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Ask people any of these questions: whether mice really love cheese, sugar makes kids hyperactive, or if Ancient Greek architecture was made of pure white marble, and there is a big chance they will nod their heads in agreement.

But many of these common beliefs that live years and years rooted in our conventional wisdom have little to do with facts. So today we looked at this illuminating Reddit thread where people named all the annoying myths many of us still cling to, and it may help us to recalibrate our truth and fiction radar if it’s out of sync.

#1

35 Annoying Myths That Some People Still Believe That carnivorous pets can live healthily on a vegan diet.

Stop it. It's animal abuse.

BedBoundBean , TaniaJoy Report

#2

35 Annoying Myths That Some People Still Believe Vaccines cause autism.

HollyCupcakez , CDC Report

#3

35 Annoying Myths That Some People Still Believe That having hobbies as an adult is only worth it if it brings in money. No, I love my meaningless and expensive hobbies, even if they don't bring in any income.

Sneezy_baby , Craig Adderley Report

Bored Panda reached out to Lauren McMenemy, a professional writer, journalist, and marketer with a desire to tell stories, shine a light on society and advocate for better mental health and self-care, who was happy to share some insights into how folklore-based myths and beliefs form and why people believe them.

Lauren, who is a writing mentor and coach who runs workshops and training to help people get their words down right, said that first, it’s worth defining the terms “myths” and “beliefs”.

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“Many people, when you say ‘myth’ or ‘mythology’, will immediately think of the old gods or collections of tales based in folklore - such as the Greek tales of Medusa, or Nordic tales of Thor and Odin,” she said.

#4

That cats are cold or unfriendly. They’re not going to run up to every person like a puppy, but most are very affectionate with their humans.

Caelestilla Report

#5

Trickle down economics

radewagon Report

#6

That men are more logical and less emotional than women.

Kwickhatch Report

Moreover, “There is another usage which is more akin to religion: belief in faeries in Celtic nations, for example, has led to many common practices that still happen to this day.”“

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Then there is the folklore-based myths and beliefs,” Lauren continued, “which are often based in practices designed to keep humans safe and healthy. Conventional wisdom can come from the latter, I think - don't walk under a ladder, for example, lest something falls on you from above!”

#7

35 Annoying Myths That Some People Still Believe That you need to wait 24 hours to file a missing person’s report

ArtObjective614 , monkeybusiness Report

#8

35 Annoying Myths That Some People Still Believe Billionaires are smart and we should be “grateful” for the jobs they provide.

silentbobdrummer , Rawpixel Report

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#9

35 Annoying Myths That Some People Still Believe The 'just world fallacy'[people get what they deserve].

It's responsible for a lot victim-blaming, which re-traumatizes people who have already been traumatized. It's the worst.

Sometimes bad things happen to people who don't deserve it. It shouldn't be that difficult to grasp.

ILikeNeurons , leungchopan Report

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When asked why some myths disappear while others remain something people believe throughout generations, Lauren said that it depends on the origin of the myth. “If it's a story based in keeping people safe from harm, that will get more embedded over generations.”

Moreover, “The fairy tales about the dangers of the woods remain because it was dangerous to go into the forest - there lurked robbers, wild animals, entities that would do you harm. Those that disappear are more likely to be ones that have lost their relevance to modern society,” Lauren explained.

#10

35 Annoying Myths That Some People Still Believe The alpha theory for wolves, people still believe it even though the person who made the theory took it back. The ‘alpha’ of wolves is actually just the pack’s parents, and the pack is usually made up of their offspring.

heliumskies , ADDICTIVE_STOCK Report

#11

35 Annoying Myths That Some People Still Believe That we only use 10 percent of our brain

niceguy-365 Report

#12

35 Annoying Myths That Some People Still Believe That polygraphs are accurate and irrefutable in detecting lies.

SuperSauceTaco22 , mstandret Report

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We also wondered if some people are more prone to believing popular myths and things like old wives' tales than others. “Since the emergence of science and the Enlightenment, there has been a cohort of people who will claim logic above all else - if it's not provable beyond a shadow of a doubt, then it's ridiculous to believe in,” Lauren explained and added that these people are never going to believe in popular myths.

#13

35 Annoying Myths That Some People Still Believe That antibiotics are needed for colds.

Lululemonparty_ , Polina Tankilevitch Report

#14

35 Annoying Myths That Some People Still Believe Zodiac signs and their effect on our everyday lives

Certain_Performance , RODNAE Productions Report

#15

35 Annoying Myths That Some People Still Believe The Shirley exception.

When looking at an issue, they assume that anyone who REALLY needs it will “Surely get taken care of…”

I.E. “All abortion should legally be banned, but surely one’s where the mother and child die will be taken care of.”

“It doesn’t matter how we treat prisoners because surely the ones there on accident are going to be protected.”

“This job won’t fire you for missing too much work because you’re REALLY sick, surely they realize that?”

“We don’t need to make strict laws about disability access because surely the legitimate cases will be taken care of.”

