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Every day, companies bombard us with information. From new product launches and appealing adverts to very big statements and generous promises backed up by questionable research at best, they still manage to earn our trust up to a point we don’t question them.

But this illuminating thread from Ask Reddit challenges the things we take for granted and debunks the myths created by big corporations. "What do most people believe that is actually a myth created by corporate companies?" someone asked and the eye-opening responses started pouring in.

From big pharma to the sugar industry, it’s hard to wrap your head around the fact that we may be believing in stuff that benefits no one except the ones who are earning big money.

#1

40 Facts And Theories Spread By Corporations That Have Been Proven To Be Fake Yet People Still Believe To Be True The McDonald's Hot Coffee woman wasn't some kind of trashy scammer, she was an elderly woman who had incredibly bad burns and could have possibly died as a result of health complications. McDonald's launched a covert campaign to make it seem like she was just trying to make some quick cash as part of a trend of frivolous lawsuits.

Edit: For anyone who says "It was just a little burn that she is responsible for" The coffee gave her 3rd degree burns and literally melted her flesh, fusing part of her genitals to her leg which required massive reconstructive surgery and hospitalization.

CryptidCodex , Mike Mozart Report

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Katie Lutesinger
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And she didn't even demand a big payout - just enough to cover her medical bills, which McDonald's refused to pay. She wasn't the only one to have been burned, either. At the time they were notorious for keeping their coffee at dangerously high temperatures.

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#2

40 Facts And Theories Spread By Corporations That Have Been Proven To Be Fake Yet People Still Believe To Be True That the public is responsible for all the plastic pollution.

Anybody remember that ad campaign with the crying Indian guy? Before then soda companies were selling their soda in nice easily wash-n-reuse glass bottles. When they made the switch to plastic because it was cheaper, and the garbage started to collect, they decided to shift the blame onto YOU the consumer.

anon , Magda Ehlers Report

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Eric C.
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Something like 80-90% of pollution is industrially generated. Consumer generated pollution is relatively small. Even if every consumer / person on the planet were being as responsible as possible with regard to garbage disposal / pollution, the problem would still be enormous.

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#3

40 Facts And Theories Spread By Corporations That Have Been Proven To Be Fake Yet People Still Believe To Be True "detoxing", and **any** product that promotes it.

goldfishpaws , Polina Tankilevitch Report

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Minath
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If you have a functioning liver and at least one kidney, you don't need any detox c**p.

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There have been an abundance of corporate-related scandals where big companies made big promises, only for them to turn out as a bunch of lies. Today, however, customers are no longer fooled that easily and they’re more informed and opinionated than ever before.

When corporations are called out and their claims are revealed to be smoke and mirrors, it gives them two options: to either arm themselves with more lies and further live in oblivion, or to take it as a chance to learn from mistakes.

#4

40 Facts And Theories Spread By Corporations That Have Been Proven To Be Fake Yet People Still Believe To Be True That it's in YOUR best interest to keep your rate of pay a secret, when in fact it's exactly the opposite. If it's taboo to talk about how two employees doing exactly the same job can be paid wildly different wages.

warrantyvoiderer , Karolina Grabowska Report

#5

40 Facts And Theories Spread By Corporations That Have Been Proven To Be Fake Yet People Still Believe To Be True “Buy our split end repairing shampoo and conditioner! It’ll get all of those pesky split ends!!!”

Once the end is split it’s split. How is a shampoo supposed bring the ends back together? The only way to get rid of split ends is to cut your hair.

anon , Sam Lion Report

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October
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hair is dead matter. It can't heal itself and you don't need to nourish it.

InvincibleRodent
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It can't heal itself, and it is technically dead, but "you don't need to nourish it" is a pretty misleading way to word it.

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Kathryn Baylis
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Over processing and applying heat to hair causes split ends. Having very dry hair causes split ends. Not getting your hair trimmed keeps damaged split ends, and allows them to continue to split even more. I stopped blow drying my hair over a year ago, because I decided to quit trying to straighten it and just embrace my waves and curls. I used to start getting split ends within three months of a trim. It’s been one year and four months since I stopped straightening my hair, and I have ZERO split ends. I can’t believe I let myself do so much damage to my hair for all those years, for nothing more than a pipe dream of having long straight hair. I now absolutely LOVE my healthy wavy curly hair!

