12y ago
My local school doesn't allow < 11 year olds to walk to school by themselves, they have to be escorted right into the school gate, which is off the main road and down a 150m footpath. Standing at the top of the footpath and watching them walk in isn't allowed. Failure to comply means that child services will be called in. Once you turn eleven, walking 1.2 miles unsupervised to the nearest secondary school is expected. Not to be an old Yorkshireman but when I was nine I had a one mile walk at the side of a busy A road and looked after my five year old brother going to the neighbouring school.

by api 12y ago

eliben 12y ago

> Humans are so awful at statistics. Obsession over tiny insignificant but emotionally charged risks (terrorism, child abduction, nuclear meltdowns, etc.) is causing all kinds of social pathologies Yep, humans aren't rational. The above is one of the reasons why the insurance industry is so huge.

closetnerd 12y ago
No dude. I think they're just trusting in a sense. Critical people would probably argue its laziness but I disagree. These obsessions aren't there own doings but voiced and argued by the governments in the first place. Its unfortunate, but the only criticism that can be placed on the people is that they should be less trusting of people. And effectively thats saying "its your fault for not knowing there are assholes out there, not the fault of the assholes". Which may or may not be a fact, but its definitely a mind fuck to think about.

pmalynin 12y ago

The child predator thing is also blown enormously out of proportion. 80% of cases involving children and sexual assault involve someone who the child already knew (like a family member, or a family friend).

closetnerd 12y ago

Its just another way for the governments to shift more responsibility on to us while they pocket some of our money. More time we have to worry about everything else, the less time we have to be critical of our governments.

techsupporter 12y ago
In a government made up of humans, is it not possible for a human to make a mistake and for the mistake to be noticed, examined, and magnified by a free press?

desas 12y ago

My local school doesn't allow < 11 year olds to walk to school by themselves, they have to be escorted right into the school gate, which is off the main road and down a 150m footpath. Standing at the top of the footpath and watching them walk in isn't allowed. Failure to comply means that child services will be called in. Once you turn eleven, walking 1.2 miles unsupervised to the nearest secondary school is expected. Not to be an old Yorkshireman but when I was nine I had a one mile walk at the side of a busy A road and looked after my five year old brother going to the neighbouring school.