Risk assessment is the new religion, the Big…
““Risk assessment is the new religion, the Big Babies'equivalent of the apotropaic ritual, the haruspices, the chicken entrails and the goat on the altar. Where our ancestors looked up at the stars, and spoke with the gods, and went off upon the great and dangerous adventures which would return them to their communities as adults, we, adorned not with swords and quivers but with all the tentative apparatus of our intelligence and our carefulness, look upwards and see, not gods, but improperly secured overhead lighting, untrimmed branches, loose cables, inadequately fastened false ceiling partitions; and we decide not, after all, to go. It is, after all, too dangerous.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Modern societies replace mythic rituals with risk management, turning caution into a quasi‑religious practice that can inhibit bold action.
In simple terms: Risk management has become a modern ritual that can limit daring.
Key Takeaway
Balance caution with courage.
Themes
risk
caution
modernity
myth
action
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- business decisions
- personal goals
- exploration
- innovation
Key Concepts
secularism
ritual
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we assess risk without losing daring?
- When does caution become paralysis?
A Different Perspective
Over‑emphasis on safety can stifle progress.