"Survival is not mandatory"

~ W. Edwards Deming

Humans often behave in suicidal ways:

• poking forks in toasters
• unprotected promiscuous sex
• taking methamphetamines and cocaine
• drunk driving
• high cholesterol diets
• releasing green house gases

Why?  It is a matter of short term pleasure, convenience or comfort overriding the knowledge of danger. The pleasure seduces into thinking one is immortal.

To provide themselves with an excuse to continue doing what they like doing, people will happily swallow myths, e.g. that scientists don't think global warming is anything to worry about, or that there is no scientific consensus on what must be done immediately. It is very similar to the self-delusional nonsense teens tell themselves such as "only gays can get AIDS" or that "cocaine is not addictive" to give them an excuse to continue suicidal behaviour.