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September 2008
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Worry warts: Possibility vs. probability

It’s a fact that if you live in a western city you have around one in one hundred thousand chance of being murdered by a stranger. If you smoke twenty cigarettes a day you have around one in two chance of being killed by cigarettes. But hardened smokers can still worry more about the possibility of being on the wrong end of a homicidal psychopath than the danger of smoking.

We worry about things that trigger our imaginations and often don’t concern ourselves with what really may threaten us. This kind of congnitive dissonance can apply to the possibility of natural disasters (such a rogue meteorite hitting earth, volcanoes or earthquakes) as compared to man made disasters such as terrorism or global warming which feel more likely according to this article ‘Our irrational fear’.

What frightens people can tell you more about them and the ideas they have been exposed to than the probability of real threat in their lives.

Ok that’s me done I’m off to watch Independence Day :)

Mark

1 Response to “Worry warts: Possibility vs. probability”


  1. 1 Frank Moore Jun 24th, 2008 at 9:43 pm

    I think your blog is right on point because it addresses the problems of excessive worrying. As a hypnotherapist in Chicago, I try to first tell my clients that everything in life happens for a reason and it’s important not to over-due it when worrying about taking risks in life. I really appreciate the input you have on this blog. Most people would do well from just doing a small part in contributing to their surroundings rather than just spend time worrying about their own fate.
    http://www.edgewaterhypnosis.com

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