Walking in a big city can be intimidating. Having tons of metal thunder past us can easily make us feel insignificant. That’s why intersections have push buttons for pedestrians. Push buttons give us the power to control the traffic lights and make the cars stop. We are in charge. And that makes us feel better.
Many people have guns at home, not because they have been robbed before, but because guns are the epitome of control. These guns are bought for the only reason of increasing the level of perceived safety.
How would you feel if I told you that the next pedestrian walk button you’ll push is not connected to the traffic light? Would it matter to you or not?
This is not a cruel thought experiment I just made up. It really isn’t. In a New York Times as far back as 2004, it was revealed that over 75% of New York’s walk buttons are not longer functioning. That’s not because their maintenance lapsed, but because it was better for everyone. The traffic lights change completely without additional intervention, but as a placebo, they still have the same effect on pedestrians.
Owning a gun does not make your life safer, but it makes it more likely that you’ll kill yourself with it (in 2010 suicides constituted almost 62% of all gun deaths).
An insurance does not prevent an accident, and the news broadcasts are not necessarily relevant or true.
So I think, and know, I’ll push this button again. The placebo works as long as we are not sure whether it is one.