At the age of 27, having just made my first film, Boiler Room, I found myself riding a brand new BMW K1200RS south on the Henry Hudson Parkway in Manhattan. The bike was a gift from Ben Affleck (it’s customary to buy the director a modest gift when you wrap a film, but this was generous by any measure). This is a relevant detail because I thought the world belonged to me at that age, and an ancillary effect of that foolish thought is the sense that you are immune from harm. Or as some refer to it: your 20s.
Hot Stove
Key Takeaways:
- The author recounts a recurring pattern of underestimating risks, from a reckless motorcycle incident in his 20s to several close calls as a pilot in his 40s, highlighting that perceived caution doesn't eliminate dangerous decision-making.
- He identifies the fallacy of attributing past mistakes solely to youthful inexperience, realizing that his current, supposedly wiser self, still commits errors due to "wishful thinking" and "confirmation bias."
- Ultimately, personal experience and self-perception of caution are insufficient for safety; the article emphasizes the critical role of external safeguards like checklists and learning from others' accidents to avoid harm.
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