Have you ever noticed the posters in the doctor's office that tell how many people do not bother to show up for their appointments? Or seen the charity appeal on Wikipedia that explains how most readers do not support it with donations? It is a common tactic that aims to shock people with frightening numbers on the scale of the problem. But it is an approach that exacerbates the question without trying to solve it.
These messages fail because they underline that this unwanted behavior is normal. Unfortunately, since we are social animals that imitate others, this only encourages the behavior that they try to stop.