There is no Shirley making sure everyone is legitimate and those who need it with get some kind of justice in a magical fairy bending the rules just for them.

Justalilbugboi , nateemee Report

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Having said that, Lauren believes that those cultures which are more rooted in traditional beliefs and practices are more likely to maintain some belief in myth and folklore. “Asian cultures, for example, have a strong thread of old stories running through them. And we see it, too, in the rise of modern witchcraft; so much practice in that realm is from ‘the old ways.’"

#16

35 Annoying Myths That Some People Still Believe That when you meet "the one" you just know. And that there is a "one" for every one of us.

breakeven_not , Tirachard Kumtanom Report

#17

35 Annoying Myths That Some People Still Believe There are a ton of ridiculous myths around pregnancy. The worst one I was told was not to ever raise my arms over my head so the baby didn't get tangled in the umbilical cord.

Nayru88 , Jonathan Borba Report

#18

35 Annoying Myths That Some People Still Believe "Lightning *never* strikes twice in the same place."

Back2Bach , Philippe Donn Report

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When it comes to conspiracy theories, especially modern-day ones, Lauren sees them as very different from common beliefs and widespread myths. “Can those modern-day conspiracy theories be harmful? Absolutely yes: look at what happened during the pandemic. Look at the rise of extreme right-wing views and of QAnon. These are very, very different to popular myths and old wives' tales, which developed for mainly instructive reasons,” she concluded.

#19

35 Annoying Myths That Some People Still Believe Not so much a myth but a misconception… I still hear people laugh at the fact that solar powered flashlights exist, thinking they must be useless because flashlights are only needed in darkness, where solar panels won’t generate anything.

They charge their batteries with sunlight. The batteries supply power on demand. Was that such a difficult concept?

ayyycab , duallogic Report

#20

35 Annoying Myths That Some People Still Believe You will catch a cold from being cold.

atomicrutabaga , Thom Holmes Report

#21

35 Annoying Myths That Some People Still Believe An undercover cop has to tell you they're a cop if you ask them.

No_Instance_1851 , Kindel Media Report

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#22

35 Annoying Myths That Some People Still Believe Videogames cause violence. There is literally no correlation.

Big-Preparation-95 , Alex Haney Report

#23

35 Annoying Myths That Some People Still Believe That people in the Middle Ages thought the earth was flat?????
It has been widely accepted since Ancient Greece that the earth is round and I have no idea why people still call it the Dark Ages either

achilles-alexander , Orlando Ferguson Report

#24

35 Annoying Myths That Some People Still Believe “Your blood is actually blue but only becomes red when it comes out of you”

NH-INDY-99 , Bianca Petrisor Report

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Gerry Higgins
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

horseshoe crabs have blue blood. It's used to make COVID vaccine.

Powerful Katrinka
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As well as many others. Its also used to make the contrast dyes that are injected into people who are having medical tests run.

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Ashen Brooks (They/Them)
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

this idea is from the fact that our veins look blue, it is not true. Veins appear blue because blue light is reflected back to our eyes. Blue light does not penetrate human tissue as deeply as red light does. As a result, veins that are close to the surface of the skin will be more likely to reflect blue light back to the eye

Terry Tobias
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I can remember arguing with my dad about this when I was a little kid. He was adamant that blood only became red when it hit the oxygen in the air. I asked my science teacher and she told me that i was right. I never told my dad because he was so stubborn he would have just kept arguing.

M
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's not blue, but it is only bright red when more oxygenated. Arterial blood is darker.

Mr. Cinder
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I said this to a nurse when I was like 21. She looked at me like I was the dumbest person on the planet.

LeeAnne B
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Interesting. I've never heard this before but it's quite fascinating. I've donated blood and had plenty of blood tests and I do know that the colour varies between the blood in an artery and the blood in a vein. Not 100% sure which one but it does depend on oxygen level.

Carl Watson
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Dissection room corpses have a red starch dye injected into the arteries, which are empty, the cold blood having drained into the veins and clotted, a blueish colour. Nice fresh well oxygenated blood is bright red.

Chris Sprucefield
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We have iron-based blood which reflects red. Skin reflects blue light, which makes the blood vessels appear blue as all other light than red gets absorbed by the blood, where red penetrates the skin, but blue does not, the only one left around blood vessels for us to see, is blue tones. To have real blue blood, it need be copper-based, like octopi, snails etc..

Valerie G.
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Unless you are from that family in Kentucky who are blue. Google Fugate family.

Ralph Watkins
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Severely hypoxic (shot of oxygen in their blood) have their blood turn nearly black. Seen it a few times with patients of mine in nursing. My mother before she passed was bright & cognizant but her huge veins turned black. She looked like someone from the X-files. We even had a good laugh about it too. The pulse ox machine wouldn't even register. Oddly she never got short of breath.

Jane Cortez
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The myth began because burns appear blue in some people under the skin. Hence the term ‘blue blood.’

