1.3 When Risk is Misjudged

Scene Title: The Shortcut Dilemma
Visual: Liza and John walking out of the office. A rainstorm is coming in. Two
paths appear: a longer safe sidewalk and a short flooded alley.
Script:
John:
“Let’s take the shortcut through the alley. We’ll beat the rain.”
Liza: (hesitates)
“It’s flooded. You don’t know what’s under that water—slippery pavement,
broken glass…”
John:
“Come on, I’ve done it before. It’s no big deal.”
(Cut to: John slipping, dropping his phone in water.)
Liza:
“That’s what happens when you underestimate risk. Just because nothing’s
gone wrong before doesn’t mean it’s safe.”
John: (wiping off phone)
“Okay, point taken.” I am wrong, I thought nothing will happen as I have done
this many time.
Liza: Its not like that John its about you Misjudged the risk and you slipped,
because you judged the risk based on your past experiences.
So the key learning for you John,
This is how every individual personally evaluates the likelihood and severity of
a risk, which can differ significantly from objective assessments or expert
evaluations.
Factors like personal experiences, emotions, and cultural values influence risk
perception.
John: This was a great learning for me as I use to judge the risk only based on
my past experiences and that’s wrong in-fact I should judge the risk leaving all
my bias towards it.
Visual Overlay:
•Flashback montage of headlines: “Minor risks, major consequences”
•Graphic: “Familiarity bias = risk blindness”
•Quick tips banner: “Think twice, even about everyday choices”