Frightening and dangerous are two different things
Not everything that is frightening is actually dangerous. The perception of risk makes something frightening, but danger is only correlated with actual risk.
Rosling explains:
Because “frightening” and “dangerous” are two different things. Something frightening poses a perceived risk. Something dangerous poses a real risk. Paying too much attention to what is frightening rather than what is dangerous—that is, paying too much attention to fear—creates a tragic drainage of energy in the wrong directions.[1]
see also:
- Perception is Reality
- Fear Instinct hinders thinking by confusing risk with fear
- Availability Heuristic overestimates likelihood of events
Factfulness – Rosling, et al. (2018), ch. 4, § “Fear vs. Danger: Being Afraid of the Right Things” (p. 122). ↩︎