Comments on: Falsehood of the risk perception (UPDATED) http://thesoapvox.com/2007/08/22/falsehood-of-the-risk-perception-updated/ All the stuff that goes through Vox's mind, including SF/Fantasy books, open source software, linux, security, and many other geeky pursuits. Sat, 22 Nov 2008 05:57:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Rich Griffith http://thesoapvox.com/2007/08/22/falsehood-of-the-risk-perception-updated/#comment-2813 Rich Griffith Wed, 22 Aug 2007 20:50:30 +0000 http://thesoapvox.com/2007/08/22/falsehood-of-the-risk-perception/#comment-2813 Mines are recently in the news and you will hear (or I have heard) people say things like "Mining people have bought the gubment so that safety inspections don't happen" and "mining used to be safe but not any more" and other mining is horrible stories. Those around listening just nod. Then I will do something annoying... "Really? Why do you say that? How many accidents do you know about that aren't talked about?" Not to take away from the mining accident in the news now, but the fact that it IS news speaks to the rarity doesn't it? Car accidents almost never make the news except for traffic reports and you don't see people trying to recall all cars. (Insert Bridges and other infrastructure here as well). Flavor of the month fear-mongering is bad journalism but here to stay I'm sure. Mines are recently in the news and you will hear (or I have heard) people say things like “Mining people have bought the gubment so that safety inspections don’t happen” and “mining used to be safe but not any more” and other mining is horrible stories. Those around listening just nod.
Then I will do something annoying… “Really? Why do you say that? How many accidents do you know about that aren’t talked about?” Not to take away from the mining accident in the news now, but the fact that it IS news speaks to the rarity doesn’t it? Car accidents almost never make the news except for traffic reports and you don’t see people trying to recall all cars. (Insert Bridges and other infrastructure here as well).
Flavor of the month fear-mongering is bad journalism but here to stay I’m sure.

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