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#180 – Hugo Mercier on why gullibility and misinformation are overrated

80,000 Hours Podcast

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The Disgust Response to Nuclear Energy

Nuclear power triggers people's disgust mechanisms due to its invisible nature, similar to how we avoid things that can make us sick, like feces or rotten food. The perception is that radiation is like invisible germs that make people sick even with a small exposure. This false belief is perpetuated by past incidents like Hiroshima and Nagasaki, where radiation survivors were wrongly perceived as contagious. The lack of visibility and understanding of radiation compared to particulate pollution contributes to the distrust and confusion surrounding nuclear energy, making it harder for the general public to trust its safety without a deeper understanding of the topic.

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