Picture this:
You’re at a theme park, about to try a brand new roller coaster. It looks amazing. It’s been talked about in the news for months, and you’ve been so excited about it.
The theme park knows a wheel is broken and there could be potential danger ahead, but they don’t tell you.
They tell you it’s perfectly safe–and that everyone else is going to do it. They tell you LOTS of people have done it before you and they were fine. (They inflate those numbers a bit, but you don’t know it).
You’ve got some friends and family shaking in their boots on the sideline, this coaster looks bigger and different than any they’ve seen before. They’re shouting at you “Don’t do it!”
But, the majority of your friends are with you–try it! You’ll be so glad you did!
The theme park people are telling you it’ll be fine–you’ll thank yourself later for being so brave! People around the world will think you’re amazing! You’ll even get a sticker when you’re done!
One of the guys who built the ride is off to the side screaming loudly “DON’T DO IT!” but the theme park security drags him off. You brush it off, thinking he was just some crazy old man who wasn’t worth listening to.
You see that there’s potential risk–but they’re telling you it’s so safe and wonderful! And it looks SO fun! Besides, how many people really die from roller coasters? (Ignore the covered up, paid-off data from other well known parks, of course–that’s just anecdotal and can’t be proven.).
So you decide to move ahead with it. You’re at the top of the line, ready to get on the ride and put on the seat belt. They hand you a clipboard with a piece of paper that they want you to sign. It says you cannot hold the company responsible if you are hurt on this brand new, fantastic roller coaster. That if you die because of the new technology, your family won’t get a penny from the company. That if you end up with brain injury or heart attack or broken bones, they won’t help you. You’ll be out of work and suffering. The company is free from any liability at all. But hey, the ride is worth it.
Do you still get on the ride?