Yeah, I knew kids that had dogs growing up. We all think it's safe, but alas, family dogs kill children. I guess we all suffer from that survivorship bias. The lesson here is anyone with a family dog should have their children taken away.
I also used to take the ferry to Nantucket and MV as a kid. Thought that was safe too, but apparently those things sink and kill children. What, you let your kids take the ferry? Someone call child services!
Also known to kill children: Bee stings (don't let kids play outside), food allergies (or eat), influenza (be around other people), drowning (go swimming or take a bath).
I suppose to dismiss any of these as unlikely is an example of survivorship bias? I'm pretty sure it's not.
To dismiss them as unlikely is not survivorship bias, no. That's not how it works - you knew that and knew that we did too.
But, for example, to say "I used to jump in to rivers and swim around, never hurt me" as an argument for allowing kids to jump in to [untested] rivers would be. Sure most children would survive but we nonetheless have the bias in the lack of testimony from those that drowned, or possibly impaled themselves on detritus hidden below the surface , and died.
Just because there is a survivorship bias in testimonies concerning [sufficiently] safe activities for children doesn't of course mean that one is required to stop their children taking part in those activities.
All activities and inactivities have risks. The note of the bias is simply a reminder to take it in to account when weighing those risks.
I also used to take the ferry to Nantucket and MV as a kid. Thought that was safe too, but apparently those things sink and kill children. What, you let your kids take the ferry? Someone call child services!
Also known to kill children: Bee stings (don't let kids play outside), food allergies (or eat), influenza (be around other people), drowning (go swimming or take a bath).
I suppose to dismiss any of these as unlikely is an example of survivorship bias? I'm pretty sure it's not.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatal_dog_attacks_in_the_United...
http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/06/world/asia/south-korea-ship-si...
The only proper way to let your kids leave the house:
http://smurk.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/bubble_boy_2-754379...