8. Skin Cancer, People
You know what the real danger is when you’re traveling abroad for a fun little getaway? Skin cancer. Here’s a scary fact: “Each year there are more new cases of skin cancer than the combined incidence of cancers of the breast, prostate, lung and colon.” Yeah, just think about that for a second. It’s a proven statistical anomaly that you and a terrorist will ever cross paths, but skimp on the sunscreen and you very much will be in trouble. Okay, that was not intended to terrify you (it’s fine, sunscreen works); it was intended to point out that it’s entirely possible to spend more time worrying about a dumb threat than it is to worry about very rational threats right in front of us.
9. You Aren’t Afraid, You’re Uncertain
I love how this is put: “Appreciate that what’s bothering you is not risk itself but your uncertainty as to the degree of it.” We’re not statisticians. Even more, no one can ever know when and where a terrorist will actually strike. That level of uncertainty can be nearly paralyzing. And, hey, guess what? Scientists have done studies that indicate that a small possibility of receiving a painful electric shock causes people more stress than knowing for sure that a shock was on the way. In other words, the uncertainty that something bad will happen is worse than actually knowing something bad will happen.
10. If You Stop Traveling, the Terrorists Win
Yes, I am completely aware of how hokey that sounds, but it’s nonetheless true. A terrorist’s goal is to spread (surprise!) terror. If you cave in and avert your plans, then they have, in essence, won. As President Obama said recently, “Their primary power, in addition to killing innocent lives, is to strike fear in our societies, to disrupt our societies so that the effect cascades from an explosion or an attack by semiautomatic rifle … We defeat them in part by saying you are not strong, you are weak.” Obama continued, “We send a message to those who might be inspired by them to say you are not going to change our values of liberty and openness and the respect of all people.” Word.