Carito alias La Cototina
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I take arterial and venous blood everyday in my job as a ICU nurse, arterial blood is brighter red and venous blood is slighter darker, but still red.

Sandy Kavanaugh
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'd read somewhere that our veins were just colored blue, and was so easy to see cause they're so much closer to the skin. (I'm white, by the way, and rather pale. I really need a tan!)

Bb
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

where there is no light, there is no color. It ain't blu or red unless you have a glass body.

David
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is partly based on truth. Not "blue" but oxygenated blood is a brighter red than blood with less oxygen. Blood from an open cut is quite red. Blood sample drawn into a lab test tube (which has a small vacuum) is noticeably darker.

Mary Peace
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When I was about 8, saw a diagram in a child's magazine, showing blood flowing round the body. The blood going TOWARDS the heart was shown in blue, and AWAY from the heart, (once oxygenated) in red, so for a few months, I believed those colours.

That guy Nic B.
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Isn’t it yellow because of plasma? The Iron in the blood turns it red, right? And veins which are blue carry the blood back to the heart and arteries which are red carry it to different parts of the body, right? Someone please clarify for me

StrangeOne
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've known people when I was a kid who said they have rare blue blood and everyone else's blood is red. This confused me so much and I found it hard to believe.

StumblingThroughLife
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It reminds me of the term 'Blue Blood'. "Old (Medieval) Castilian families boasted that they had no Moorish antecedents in their bloodlines, and pointed to the blue veins in their arms as proof." And of course. the 'Elite/Royals' consider themselves blue bloods/'purebred', too. 🙄

Cyber Returns
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

After many 'experiments' I can say with absolute certainty that this is not true. The opposite of air on the other hand does make you go blue so 'not air' is blue

TotallyNOTaFox
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Never heard that one, interesting that people actually believe that

Dread Pirate Roberts
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Heard this as a kid. Thought it was dumb then, still think it's dumb now lol

rob
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This confuses me too. Where do people believe this? This is basic biology.

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Mickysixxx
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I always belived because i was told that's why you have blueish veins, it gets brighter red when it gets oxygenated but is dark maroon/purple with less , I could be very wrong

rob
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is wrong. When oxygenated it becomes slightly brighter red. So there is a difference between oxygenated and deoxygenated but its between dark red and bright red.

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#25

35 Annoying Myths That Some People Still Believe That if you shave it grows back thicker

Future_pastor , Supply Report

#26

35 Annoying Myths That Some People Still Believe Road widening improves traffic flow. It doesn't, if anything it just causes induced demand and within Months the road is congested again.

OhHiGCHQ , lucijak1 Report

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#27

35 Annoying Myths That Some People Still Believe That you cant swim after eating and must wait at least an hour.

MentionSuspicious787 , sportpoint74 Report

#28

35 Annoying Myths That Some People Still Believe That carrots give you good eyesight

anon , Suzy Hazelwood Report

#29

That introversion = shyness or social incompetence. Like, it‘s not that hard.

Stunning_Guidance986 Report

#30

35 Annoying Myths That Some People Still Believe That msg is bad for you

SnooPeppers4346 , Alex9500 Report

#31

35 Annoying Myths That Some People Still Believe Ancient Greek and Roman sculpture and architecture being pure white marble.

They are now. That's because art dealers long, *long* ago washed the paint off.

Needydadthrowaway , Skitterphoto Report

#32

35 Annoying Myths That Some People Still Believe Watermelon seeds can grow watermelons in our stomachs

Dull-King1348 , Irina Iriser Report

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#33

35 Annoying Myths That Some People Still Believe Eating cheese before bed gives you nightmares.

Turnerredman , bublikhaus Report

#34

Shaking or flipping integral Polaroid photographs while they're developing. This dates back to the 'peel-apart" instant Polaroids that came before the all-in-one "integral" instant films. You used to have to coat the finished print with a polymer coating fluid, and shaking the print would help it dry faster. But it's unnecessary now.

ScottRiqui Report

#35

Almost all the weird things people believe about charging batteries is completely wrong, they are based on Old NiCad cells and most of that advice does not apply to lithium ion / LiPO batteries

Vanilla_Neko Report

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#36

35 Annoying Myths That Some People Still Believe “50% of marriages end in divorce” is misused so frequently that I would qualify it as a popular and annoying myth, and it comes down to the general population knowing f**k-all about statistics.

If a couple goes to get married for the first time, there is NOT a 50% chance they are going to get divorced; the entire basis of the 50% number comes from factoring second, third, and even fourth and beyond divorces.

Try this: if every couple in the world did have an even split 50% divorce rate, and then just one couple gets divorced twice, then that number instantly becomes <50% chance due to the skew. Now factor in the countless amounts of multiple-divorce couples on the planet.

The myth is just awkward and breeds a surprising amount of pessimism towards marriage.

YourDailyDevil , Pressmaster Report

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#37

That the middle ages were "dark" and people swam on sh*t and bathed only two times a year

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