Risk

I just read a fascinating article in a back issue (March 1) of the Economist, about the concept of risk, contrasted Americans' and Europeans' acceptance of risk and danger vs. protection and regulation. The accepted wisdom is that Americans are more adventurous, entreprenurial, accept risk more easily, but it showed how the EU and its citizens have their issues too. In all the debate though, the article goes on to say, both places are incredibly risk-averse in daily life compared to the rest of the world. Russia is used as the example, but everything it said could have been referring to Peru. The developed West has removed most major risks from everyday life, yet we insist on trying to eliminate it completely. To people in other countries it is absurd, because everyone knows that bad things happen. In fact, as we try to create risk-free environments, it sometimes backfires. The article cites a British experiment in which a psychologist monitored the behavior of cars driving past him as he rode his bike. When he wore a helmet, they were much more likely to zoom past at close range. Without the helmet (and more, with a woman's wig) the cars gave more space. In other studies, wearing seatbelts or having anti-lock brakes did not decrease hazards, because they gave a false sense of security and encouraged aggressive driving. And in a Dutch experiment, nearly all road signs were taken away, forcing people to be more attentive. That last one is a lot like Peru. The few signs that exist are mostly for decoration, and driving is chaotic. We still cannot get used to feeling 6 inches from an accident throughout most trips. But it's true, people are more alert, and I see far less actual crashes than on an average D.C. commute. There's just not the same need here to safety-proof everything. Few kids use car seats, few seat belts even work, sick dogs in the street, poorly built structures, babies with hard candy, corrupt police, etc. Security in any form is hard to come by. It often drives us gringos crazy, we just want to shout, "that's not safe!", but maybe I need to take a step back. Here's a quote: "On both sides of the Atlantic, the net result is the same: a huge risk-avoidance endeavor which reflects the illusion that everyday life can be made almost perfectly safe. Whenever something bad happens - a child has an accident on a school trip, a window-cleaner falls off a ladder - the immediate call is for something to be done, and if the state doesn't oblige, lawyers will. " (I suppose that includes things like suing McDonald's for being overweight). The idea that life should be free of safety concerns, and more, that the government should ensure that, would be seen by Peruvians as simply naive. It is a psychological adjustment, and in some areas frustration feels justified - in the medical world, for example, where you put your life or the life of a loved one literally in someone else's hands. But that's a post for another day.
In any event, the article certainly made me think.