Joshua David
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As a cosmetologist since 2005, technologies such as "zip up" by redken, claim to help but this is correct. Only a hair cut can remove them. To anyone who believes that a cut will help hair grow faster is sadly mistaken as well. Our hair grows an average of 1/4in or .6cm per month. Some people may experience that at a faster or slower rate buy that the average. Constantly touching your hair in the front like most people do will cause split ends as well, so that's something to consider. Other BP stylists may jump in here, but remember like any corporation, pro hair companies make excessive amounts of thier own branded KoolAid to drink but my figures come from school, not corporate promises.

Kylie Mountain
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My 'repairing' products don't actually get rid of the split ends and I'm aware of that; what they actually do is keep my hair hydrated and soft, as opposed to dry and brittle, which is how the split ends mostly happen in the first place.

Mama Penguin
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It'll never fix those split ends, but it's important to find a shampoo that suits your hair to keep it healthy.

Mandy Delaforce (PC Girl)
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My hair is cooked and if I don't use particular products, I look like I put my finger in a socket. No, these products don't heal the hair, but they do coat it and make it slippery, reducing the amount of new breakage. It's similar to putting hand cream on your hands. It softens the dead skin.

Kris
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I quit using shampoo 7 years ago. Clean it with baking soda mixed in water, and apple cider vinegar after. 🤓

JL
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That one lady Gorilla Glued her head, probably didn't have a split end problem after that. Lots of other problems, but not split ends.

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Libstak
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It could make hair less likely to split or slow down the splitting on the ends already damaged. Probably not....but at least that much should be possible.

Mer☕️🧭☕️
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

All shampoo is overrated - hair is just dead proteins that haven't detached from your scalp yet. You do you but for ME: Joy dish-washing liquid for the win - squeaky clean and smells great like lemons. Need a conditioner? Melt a tiny pat of coconut oil (and it doesn't need to be the super speshel bs type, either) in your hand then apply where hair seems dry/the ends. Need a heavier conditioner? Wet hands, pour a half teaspoon olive oil in your hand, rub together vigorously, then rub over the ends of your hair first then down the back and sides. Insta-conditioner. Brush then air dry.

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#6

40 Facts And Theories Spread By Corporations That Have Been Proven To Be Fake Yet People Still Believe To Be True That diamonds are actually rare making them expensive and that an engagement ring should be 3 months salary. Screw you Debeers.

thanto13 , TranStudios Photography & Video Report

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October
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Getting so hyped over diamond engagement rings has never been a big thing where I live. I only see it in Hollywood movies

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Greenwashing is one such example. To find out more about it and other deceptive practices corporations use, Bored Panda reached out to Dr. Audrey Tang, a chartered psychologist and author of multiple books, including "Be A Great Manager Now", "The Leader's Guide to Mindfulness," and "The Leader's Guide to Resilience.”

“It happens often that companies, rather than make sincere efforts to promote a healthier environment, spend more on 'appearing green' – Nestle, Charmin and car companies such as Mercedes-Benz were called out in Truth in Advertising for exaggerated environmentally friendly claims,” Tang explained.

#7

40 Facts And Theories Spread By Corporations That Have Been Proven To Be Fake Yet People Still Believe To Be True That you should devote 5 days a week to the company you work for and only 2 days a week for yourself. You should be spending the majority of your life with family and friends, doing what you enjoy. Not slaving away for someone else.

nicsaweiner Report

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Buren
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

While I agree with this, can you tell me how logically? Some magical dreamy land?

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#8

40 Facts And Theories Spread By Corporations That Have Been Proven To Be Fake Yet People Still Believe To Be True That Vitamin Water is actually healthy for you. 120 Calories, most of that sugar.

JayTrim , g,young shin Report

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Wysteria_Rose
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think I read an article where a cocacola marketer (who make these drinks) said something like, "well, we never said the words healthy when selling them."

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#9

40 Facts And Theories Spread By Corporations That Have Been Proven To Be Fake Yet People Still Believe To Be True That the HR department is here to help the employees.

GooberMcNutly , Tima Miroshnichenko Report

However, Tang argues that since the ensuing regulation was passed to ensure tougher scrutiny of green advertising and compliance to green practice, many companies are making a genuine shift to sustainability.

Other companies take it as a chance to learn from their mistakes and genuinely make a public stand. “Mercedes-Benz is this year fielding a black car in Formula1 with the hashtag #weraceasone, to fight racism,” Tang said.

“But therein lies the difference – a public stand can help a brand; weighing in where there is no personal nor genuine connection can be seen as profiteering,” she explained.

