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Lots of "widely known facts" out there that are completely wrong.
Such as:
1. Peeing on a jellyfish' sting stops the stinging; which can actually make it worse,
2. After eating, don't swim until 30 minutes after, which makes no difference at all.
3. Don't go outside with wet hair you'll catch a cold.
4. humans swallow 8-10 spiders a year while sleeping.
5. You must wait 24 hours before filing a missing persons case.
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.
7. If you swallow gum it takes 7 years to digest.
Why are such obviously wrong and stupid things considered so mainstream?
Moderator note: Tread lightly, people. I've cleaned this thread up and deleted numerous political and off-topic comments. DO NOT bring politics into this discussion. Save it for the Politics forum. Thank you.
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.
And it sort of makes sense. We don't have the time and resources to investigate and verify everything. We have to make some shortcuts or assumptions. Otherwise, we'd never get anything done. Unfortunately, this tendency is well understood and used by elites to manipulate us.
Bigfoot. How does anyone believe THAT? Yet, one of my closest friends does and many others as well. There's tv shows on it and recently saw that someone in Oklahoma wants to have a Bigfoot hunting season.
I just have to put it down to there's something in the human biology that allows one to believe in magical, fantastical things and leave it at that.
Lots of "widely known facts" out there that are completely wrong.
Such as:
1. Peeing on a jellyfish' sting stops the stinging; which can actually make it worse,
2. After eating, don't swim until 30 minutes after, which makes no difference at all.
3. Don't go outside with wet hair you'll catch a cold.
4. humans swallow 8-10 spiders a year while sleeping.
5. You must wait 24 hours before filing a missing persons case.
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.
7. If you swallow gum it takes 7 years to digest.
Why are such obviously wrong and stupid things considered so mainstream?
Sometimes there is a seed of truth in the sayings or had some logic at one time do to limited circumstances/technology. Sometimes people are too lazy to look it up, or just don’t see the need to disbelieve since the likelihood of being stung by a jellyfish is zero.
Like many I thought if someone got bitten by a rattler then trying to evacuate the venom, sucking it out, would help. After to moving to a place with rattle snakes and learning what to do and not do that old adage is a no no. https://www.webmd.com/women/news/200...ck-snakebite#1
For example not swimming for 30 mins after eating makes sense if you want to avoid possible stomach cramps. However it’s not going to be life threatening or make much difference otherwise. https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/d...-after-eating/
I couldn't care less about don't go outside with your hair wet or swallowing gum
Do we need anything more than recent reminder that we have a lot bigger issues when it comes to people being duped into believing lies as truth or "facts."
We have half the country believing Mod cut. that's not true. And we see the consequences of that.
THAT is what could affect my life -- literally my LIFE.
Last edited by PJSaturn; 01-26-2021 at 10:51 AM..
Reason: Inappropriate language; circumventing the filter.
Simply said - some people easily accept/believe in some statements, because they aren't smart or curious enough to question them or verify. They follow the herd. If others say something is true, then it must be true.
Their judgement and opinion-forming is based on herd behavior.
Probably lack of curiosity, logic, common sense, education or prospects of personal gain makes them choose and follow the "anti science" herd.
We have half the country believing [bleep] that's not true. And we see the consequences of that.
THAT is what could affect my life -- literally my LIFE.
The individualism-obsessed culture seen today encourages people to only think of themselves when it comes to decisions and not to worry about how it might involve someone else. But regardless of the degree, we are always affected by the choices of others. It's a self-centeredness through ignorance.
Simply said - some people easily accept/believe in some statements, because they aren't smart or curious enough to question them or verify. They follow the herd. If others say something is true, then it must be true.
Their judgement and opinion-forming is based on herd behavior.
Probably lack of curiosity, logic, common sense, education or prospects of personal gain makes them choose and follow the "anti science" herd.
It's funny, because many people say a liberal arts education is "worthless", but one thing I learned throughout my education (culminating in an MA) is how to research: evaluate and verify source material and look for legitimate information. Outside of academics, being able to suss out legitimate journalism from a blog or looking for the biases in a text is invaluable, and something that many people don't or can't do.
Do most people actually believe most of those things? I thought they were all commonly known to be old wives' tales that parents tell their kids, and the kids figure out are BS upon growing up, if not well before... I mean, some of them I see used as jokes (for example: I've never seen anyone who actually thinks the "five second rule" is true; it's just what they laughingly say because they just dropped something but still want to eat it).
Quote:
Originally Posted by fleetiebelle
It's funny, because many people say a liberal arts education is "worthless", but one thing I learned throughout my education (culminating in an MA) is how to research: evaluate and verify source material and look for legitimate information. Outside of academics, being able to suss out legitimate journalism from a blog or looking for the biases in a text is invaluable, and something that many people don't or can't do.
Mod cut.
As far as evaluating information and critical thinking... I had a class like that in college, but I don't think such a class was probably exclusive to liberal arts schools.
Last edited by PJSaturn; 01-26-2021 at 11:03 AM..
Reason: Off-topic.
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