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31 Things Many People View As Unsafe When Actually They Are More Than Safe

31 Things Many People View As Unsafe When Actually They Are More Than Safe

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Humans are a hilarious bunch. We’ll happily snap a selfie teetering off a cliff, but hand us a yogurt that’s a day past its “best by” date and suddenly it’s a threat. Our sense of danger is just extra these days.
Think about it: microwaves are still accused of “zapping DNA”, and plenty of folks swear cracking your knuckles is a one-way ticket to arthritis. But many of these so-called threats are more bark than bite.
So, why do we treat the harmless like horror? Well, one Redditor wondered the same thing and asked, “What’s actually safe, but people still think it’s really dangerous?”
More info: Reddit

#1

31 Things Many People View As Unsafe When Actually They Are More Than Safe
Flying on airplanes.

srekar-trebor replied:

If you traveled by car to the airport and made it, you already survived the most dangerous part of your trip.
48points

#2

31 Things Many People View As Unsafe When Actually They Are More Than Safe
Eating food that’s a bit past the sell by date.

imacmadman22 replied:

Exactly. You can safely eat most expired foods with just a few exceptions. In particular anything that is dry, like beans, rice, cereals, baking mixes, etc. Leftovers are usually good if refrigerated shortly after cooking for about three to four days, after that, toss it.
The only things I will not trust are things that have been previously frozen, shellfish, fish, meat and dairy products. Those items can have serious consequences if you eat them when they are spoiled.
I smell everything because I use it and if it doesn’t smell right, it’s gone. I was a chef for thirty five years, it’s not that hard for anyone to sort out what is good and bad when it comes to food.
Smell your food when it’s good, so you have a point of reference if you think something is bad.
47points

#3

31 Things Many People View As Unsafe When Actually They Are More Than Safe
MSG.

Emu1981 replied:

The only "dangerous" thing about MSG is that it contains sodium so if you are on a sodium controlled diet then you need to take MSG into account in the same way that you would table salt.
47points

Some people love creating drama, no doubt, but it seems our imagination is particularly good at inflating danger. We don’t just notice risk, we create it. Heating up leftover pizza? Nuclear alert. Butter left out for a couple of days? Armageddon. But why do we do this?

Well, fear was designed to protect us, and honestly, it does a pretty good job. Our amygdala, the brain’s tiny drama queen, is basically an internal alarm system, flipping out at possible threats. Which makes sense if a bear interrupts your morning jog, but the same system will also freak out over chem trails.

#4

31 Things Many People View As Unsafe When Actually They Are More Than Safe
Vaccines.

BlackDante replied:

Idk man my friend's cousin's wife's coworker got the covid vaccine and the next morning he woke up dead
47points

#5

31 Things Many People View As Unsafe When Actually They Are More Than Safe
For most people, (i.e. those without celiac), Gluten.

EvilSnack replied:

There was a comic in The New Yorker which showed to people sitting at a cafe table. One of them says, "I went gluten-free two weeks ago and already I'm fifteen percent more annoying."
45points

#6

31 Things Many People View As Unsafe When Actually They Are More Than Safe
Talking to homeless people. Yeah, they might be looking for money, but typically they aren’t seeking to harm anyone. They’re just hungry, cold, and isolated. Give them the human decency of eye contact and acknowledgment, even if you don’t want to give them anything.
43points

We’re also notoriously bad at judging invisible or unfamiliar dangers. That’s why nuclear power, which is statistically safer than oil or coal, gets slapped with the “ scary” label. Meanwhile, driving, which rakes in over a million deaths a year worldwide, barely raises an eyebrow. That seems a little upside-down to me.

And here’s where it gets really interesting: risk perception . The pros say we judge danger not just with numbers, but with feelings. If something seems uncontrollable, unnatural, or mysterious, it automatically earns a spot on our personal fear list. Flying is a perfect example.

#7

31 Things Many People View As Unsafe When Actually They Are More Than Safe
Extremely sharp knives.

SlobMyKnob1 replied:

In fact, extremely sharp knives are way safer than dull knives
43points

#8

31 Things Many People View As Unsafe When Actually They Are More Than Safe
Spiders. Like unless you bother them, you're probably good. They just wanna eat the annoying bugs and chill.

