Why Common Problems Are Often Worse Than We Realize
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/27/opinion/big-problem-paradox.html
A problem that affects a lot of people is more important than one that doesn’t, right?
Except that’s not how we human beings process the information, according to a new research paper. Telling people that a problem is prevalent tends to make them decide it’s less serious, the paper found. People think that the world is basically safe and that problems get addressed, so if something is common, they figure, how bad can it really be?
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/27/opinion/big-problem-paradox.html
A problem that affects a lot of people is more important than one that doesn’t, right?
Except that’s not how we human beings process the information, according to a new research paper. Telling people that a problem is prevalent tends to make them decide it’s less serious, the paper found. People think that the world is basically safe and that problems get addressed, so if something is common, they figure, how bad can it really be?