I should clarify - what's the point of that particular argument. :-D
I heard an interesting interview on Diane Rehm a couple of months ago, about a new book out on the science of fear. Essentially, the catastrophic has more of a grip on our imaginations than things that can slowly hurt us. So while we're busy avoiding the catastrophic, but rare, situation, we're often putting ourselves in more danger. One of his examples was that after 9/11, a lot of people stopped flying, but there was a huge spike in the number of deaths from auto accidents. We fear something awful happening to our kids while they walk to school, yet what kind of harm are we doing by wrapping them in bubble wrap?
(Not that letting a four year old walk a half mile to school on his own is appropriate. But a fourth grader? Yeah. I suppose as long as the bus is picking up the four year old it might as well get the fourth grader, but as you say, those parents aren't letting them wait for the bus on their own anyway.)
no subject
:-D
I heard an interesting interview on Diane Rehm a couple of months ago, about a new book out on the science of fear. Essentially, the catastrophic has more of a grip on our imaginations than things that can slowly hurt us. So while we're busy avoiding the catastrophic, but rare, situation, we're often putting ourselves in more danger. One of his examples was that after 9/11, a lot of people stopped flying, but there was a huge spike in the number of deaths from auto accidents. We fear something awful happening to our kids while they walk to school, yet what kind of harm are we doing by wrapping them in bubble wrap?
(Not that letting a four year old walk a half mile to school on his own is appropriate. But a fourth grader? Yeah. I suppose as long as the bus is picking up the four year old it might as well get the fourth grader, but as you say, those parents aren't letting them wait for the bus on their own anyway.)