%% [[Deciding]] tags:: #note/statement | #on/decisions | #on/anxiety | people:: # worry selectively Lon Setnik dates:: 2022-08-23 %% *Do not worry about mice when tigers are around.* 2.4  Worrying Selectively** Since all models are wrong the scientist must be alert to what is importantly wrong. It is inappropriate to be concerned about mice when there are tigers abroad." This reminds me of How modern humans struggle, [[modern ancient mismatch]], how our brains were made for ancient times [[Scarcity Mindset]] and now that we are in a time of information abundance we don't know what to pay attention to. It's kind of like [[Probabilistic Thinking]], and how humans are so poor at identifying real risk. This will allow us to [[focus attention]] on the right things instead of what is making us anxious. This is linked to [[all models are wrong but some are useful]], in how our brain constructs our [[Mental Model]]. This is a statement to be aware of what we are worrying about. All of our [[confirmation bias]] is in a reinforcement loop with our information sources to make us more and more extreme versions of ourselves. This matters because our energy should go into worrying about the right things. Suicide, gun violence, extremism, etc. Not falling victim to the [[availability bias]] of news, which is just fighting for our attention in the [[attention economy]]. ### What would the opposite argument be? Mice carry ticks, and just because you cannot see it, doesn't mean that it isn't dangerous (Lyme disease) ## Sources: [[The Extended Mind]]