Consequences

 

My Hero

Don't the best of them bleed it out
While the rest of them peter out?
Truth or consequence, say it aloud
Use that evidence, race it around
There goes my hero
Watch him as he goes

If you don’t believe in Truth, then probably also don't believe in Consequences.

You may know Bob Barker as the host of the Price is Right game show before Drew Carey. It is true that Bob Barker hosted that show 1972 to 2007, but I am old enough to remember that Bill Cullen was the host of the Price is Right from 1956 and that Bob Barker was the host of Truth or Consequences from 1956 to 1975. And it is Consequences that is the topic of this post.

Risk is the product of likelihood, probability, AND consequences, not just the probability alone. The likelihood of being struck by lightning in a thunderstorm is extremely low, but the consequences are extremely dire (you might die) which is why the risk is considered to be high. Conversely the likelihood of getting wet in a rainstorm which is not a thunderstorm is very high, but the consequences are very low (being wet until you dry out), so the risk of being out in an ordinary rainstorm is considered to be very low. But if you don’t believe in the truth, it is probable that you also don’t believe in the consequences either. It is not news that Donald Trump and the QAnon crowd do not believe in the truth and that  certainly has done enough damage. But he also apparently does not believe in the consequences either.        
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-plays-down-consequences-us-default-could-be-maybe-nothing-2023-05-11/).

If you don’t believe in the truth that is one thing. If you also don’t believe in the consequences, you can understate the risk considerably and that can affect more than just yourself. If you engage in risky behavior and damage others besides yourself, then your denial of consequences affects more than just you. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, and we may tolerate what you consider to be your truth, but if you don’t accept the consequences either, then that can affect us all.