#10

40 Facts And Theories Spread By Corporations That Have Been Proven To Be Fake Yet People Still Believe To Be True Apparently big Sugar companies pushed the agenda that Fat is the cause for all your health and weight problems.

poopellar , Alexander Grey Report

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Bob D. Lin Quint
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've seen candy with "fat free" on it ffs. Carbs. Carbs and salt is whats killing us

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#11

The alpha and beta wolves thing showing a hierarchy of people. No, they were actually just wolf parents parenting their pups. The researcher even went back in a book and explained he was wrong. So next time you're called "alpha" or "beta" it doesn't actually exist.

deltacaboose Report

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Minath
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Any guy who calls themselves an alpha gets ghosted. There's a big difference between confidence and arrogance.

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#12

40 Facts And Theories Spread By Corporations That Have Been Proven To Be Fake Yet People Still Believe To Be True If you truly loved them, than it is absolutely *essential* to spend an outrageous sum of money on a box to bury in the ground. The average price in the U.S. for a coffin in $2,100.

renoCow , Pavel Danilyuk Report

We have also seen big names such as Coca Cola boycotting Facebook and other social media advertising to take a stand on tighter regulation of posts. Tang argues that learning is the best possible outcome.

There are many things we can all do to promote change as needed. Tang argues that one such practice is campaigning and protesting. “I absolutely do and have made a stand with #blacklivesmatter and #pride to name but a couple of communities I support outside of my own (i.e. #mentalhealth),” Tang explained.

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#13

40 Facts And Theories Spread By Corporations That Have Been Proven To Be Fake Yet People Still Believe To Be True That expiration dates on food products are this black and white rule as to whether something is good or bad. The FDA doesn’t require expiration dates and are completely up to the discretion of the manufacturer.

It’s a tactic to get you to buy/consume more.

muSICKK__ , Communications Office Report

#14

Scented feminine hygiene products are needed because you smell bad.

drunky_crowette Report

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October
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

These producs will mess up your vaginal ecosystem. They will weaken your natural protection against infections. And once you get an infection, then you really will smell bad.

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#15

40 Facts And Theories Spread By Corporations That Have Been Proven To Be Fake Yet People Still Believe To Be True That the ink cartridge is actually empty.

ImOverThereNow , Cartridge People Report

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Minath
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If you have run out of any of the coloured inks then it won't print in black, which makes zero sense.

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“My own work is advocacy-based – I write, I teach, I podcast, I train – and maybe I might change one person’s mind and get them to look after themselves a little better,” Tang said and added that “it’s why I try and ensure everything I do has a practical element – a call to action, something we can DO to make a difference. Cancel culture is of greatest use if it is transformational – if it brings with it an option of change,” she explained.

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#16

40 Facts And Theories Spread By Corporations That Have Been Proven To Be Fake Yet People Still Believe To Be True That you look like s**t without makeup.

juustforthis , Emma Bauso Report

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Buren
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well I look like s**t with or without make up, but take it or leave it

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#17

that “organic” label doesn’t mean it’s actually “healthy”

piinkcactus Report

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Zenozenobee
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I read a French study a couple of years ago. Among the two groups , the one eating organic end up in better shape. Yet, what the study shows in fact is that the groupe eating organic for the test seems to have been more carefull with their health. Apparently, the fact they eat something they thought " healthy" got them to make effort for their health. More people of this group stopped smoking and start exercising. The conclusion of this study was that eating organic got a good influence on health but because it can raise awarness of people about the choices they make. Again, it's only one study, so, not an absolut thruth, but the conclusion is interesting.

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#18

40 Facts And Theories Spread By Corporations That Have Been Proven To Be Fake Yet People Still Believe To Be True Natural, healthy human teeth are more yellow than white. This is because teeth appeared whiter on Black and White film, and stars began to dye/bleach them whiter to match how they appeared on film.

In 1918, it was discovered that a heated lamp in conjunction with hydrogen peroxide would lighten teeth. A dentist in the late 1960’s discovered that after prescribing an overnight soak in carbamide peroxide, the teeth were significantly whiter.

CryptidCodex , Skinny Tie Media Report

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Vix Spiderthrust
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Teeth aren't naturally white, they're the colour of ivory. Because...they're ivory.

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While it’s always appealing to cancel brands, corporations and people who made mistakes, it’s important to realize that cancel culture, just like judgement, is often rooted in anger. “One side shouting and another covering their ears and shouting back – like Brexit and instead of listening and processing, the opposing side simply nods and raises their voice,” Tang explained.

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“Sometimes these two groups are fighting the same side, and through recognizing their allegiance may be made all the stronger. Don’t cut the nose to spite the face,” she added.

