We knew that if the situation were half as bad in India, the consequences would be fatal, and Indian doctors were predicting as much. The same people and their leaders who got the credit for this are also responsible for the current situation. Unfortunately, Indian politics kicked in, and also a variety of behavioural phenomena, like myopic conduct, confirmation bias, optimism bias and hyperbolic discounting, leading the country down this catastrophic course. This led to dropping of safety protocols like social distancing, avoiding crowded spaces and wearing masks. Actually, it is citizens who have a greater responsibility, for it is an electorate’s pressure that must push against political myopia, without falling for the self-attribution bias.

Source: Mint May 06, 2021 18:22 UTC