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We’ll All Just Smile and Nod when it Finally Arrives

By udradmin00
Oct
28
2011

one day -- buckshot.jones

You may be worried about the apocalypse. If you’re a regular at this site, you’re probably quite familiar with it. On a deep personal level, you may even be scared about it, but dissuade yourself often that such a thing could never happen. Chalk that up to being human and being optimistic. When the apocalypse comes, we may just deny its actually arrived.

Researchers in Europe designed a test for participants to determine how people planned for negative events in the future. It turns out, our optimism may screw up our reasoning, even with statistics of said negative events to aid us.

This human propensity toward optimism is facilitated by the brain’s failure to code errors in estimation when those call for pessimistic updates. This failure results in selective updating, which supports unrealistic optimism that is resistant to change.

Statistically, if you think bad things may happen more often — and plan accordingly — you’ll be better prepared. It’s not far stretched to be advised in your zombie apocalypse planning to engage the possibility of natural disasters, meteors and avalanches at the same time.

Be aware of your own optimism. Right now you may be thinking “ah, but when it does hit the fan, I’ll be surviving with my mates in the Army base the next state over, and we’ll all drink beer and have a laugh”. It’s a good idea, and you’ve taken a few steps towards your survival. Perhaps you’re still a little too happy about the whole thing. This is the apocalypse. Someone has to die. Plan for that eventual bite.

Thanks to Reader Lisa for the tip.

How unrealistic optimism is maintained in the face of reality  via

IO9 : Your brain won’t allow you to believe the apocalypse could actually happen 

Filed Under: Brains · Science · Undead

5 million infected

  • 1 Dookie791 Oct 28, 2011 at 3:15 pm

    Wow, so… We should think like very, um… un-optimistic? That would ruin the point of me stocking up my shelter with things to amuse me for years to come and food and an ozonator (or whatever it is called) to purify my water. Me fortifying a barn and cleaning it to make it more pleasant to hold out in. Well, I guess I should consider that it could happen before I’m done getting ready.

  • 2 cynthia Gonzalez Nov 8, 2011 at 3:23 am

    This is all fake.

  • 3 Cody Nov 22, 2011 at 11:18 am

    cynthia you have no idea how real this is.

  • 4 Dookie791 Nov 22, 2011 at 12:27 pm

    Cynthia, if this is all fake, Why would you make an account? and post a reply? Think. That is what people need to do. Think.

  • 5 Cody Nov 23, 2011 at 11:22 am

    lol you tell her