GUEST POST from Don – Gas-Lighting + (part II)

GAS-LIGHTING + (Part II)

I saw this article and immediately realized that it was only slightly true.

The Things You Can Do to Survive a Plane Crash
Don’t wear leggings. Do keep your shoes on.
By Christine Negroni, March 14, 2025, 12:11 PM

Christine writes “…what is making people squeamish has little to do with numbers.  Rather it is based on two notions about flying that are as firmly held as they are false.”

First is the “notion” (“notion” is the wrong word) that airplane crashes are not survivable.  However, survivable is NOT the same as non-injurious.  One of the reasons I no longer ride motorcycles is that there is hardly ever a non-injury crash.  I have met several who are permanently disabled.  The man who sits ahead of us in church lost his leg in one.  He survived, didn’t he (most of him)!  I have found that most serious injuries are life-long.

Christine claims there is a “second fallacy” about flying: there’s nothing you can do when things go wrong.  Oops!  This is also gas-lighting!  The plane is NOT in your control at any point.  The pilot has some control and physics has the remainder.  You are merely a passenger. What you CAN do is very limited.  

You CAN listen to the flight instructions and familiarize yourself with how each safety item works…like how does the seat become a flotation device?  Where are the emergency exits and how to use them?  Those are situational awareness issues.  Another is paying attention to who is around you.  Are they capable of understanding safety devices or are they under the influence?  Are you flying over water or land?  You won’t have to worry about flotation if over land

Then Christine lists a few ways to make sure you have a better chance:

• Wear cotton, wool or denim, (not synthetic fibers) because they won’t melt into your skin.
• Wear sensible shoes (not heels or flip-flops)
• Keep your seat belt buckled.
• Pay attention to your electronic devices.  (They should be in a zipped purse or a pocket).  If they slip between seats they will overheat and can ignite.

I believe she missed some important ways to protect yourself…

• Don’t fly.  This dramatically reduces the probability of being involved in a plane crash.
• Alternately, fly less often.  (Same.)
• Take Amtrak.  What people do not know is that the seats are more comfortable (no middle seats), you not only get a tray table, but also an electric outlet to charge your devices.  Further, there is no extra cost to carry on two suitcases and a personal bag (up to 125 pounds of stuff).  You can take a bike (for a fee).  And sometimes there is a discount if there are multiple passengers.  Did I mention you can go from Kansas City, MO to Flagstaff, AZ in about the same time it would take to drive (stopping for gas, rest, food)?  [I am not employed by or have any other financial interests in Amtrak.]

Why do we ever believe what we read on the internet?

Do Optimists Really Live Longer? Here’s What the Research Says
According to a study, optimists are more likely to live into their nineties.
Fuschia Sirois, The Conversation

Women who reported themselves to have high levels of optimism lived longer on average.

You want to believe these stories.  The data doesn’t mesh, however.  

First, they claim the average woman in America lives to age 83.  That’s not true.  That’s the average for all females (with the correct chromosomes), but some die in their cribs at age 6 months, some die in accidents at age 14, etc.  The longer a female survives the more likely it is that she will live longer than “average.”  At age 50, she is likely to live to age 84.  At age 65 she is more likely to live to age 85.  Are they counting ALL live-birth females or females who reach a certain age?  I really don’t think one could report that the crib-death girl was less optimistic than the 85 year old grandmother (let’s be honest).

Second, they claim that optimistic women are “more likely to live into their nineties.”  However, they don’t define “optimistic” very well.  Let’s say there are two women, both 58.  One has cancer and the other doesn’t.  Which one is more likely to be “optimistic?”  Being cancer-free tends to make one more optimistic, I would think.  The level of optimism has nothing to do with which one will die first.

Third, no mention of spirituality.  Other studies have shown that spiritual women tend to live longer.  Is spirituality another word for optimism or are they separate?

Fourth, recent studies have shown that location has a lot to do with longevity.  Women in Appalachia live shorter lives, as do women who live in the deep South.  Are these women less “optimistic” as a group?  No answer.

Another study about 15 years ago reported that married women live longer (men, too).  So, do optimistic women attract long-term mates?

Finally, these women “self-reported.”  This was a subjective measure, not objective.  That makes it non-repeatable.  You’ll never have this same group of women again.  Why were they not tested for optimism?  Sometimes people lie with subjective reporting events (like last year’s “how I’m likely to vote” polls).

Result:  I’m not optimistic about the reality of this study.  Further, no information was given as to “how to be more optimistic.”

Copyright 2025 Donald Whelpley

[PLEASE NOTE that Don is always open to discussing the thoughts and opinions he shares here and welcomes comments as shared in the comment section. He doesn’t use other social media platforms and won’t see whatever you’d like to share with him if you post it elsewhere.
ALSO, Don is always open to offer his thoughts on various topics. If you have a specific request, you can let him know in a comment; he reads – and replies to – them all. ~ Sherry]

See more GUEST POSTS from Don!