Nanny state shenanigans.

[meus-ovatio.livejournal.com]

The problem with our public safety mindset is that we keep reiterating the rarity of the perceived dangers. For instance, at a zoo where they have signs like, "A DINGO WILL EAT YOUR BABY! STAY BACK!" The idiot-masses just think, "Oh that only happens one in a million times. We'll be ok..." And so they put their kid over the fence and their baby gets eaten.

Instead, we should put up safety signs that emphasize your imminent doom by taunting. Instead of "STAY BACK! YOU WILL DIE!" They should say: "Go ahead, come on, I DARE YOU." This makes the possible danger incredibly more threatening, more viable and elicits inherently defensive reactions.

Poisoned rivers should not have signs that say, "NO SWIMMING." Rather, they should say, "HELL IF WE CARE, ENJOY THE CONVULSING DEATH SYNDROME!" And so on. Being too imperious and direct simply provokes people's "That'll never happen" reflex, and as we all know, lots of people have the "That'll never happen" reflex. It's time we start communicating with the idiot masses like idiots.

Comments

[meus-ovatio.livejournal.com]

I know that when I ignore safety warnings, it is only because they are for stupid people, and not for people like me.

[the-rukh.livejournal.com]

exactly.

[sandwichwarrior.livejournal.com]

or we should simply ban Warning Labels and let nature run its course. ;)

[meus-ovatio.livejournal.com]

Warning Labels are nature's course.

[johnny9fingers.livejournal.com]

Indeed. And part of our advantage....

[debergerac.livejournal.com]

they have nothing to do with safety. they have to do with lawsuits.

[meus-ovatio.livejournal.com]

Probably both, but I'm a notorious dualist.

[the-rukh.livejournal.com]

en garde!

Oh wait.