The Ostrich Paradox

Why We Underprepare for Disasters

De: Robert Meyer, Howard Kunreuther

Narrado por: Don Hagen

We fail to evacuate when advised. We rebuild in flood zones. We don't wear helmets. We fail to purchase insurance. We would rather avoid the risk of "crying wolf" than sound an alarm.

Our ability to foresee and protect against natural catastrophes has never been greater; yet we consistently fail to heed the warnings and protect ourselves and our communities, with devastating consequences. What explains this contradiction?

In The Ostrich Paradox, Wharton professors Robert Meyer and Howard Kunreuther draw on years of teaching and research to explain why disaster preparedness efforts consistently fall short. Filled with heartbreaking stories of loss and resilience, the book addresses:

• How people make decisions when confronted with high-consequence, low-probability events - and how these decisions can go awry
• The six biases that lead individuals, communities, and institutions to make grave errors that cost lives
• The Behavioral Risk Audit, a systematic approach for improving preparedness by recognizing these biases and designing strategies that anticipate them
• Why, if we are to be better prepared for disasters, we need to learn to be more like ostriches, not less

The Ostrich Paradox is a must-hear for anyone who wants to understand why we consistently underprepare for disasters, as well as private and public leaders, planners, and policy makers who want to build more prepared communities.

©2017 Robert Meyer and Howard Kunreuther (P)2017 Gildan Media LLC

Reseñas de la Crítica

" The Ostrich Paradox boldly addresses a key question of our time: why are we humans so poor at dealing with disastrous risks, and what can we humans do about it? It is a must-hear for everyone who cares about risk." (Daniel Kahneman, winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics and author of Thinking, Fast and Slow)

Digestible and important

Audiobook is a good way to experience this book. The narrator is not too dry and the material of the book is interesting and important to consider. Full of real, widely known examples, the authors ground their work with empathy for all humans and propose tangible solutions for the issues that plague us all. Overall, a great book and audiobook.

Good book, Good narrator.

This book does a good job with explaining why stuff happens the way it does and why we react the way we react. It really makes you think about how one might change future decisions when they themselves are in any position of authority. Great read, highly recommended.