Have you ever noticed that it take some people several warnings to NOT do something to then not do that thing?
Shouting "STAY AWAY" or "DON'T DO THAT" doesn't seem to convey the message that it did a few years back. These days, you need to shout STAY AWAY and brandish a weapon and call their parents and threaten legal action to get someone's attention.
Sad that.
Anyway, this month's word of the month is Caveat. Caveat (or, a caveat) is: A warning or caution that advising someone to consider certain conditions or limitations before taking action.
Note the "before taking actions" part. So many times people ignore warnings simply because they fail to acknowledge the consequences or they ignore the warning them unless they are directly (or immediately) affected.
Take, for example, most every horror movie:
- Kids putting their hands in a dark hole in the ground always get eaten.
- Teenagers getting busy at a lake house always get killed.
- The creepy house in the middle of a forest is always haunted.
- Creepy forest always has a flesh eating monster waiting to eat you.
- Signs saying DON'T ENTER are always ignored and the people are never heard from again.
I'm laughing as I'm writing this but every movie is like this. "Don't do" is always construed as "Suggested."
Other examples of warnings that people should adhere (but often ignore) include:
- WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals, which are known to the State to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm.
- Warning: Do not mix red bull with alcohol.
- Do not consume raw cookie dough.
- Check this box if you have read an accept the terms and conditions of the EULA.
- Objects in mirror are closer than they appear.
- Do not try this at home.
- The warning on every trampoline ever that says to only allow one person on the trampoline at a time.
- Use only under supervision of an adult.
- Engineer Roger Boisjoly, who was involved with the Space Shuttle program, warned his superiors for months prior to the Challenger disaster that launching in cold weather could cause the O-rings to fail.
- In the 1800s Ignaz Semmelweis, often described as the father of hand washing, warned that infant maternal mortality could be drastically reduced by doctors washing their hands between patients.
- President George Washington, in his address when leaving office, warned against the danger of a two party system in future politics. He felt that several parties on equal footing would be better. Especially in presidential elections. The more legitimate choices, the better.
- In 2005, Courtney Love was asked what advice she'd give young, up and coming actresses. She said "If Harvey Weinstein invites you to a private party at his Four Seasons hotel room, don't go."
I suspect the reason most people don't adhere to warnings is because no one emphasizes the why. Caveat: As every parent will attest, it is very annoying when you say why over and over and over.
Maybe if people were given a solid why instead of a just don't do it statement, maybe they wouldn't do (or would do) that thing?
So, on the first warning: WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals, which are known to the State to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm.
Why? Because birth defects and reproductive harm is/are bad and can cause your baby to die really soon.
Or WARNING: Do not try this at home.
Why? Because you're likely to break bones and be subject to public ridicule and have all your friends laugh at you.
Or WARNING: If Harvey Weinstein invites you to a private party at his Four Seasons hotel room, don't go.
Why? Because you'll probably contract a communicable or otherwise infectious disease and be publicly shamed and labeled as an easy mark.
See? It's the "why" that helps people understand what's in store for them if they go and do the thing that warns them what not to do.
Yeah, that works for me.