Witches, Floods and Wonder Drugs: Historical Perspectives on Risk Management

Clark states, “Risk is a people problem” (287). After reading Clarks article and comparing it with Tufte’s work I completely agree with this statement. It seems to me that as humans, we have a difficult time removing ourselves from our fears. There is a lack of independence so to speak. Our fears start to dictate us. Be it taking out “insurance” through joining the Inquisition as to not be named a witch, or having extensive pre-release testing on drugs which is inefficient but guards us against litigation. Even when we have the facts in front of us, we still cannot make the right decision. (Think NASA launching Challenger when advised not to.) Perhaps, not only is it our fears that rule us, but the current discourses and institutions in power. Only when we can change our current ways of thinking and reduce the pull of conforming to these notorious intuitions will risk management become rational.