Intentions vs. Truth: The Realistic Meaning Behind the Phrase “YOLO”

Intentions
vs. Truth: The Realistic Meaning Behind the Phrase “YOLO”

Someone
once told me to never say “That won’t happen to me” because
life has a funny way of proving us wrong. This rang especially true
when one of my closest friends, someone who had a record of
excessively glancing down at his phone, got into a terrible car
accident the night of prom in 2019. His car was totaled, as were his
driving privileges, but thankfully, he and his prom date came out
with only minor scratches and bruises. However, one particularly
bothering detail has stuck with me ever since; afterwards, when me
and the rest of my friends were asking him about it, knowing well the
reason as to why he crashed, he persistently repeated, “You Only
Live Once”. His blatant disregard of safety while operating a
vehicle not only inspired me to drive safer, but to also make sure
those around me were too.

The
fact of the matter is, we tend to develop optimism bias: the idea
that
many of the seemingly unbiased decisions we make every day are
actually influenced by the fact that we think positively about the
future. At first glance, this metaphysical concept has beneficial
impacts, but when under the false impression that our
better-than-average driving will exceed any risks we take while
behind the wheel, our own expectations fail us.

This
mindset that we hold more control over situations than we actually
do- a powerful evolutionary mechanism that influences our daily
choices with both the concrete and abstract world- is to blame for
deciding that there’s no need to put on a seatbelt or it’s okay
if we check our phone. In America, an average of 34,000 people die
each year as a result of driving- more than the fatalities in the
Iraq and Afghanistan wars combined. Drivers everywhere need to be
aware of this statistic- furthering drivers ed to enlighten
drivers would significantly reduce the deaths related to driving as
well as provide an instructive learning experience. Simple steps,
such as encouraging the use of the hands-free system in vehicles,
always buckling your seatbelt, and eliminating or minimizing
distractions are all ways in which we can reduce the number of
deaths, which would foster safer roads for the generations to come.

Personally,
I can ensure that I have become the safest driver I can possibly be
and take precautions such as keeping my music volume at a moderate
level, minimizing the number of people I drive with, and constantly
staying aware of my surroundings. I can also encourage my friends to
do the same, and if I notice any reckless driving habits, I will
speak up immediately.

Together,
we can fight the negative effects of the optimism bias- perhaps
behind every “You Only Live Once” is a “Your Own Life
Obstructed”. We as a society need to recognize the influence our
subconscious plays on our decision-making so as to change our
behaviors
rather
than the bias itself. (498)