Why is it that so many falsehoods can be commonly believed by so many?

[Ted Bear]

Mod cut.

I don't know if it is the mind playing tricks on us, or we want to believe things by from whom they came, or we are just gullible. But it seems to work. I can only imagine how many hours i wasted waiting for my food to digest before going back in the water !

[Boone1791]

Originally Posted by mysticaltyger

Because we tend to believe what is repeated most often. That's something to keep in mind for more important issues than the ones you listed.

Definitely!

Originally Posted by mysticaltyger

And it sort of makes sense. We don't have the time and resources to investigate and verify everything....

Yeah, BUT.... for important matters, we really ought to do a modicum of "investigation," I mean, at least to consider the SOURCE of the information and whether that source is typically BIASED or known to report falsehoods in the past. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.

[Matt Marcinkiewicz]

Originally Posted by Ted Bear

[Snip.]

I don't know if it is the mind playing tricks on us, or we want to believe things by from whom they came, or we are just gullible. But it seems to work. I can only imagine how many hours i wasted waiting for my food to digest before going back in the water !

Let's not forget 'a lot/lots of people are saying'...which became the title of a book (which was a good read, IMO) about recent trends in conspiracy theories (or 'conspiracy without theory', as the authors diagnosed):

https://www.amazon.com/Lot-People-Ar...s%2C154&sr=8-1

[JONOV]

1. Peeing on a jellyfish' sting stops the stinging; which can actually make it worse, The problem is that jellyfish stings aren't that threatening, or really common; hence the Friend's episode that made it a viral belief

2. After eating, don't swim until 30 minutes after, which makes no difference at all. It's a question of cramps, which can happen, and if one were swimming in an ocean environment, could be a problem.

3. Don't go outside with wet hair you'll catch a cold.I think there's something to that.

4. humans swallow 8-10 spiders a year while sleeping. Does it matter and does anyone think about it that much?

5. You must wait 24 hours before filing a missing persons case. Has it's background in truth, but not practically always the case. In the absence of other information, it is assumed that Adults have the right to take a break.

6. The five second rule wherein if you drop something on the floor if you pick it up within 5 seconds it's okay, despite it has just as much germs regardless. Told to ourselves to justify not wasting food and in recognition that there is little to no risk to putting something you dropped on your kitchen floor in your body.

7. If you swallow gum it takes 7 years to digest. SOmething parents tell their kid so they don't swallow gum. Don't get it myself.

Mod cut: orphaned (quoted posts were off-topic and have been deleted).

[Sassybluesy]

I know for a fact that it doesn't take 7 years to digest gum.


My ex used to give our toddler a pack of bubble gum, when he'd come home from work. Our son would chew it, and then swallow it. No big deal.


One day, my husband says "Come here and look at this." I go in the bathroom, and in the toilet is a turd with lots of bright pink threaded through it. Kind of looked like something from outer space.


It was my son's poop, laced through with bubble gum.

[thedwightguy]

Simplistic answers to complex issues, that's why. And ALSO, the way a person processes information, real or otherwise. Three examples, my brothers and I, same GENE POOL, same "life experience", same knowledge of so many "normal" relatives that HAVEN'T done long time or been hanged for cattle rustling:

My youngest lives in a "fantasy" or "alternate" reality; my artist brother lives through his "fears", though he may come by it honestly, gene pool wise. I like information. lots of it, but even I'm OVERWHELMED by the amount of stuff coming down the interdreadnought pipeline. While we ALL have pretty good BS filters (family gene pool) any of us can occasionally be sucked down the rabbit hole. That's where the re-enforcers come in, called WIVES. i.e. [What] are you thinking of doing???? Simplistic answer types end up in cults, who cut them off from verification, in order to CONTROL. AND it is all about control, no matter sometimes the idiocy of no pay at the end of the chunnel. Just don't drag me there; at least call and warn me so I can jump off the train leaving the station of stupidity.

[TwinbrookNine]

You will never catch me placing a hat on a bed, or putting fresh cut flowers in my bedroom.


I once rocked an empty rocking chair and my mom told me to stop it. She was diagnosed with ALS about a month later.

[Oklazona Bound]

Originally Posted by Gerobime227

Lots of "widely known facts" out there that are completely wrong.

Why are such obviously wrong and stupid things considered so mainstream?

I was not aware that many people believed any of the above. They are just old wives tales that an elderly relative might tell you. In the past everything was passed around word of mouth. So that is how they got started.

For me, with 24/7 access to the online world its easy to reference any so called fact from several credible sources and then decide what is true. Only problem is with anyone being able to state almost anything as fact online, there are more falsehoods than ever before circulating around the world. Even here on CD people link youtube videos from unknown people who sound convincing as factual information.

[Sand&Salt]

There is no consensus on "truth" anymore, and no sources are trusted by everyone, so where are you gonna go for your info?

We have jellyfish here and I have not been able to get one reliable answer about what to do if you are stung. Every surfer has a different answer: hot spoon, vinegar or whatever. I still don't know. Some dude on the internet has the solution?

I watched a Myth Busters episode on the 5-second rule and they had cultures in petri dishes for 3-seconds, 5 and 10 seconds and there was no discernable difference. If the dropped item is not messy, I'll pick it up and consume it. I think it helps the immune system.

But yeah, having conspiracy believers even in Congress, is pretty alarming. What the heck has happened?

[BECLAZONE]

But, they are all true!!