Half Staff

[Papewaio]

Its more simple then any of these, its simply our ability to adapt to the environment.

I'm sure there was an outcry the first time someone died in an automobile accident. Then after many more accidents it became common place, people adjusted to it. The next big outcry would have to be more deaths in a spectacular way, the first multi-car pile up or bus load.

It's a bit like the Olympics in which we don't tend to remember the silvers and going to the moon were we can't name anyone who flew on Apollo 12.

Once something becomes common enough it drops into the background and we only notice the spikes in the environment.

The flip side of this is when you own a particular model of car you will recognize the same model on the road far more often then when you did not. When a tragedy has impinged on your lifestyle you will notice it far more often then others who have not been directly effected. I'm sure there are psychological phrases and definitions for both of these.

Essentially the human condition is to ignore the commonplace and take special attention to our circle of care.