"We are not rational enough to be exposed to the press"

but, i don't want to get hit by lightning either.

I've got loads of stuff on the perceptions and management of risk and extremes if you're interested Mat, and am working on more. Most recent was a bit business oriented but focussed on miscommunications in risk management of Central European governments..

mat, are you a time Lord? The date in the bottom left hand corner......

btw - IMO the problem is how to help people update their heuristics rather than send them further and deeper into denial..

Dhamaka: that sounds interesting, thanks. most of what I know about risk perception can be summed up in one sentence: "the vast majority of people are utterly rubbish at understanding the real value of risk"

Twiglet: I've answered that question last week. :)

will dig you up some stuff

*retreats, bowing to Time Lord

hehe

Fab article, I havn't got the most recent article of NewScientist yet.

"the television media is destroying our probabilistic mapping of the world"

genius.

it's true, i very rarely see the new on tv, and i'm ashamed to say i'm not always clued up on the latest on terror! however i also don't have the worry either!

I've been saying that EXACT. SAME. THING. For three years.

Just turn the damned television off.

AMEN.

I understand the 'ignoring the news' and 'being sensible' point of this article - but at the same time, I find shelter when hiking above the treeline & a thunderstorm pops up. and with pete travelling an average of 2 weeks of every month, I worry about some violence befalling him - but i worry more about pilot error & weather than terrorist attack.
of course, i mostly drive the speed limit & wear my seat belt - maybe that makes me an over-reacting worrywart.

Bless you for posting this. Too many people need to hear it.

Excellent! Everyone should be able switch off the tv, and more people should actually do it.

i don't tend to watch TV at home... it runs through the same monitor i use for my pc...

so if i watch tv, the pc isn't on!
Not gonna happen too often!

oh, and great set.. i love the way it runs through the 3 pics...

If you fancy some hardcore Risk theory, Mat, try Ulrich Beck, who's kind of the start here of Risk Theory and takes a social perspective rather than a management one. He's one of my favourite sociologists and very readable. Perhaps you read him in philosophy? I wouldn't know.

Not that I'm suggesting you couldn't handle the less readable ones, but it's always nice when they make an effort.