68. Bystander effect
Previously mentioned, the bystander effect refers to the fact
that people are less likely to do anything if they think others will do it. A
man lying on the ground in a sorry state is less likely to be helped by a crowd
than if someone came upon him while walking through the woods. We have a
tendency to avoid personal responsibility for events if possible, and if we are
not specifically called out, will avoid contributing. This condition arises
subconsciously, as simply as a reflex. Global risks conjure up the ultimate
bystander effect, as they effect the whole planet, but
so few do anything about them. Nick Bostrom points out that there are more
academic research papers published on Star Trek or the reproductive
habits of dung beetles than there are on global catastrophic risks.