During my time for morning walks I’m often surprised at what topic or event my mind will begin to process with each step. I am prone to let thoughts wander and self select, hopefully allowing those to surface which are most relevant to me at that moment.
Recently at our house there are discussions and contemplations of lifestyles and related choices, which you’ll understand if you’re a reader of my last several posts. The other day my brain latched onto an underlying principle at the bottom of some of these discussions — risk and risk aversion i.e. avoidance.
Now that I’m older, I find I’m a lot less open to taking risk then when I was younger. While I understand the multiple reasons for this I find it a bit discouraging and I’d even say I’m a little disappointed in myself at times.
I’m now part of an American population who is growing older with longer life expectancies yet facing social devalue and limited contributing roles, a combination certain to make me and others risk wary as we age. But risk aversion is not just an age issue — it’s a society-wide issue.
Entrepreneurs and workers are not as willing to take risk as they once were, playing some part in the slow and stuttering recovery from the great recession these last few years. (1)
Financial Institutions are setting high thresholds and not loaning money or investing as readily, making it hard for those who are willing to take a risk. Finding the resources and tools to be successful these days has become challenging. (2)
There was a time when people would not think twice about stepping forward to help someone or speak up against a perceived wrong. But we have become a lawyered up society that is wanting to sue at a drop-of-a-hat for almost any action. (3) People don’t want to take the risk.
Even our social selfs interact virtually more often then face-to-face because we believe there is less risk.
Like my walk, these thoughts came back full circle to my own life and those areas where there is perhaps something to be gained if I were just willing to take the risk. Even in my photography I find I play it pretty safe. What am I really risking there?
I provide no answers, no conclusions — just questions and, for now, a higher level of self awareness.
Note: Concerning the long vertical image on the right side of this post. To create it I pointed my iPhone down and used the panorama setting to take this pano of the leaves on the forest path as I walked. It was only a partially successful effort. When you look at the image nearer to 100% potions are out of focus probably due to the uneven forest floor and my own inability to keep the camera moving smoothly. However, as an experiment it was a success. I simply need to improve my technique.
(1) Risk-Averse Culture Infects U.S. Workers, Entrepreneurs – WSJ
(2) Overly Cautious Bankers Hurt Profits – Businessweek
(3) Risk-averse culture is creating a cruel society – Daily Mail Online UK
I was expecting answers, Earl! I think I’m more willing to risk but I am planning it better, not jumping over the cliffs edge without looking. We also have those who wonder if we are making poor decisions. I’m confident you and Bonnie will do fine with your future.
Sorry, Monte. If you’re looking for answers you’re looking in the wrong place! But if you need questions, I can set you up! :-)
Yes, we all take risk. Each day is full of risk — crossing the street, driving a car, riding a bicycle in traffic, disagreeing with your boss, eating that high fat meal we shouldn’t. It’s the acceptable threshold of risk which seems to have risen both in our society, as indicated by the articles I referenced, and perhaps for us as individuals.
As you said, you’re “planning it better” which is perhaps an indicator of a higher threshold of acceptable risk. So, is this simply being wiser or more cautious perhaps due to changing conditions and outside influences — or both? See…I told you I had the questions.
Most of the great achievements and discoveries of mankind were made at great risk — sometimes life or death risk. In that light, is there a risk also associated with becoming too cautious? Still thinking on it all.
The subject came about because of where Bonnie and I find ourselves but it’s much bigger subject then we are and we know we will be fine. Thanks!
As a statistician, calculating “risk” was almost a daily thing. Part of our job was to explain to managers why doing Action ‘A’ was better than doing Action ‘B’. And that usually meant explaining potential gains versus possible losses in a numerical way. The trick was to be right more often than you were wrong – being wrong too often usually meant a forced career change.
On a personal level, it’s not much different in my opinion. We take risks when the expectation of a good outcome outweighs the expectation of a bad one. We buy the new car or the new house (or camera) when we want it badly enough to accept the potential downsides (the car turns out to be a lemon or the house is in a major flood zone). We make the mental calculation and hope that we got it right. Sometimes we do get it right and sometimes we don’t. But hopefully it’s not just a roll of the dice.
You’re right, I think, when you say that as a society we’ve become a little more risk averse. We don’t take chances like we used to. Part of it is the age thing – making a mistake when you’re in your 60’s results in more serious consequences than it does if you’re only 30.
But at any age, it’s still basically a question of “gain” versus “pain”. If I want something bad enough, I’ll risk the pain. If I can’t decide which way to go, then maybe I don’t want it as bad as I thought I did. And the generally conservative nature of society as a whole that you speak of is still a reflection of the gain / pain dichotomy. Given the depth of the recent (and maybe still current) recession, the amount of potential pain in the calculation is larger than it used to be. Unless, of course, you happen to be in that upper 1% financially.
Just my thoughts. I certainly could be wrong.
I haven’t seen a vertical panorama in some time. I always have trouble looking at them – my brain wants to turn them into a horizontal orientation.
Paul, I agree with your basic perspective about risk and risk aversion today.
On the panorama, it could just as easily be a horizontal panorama, there is really no up or down to it. I think it was easier to display in the post at a larger size running it vertically but if I was to print it it would definitely be horizontally.
I like the idea of that Pano. I hope you’ll try some more. I find my mind is often at it most active when I am out walking, or running. It seems to go into over-drive. I agree entirely with your thinking that we become more risk-averse is we get older. A litigation conscious society has something to do with it, but I think another major factor is that with experience comes the tendency to evaluate the pros and cons of a given situation more seriously. The impulsiveness and ‘devil may care’ approach of youth has gone. It’s replaced with the worry of making the wrong decision.
Andy, thanks. I probably will try some more unusual pano’s with the iPhone…although as Paul pointed out in the comment above they may work better horizontally. :-)
Age is certainly one factor which raises the risk threshold but it’s also many other outside influences. Thanks for your comment.
I can’t help you with the questions you’ve raised Earl, I am sorry to say. Perhaps you could just adopt a fatalistic philosophy, you know, what will be, will be kind of attitude and then do what you have to do and regardless of how it works out, you can just say: It was meant to be, and just move on ;)
Anyway, I do like your pano. It would make an amazing print.
“Que sara, sara whatever will be, will be” — nope can’t see myself as Doris Day, not even a little bit. :-)
If some of the technical issues were resolved on doing this type pano I agree it would make a nice long horizontal wall print. I could see it also looking down over a flower bed, perhaps tulips.
Thanks, Cedric
Late to the party. All I’ll add is that as I age I know more about the feeling conveyed in Stephen King’s Dark Tower series when the phrase “The world has moved on” is used (as it is many times). Whether or not it’s moved on for the better, I can’t say – not for certain at least. From my perspective it doesn’t feel like it has for the better. But how would I know. The world has moved on.
Hi John and thanks. I’ll late getting back to you to reply as well. I guess only time will tell if it’s moved on for the better.
I found myself nodding my head a lot reading this Earl, and equally disappointed of no answers at the end. I find my own family weighing risk regarding serious health conditions that have developed over the past year, and there are no easy roads either way. In hindsight sometimes it is clearer, but when in the midst of emotions of the moment, it is hard to be objective.
I love the pano. I was thinking to myself how cool it would look printed really large up a wall.
Mark, sorry to hear about the family health situation. Of course I hope things work out for the best and I’ll be thinking about you and yours. Sometimes we just have to let these things wash over us and try to keep it together in the hopes of coming out the other side. Sadly, it’s a fact of life that sometimes there’s no easy choice or winning road to take. However, time keeps moving forward and us with it — we have to cherish today and hope/pray for tomorrow. Take care my friend.