Optimism that kills. A large study of human recklessness. Wenkataraman bina

Why do people make murderous nonsense over and over again?

close their eyes to compliance with fire safety rules and provoke the death of hundreds of people. During the repair, carrying walls are demolished and cause the collapse of residential buildings.

secretly merge chemical waste into the sea and kill all living things thousands of miles around. Where does this almost magical faith come from in us, that everything will cost?

Bina Venkataraman, the former adviser to Obama on the climate, presents an innovative study of recklessness. With examples from ancient Pompei to modern Fukushima

, the author explains: why does humanity still step on the same rake, despite its vast experience? What role does our biological characteristics play in this, the environment and culture? And how can we stop our own recklessness?