Thought of the Day 08.07.08

Imagine that in a world with no dishwashers, I offered you one that I promised would only break your dishes about 10% of the time. Imagine that in a world with no lawn mowers, I offered you one that I said would only destroy your yard about 10% of the time. Imagine that in a world with no washing machines, I offered you one that I guaranteed would only ruin your clothes 10% of the time. Would you want any of these devices?

I know these are strange examples, but here’s the point. Labor saving devices are good, but their value presupposes them not having serious risks. And 10% is too high a chance of damaging anything that matters to us.

Well, parenting is an incredibly labor-intensive activity, which is why all parents feel the temptation to use labor-saving devices in the process. But here’s the question: Does anyone believe that the chance of television harming your children is only 10%?