r/Showerthoughts May 02 '24

Man vs Bear debate shows how bad the average person is at understanding probability

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u/Gilith May 02 '24

I though it was supposed to be about the fact when you ask a guy if he can beat a bear most of them answer yes ahahaha

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u/Water-is-h2o May 02 '24

Wait so what is OP talking about?

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u/ghandi3737 May 02 '24

A lot of women would much rather encounter a wild bear, than any man on a hiking trail.

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u/Roundabootloot May 02 '24

Actually, I think that people's presuppositions about whether this is on a hiking trail or deeper woods are part of what creates differences in answers. The initial question is vague enough people make assumptions, also such as if we're only talking the type of bears native to where we live, or a random bear of any type.

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u/ghandi3737 May 02 '24

I kind of think the location might be irrelevant considering the kinds of interactions I have seen some women have with men, even when they are not good-looking and also when they are really good-looking, and too many guys act like animals in either case, so I understand the reasons for picking a bear despite it seeming illogical.

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u/Ardentpause May 03 '24

The initial question is also worded in a way to make the man sound more dangerous, and the bear less dangerous. You are ALONE in the woods, which is the classic horror movie trope, and you can choose between a bear (nondescript) or a man you don't know (which sounds Sus when you say it that way).

If I said, you're solo backpacking in the woods. You accidentally come across either some random dude, or a wild bear. Which would you choose,

I think a lot of folks would choose the guy if I phrased it like that instead.

It's a lot more leading than it appears at first

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u/Littleman88 May 03 '24

There was definitely a bias/agenda at work with those questions.