The lesson he seems to be taking from the COVID reaction is that people do stupid things when there’s a crisis, so you should have a clear plan prepared to help them do non-stupid things. I don’t see any advocacy for maximum panic here.
The other lesson from COVID is that people go from not caring at all to caring a whole bunch right on a dime when they become actually worried that something could affect them personally in a pretty dramatic way—and more importantly, when others around them start publicly expressing worry, there’s a rapid collective sea change.
This happens because humans tend strongly to do their epistemics as groups, not individuals.
so you should have a clear plan prepared to help them do non-stupid things
I believe Jiro’s objection is that he expects ~anything done on the matter to be stupid, and he would prefer that people simply not take action, that there be a clear plan prepared to help them not do things.
The lesson he seems to be taking from the COVID reaction is that people do stupid things when there’s a crisis, so you should have a clear plan prepared to help them do non-stupid things. I don’t see any advocacy for maximum panic here.
The other lesson from COVID is that people go from not caring at all to caring a whole bunch right on a dime when they become actually worried that something could affect them personally in a pretty dramatic way—and more importantly, when others around them start publicly expressing worry, there’s a rapid collective sea change.
This happens because humans tend strongly to do their epistemics as groups, not individuals.
I believe Jiro’s objection is that he expects ~anything done on the matter to be stupid, and he would prefer that people simply not take action, that there be a clear plan prepared to help them not do things.