You dont look like food to them.
41points

#9

31 Things Many People View As Unsafe When Actually They Are More Than Safe
Cracking your knuckles. No, it doesn’t damage the joint, it compresses an air pocket through a tight space created by the movement of your bones.
39points

Airplane travel is the safest form of transportation, yet some folks cling to the armrest like it’s their lifeline during takeoff. Why? Because they’re not in control. Compare that to driving, where you’re behind the wheel - suddenly it feels safe, even though statistically, it’s way riskier. Our brains are basically trolls.

Food fears are no different. MSG has been extensively studied and deemed safe by the FDA and other health authorities worldwide. But because it sounds like a “chemical” and carries decades of bad press, it still makes people nervous. I think we just love to freak out over fancy words.

#10

31 Things Many People View As Unsafe When Actually They Are More Than Safe
Microwaves relax, it’s heating your pizza, not your DNA lol.
38points

#11

31 Things Many People View As Unsafe When Actually They Are More Than Safe
Letting kids play outside.

InanimateSensation replied:

I find it funny that the same people that romanticize about their childhoods being free from technology, going outside until the streetlights come on, not a care in the world, etc. are now the same parents that are worried to let their kid leave the house or make them keep a phone with a tracker. And no, the world is not "more dangerous now". There have always been crazy people.
They miss their "freedom" but force all these restrictions on their own kids.
36points

#12

31 Things Many People View As Unsafe When Actually They Are More Than Safe
Leaving butter on the counter, unrefrigerated.
35points

Some fears have been passed down like family heirlooms. Butter left on the counter? Perfectly fine for a few days. Cracking your knuckles? Annoying to listen to, but not harmful. Microwaves? They heat your food, not start a war against your DNA.

And yet, our brains treat all these like threats lurking in the shadows. It’s like having an overprotective parent living in your head: dramatic, loud, and not always right.

#13

31 Things Many People View As Unsafe When Actually They Are More Than Safe
Trick or treating. You hear about it every year the d***s and razor blades being “hidden” in candy. Seldomly has this occurred.
34points

#14

31 Things Many People View As Unsafe When Actually They Are More Than Safe
“Chem Trails”.

BadTouchUncle replied:

Yeah but they make the frogs gay. That's not nothing.
34points

#15

31 Things Many People View As Unsafe When Actually They Are More Than Safe
There has never, ever, been a recorded instance of someone using a mobile phone at a petrol pump and there being an explosion.
32points

But what do we do with all this fear? For starters, recognizing that fear isn’t always logical can help us relax. The more familiar and transparent something becomes, the less scary it feels.

At the end of the day, not every danger is as menacing as it looks. Sometimes it’s just our brain going full drama queen over the butter dish, or our neighbor’s obsession with banning microwaves.

So, the next time you hesitate over day-old leftovers or debate whether it’s “safe” to swim after eating, remember: your brain loves to catastrophize. The scientist? Not nearly as worried.

#16

31 Things Many People View As Unsafe When Actually They Are More Than Safe
Nuclear power - the safest energy source humanity has ever known.
31points

#17

Drag queens reading books to children
31points

#18

31 Things Many People View As Unsafe When Actually They Are More Than Safe
Sleeping in a closed room with no open windows while running an electric fan.

Many (most ?) Koreans think doing the above results in death.

My mom just about died when she found out I’d been doing this for years. Guess what, mom? I’m still alive! 😂.
29points

#19

31 Things Many People View As Unsafe When Actually They Are More Than Safe
Paper wasps. They're incredibly docile. Every year they build a nest above my back door. Even if there's dozens of them swarming around, they won't bother you if you don't bother them.

They're fascinating creatures to observe. You can actually feed them by hand by dipping your finger in syrup, honey or anything sugary. They'll lick it right off. Five years of co-existing with them, and I have yet to get stung. Plus having their nest over the door deters burglars.
28points

#20

31 Things Many People View As Unsafe When Actually They Are More Than Safe
Swimming after eating. You won't get cramps. Ask around. Nobody has. Ever.
26points
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