Risk taking is currently seen as a negative personality trait, right up there with a rigid morality.

It’s understandable, from a certain viewpoint. If you want to create a society that is malleable to the desires of those in power, then you do not want people taking actions on their own, or having opinions that do not conform to current mass thinking.

People are glad to buy into the illusion of stability and safety that goes along with that, because most people desire safety and sameness above all. I’d cite an example, but there really is no need. It’s easy to see in every part of life.

In an emergency or disaster, things are radically different. The rules that applied a few seconds ago are out the window.

As people in New Orleans and Haiti found out, you can’t (more…)