#19

40 Facts And Theories Spread By Corporations That Have Been Proven To Be Fake Yet People Still Believe To Be True Valentines day

tricks_23 , Kayla Speid Report

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Monday
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Valentines day is great....because a few days after it there's so much discounted chocolate to buy!

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#20

40 Facts And Theories Spread By Corporations That Have Been Proven To Be Fake Yet People Still Believe To Be True When someone dies their family has no legal reason to pay their debts. It is a myth that the banking industry isn't about to correct.

ChokingTermite , Mikhail Nilov Report

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Ian Milne
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That’s a little misleading. Debt is paid from the deceased persons estate. If there are insufficient funds to pay the debt, only then is it written off.

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#21

40 Facts And Theories Spread By Corporations That Have Been Proven To Be Fake Yet People Still Believe To Be True The food pyramid.

HeyT00ts11 , bigbrand . Report

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Falcon
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The whole food thing is so strange to me. I've read so many articles about certain foods being really bad for you. Then, like a year later, another one telling me how good the same food for my health is. I've stopped reading those articles and use common sense to choose what I eat.

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#22

40 Facts And Theories Spread By Corporations That Have Been Proven To Be Fake Yet People Still Believe To Be True People forget that college is a business. To make money.

It has its place, of course, but the intense pressure for EVERYone to attend is completely insane to me, especially considering the need for tradespeople.

heatherkan , Charles DeLoye Report

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#23

Gluten free is better than with gluten for everyone. Physiologically it only helps coeliacs or those with mild sensitivity to gluten. According to the research so far doesn't make a difference in anybody else. And yet the gluten free market went up like crazy

LoveThatShirt Report

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Monday
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If your body can process it correctly then there's no harm in eating a moderate amount. If we weren't meant to consume gluten at all we'd all be gluten intolerant after all. Eat what you wanna eat.

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#24

40 Facts And Theories Spread By Corporations That Have Been Proven To Be Fake Yet People Still Believe To Be True Here in Sweden there is an extremely persistent myth that you *should* eat 6-8 slices of bread every day.

That was a commercial campaign by a bread manufacturer. Some way they managed to get the Public Health Institute to pass that myth on. It was like 50 years ago, and that myth still lives!

I'm so sick and tired of that myth.

I also think the "6-8 slices of bread a day" campaign has been one of the most successful examples in world history of myths created by corporate companies.

anon , Charles Chen Report

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Chich
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Scott pilgrim was right, bread imakes you fat. Especially that nasty white stuff.

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#25

40 Facts And Theories Spread By Corporations That Have Been Proven To Be Fake Yet People Still Believe To Be True We actually don’t need a lot of toothpaste on the brush, but companies advertise using a whole bunch in commercials to make you run out faster.

eroder11 , Ron Lach Report

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Paula Pattison
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

But they say on the tube "pea sized". Yes they want to make more money, they are not a charity and it is not their fault you don't read the instructions.

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#26

40 Facts And Theories Spread By Corporations That Have Been Proven To Be Fake Yet People Still Believe To Be True Telling people your salary will make people think less of you. In reality sharing your salary especially with coworkers with the same/similar positions will allow you to negotiate for a higher wage or even form a union with ease

Lundy98 , Tima Miroshnichenko Report

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Damon
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And if you negotiated a terrible salary if will make them feel bad for you

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#27

Eating carrots does not improve one's vision.

The British government put this out as an explanation as to why their (supposedly carrot-eating) RAF pilots were able to shoot down enemy Luftwaffe fighters before being detected by the enemy.

The truth has nothing to do with carrots. The British had invented a primitive form of radar and didn't want the Nazis knowing about it.

nitr0smash Report

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Laura Ketteridge
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Carrots contain beta-carotene. The body uses this to create Vitamin A. This is essential for eye health. Whilst it won't cure sight problems, it can help prevent others.

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#28

40 Facts And Theories Spread By Corporations That Have Been Proven To Be Fake Yet People Still Believe To Be True You lose your warranty if you break the tamper seal (ie. “Warranty void of seal is broken” stickers).

“... warranty conditions that forbid consumers from opening or repairing their devices are illegal under a provision of the 1975 Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act”

https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/gv5ddm/warranty-void-if-removed-stickers-are-illegal

https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2018/04/ftc-staff-warns-companies-it-illegal-condition-warranty-coverage

https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/16/700.10

impressiver , Luis Villasmil Report

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#29

40 Facts And Theories Spread By Corporations That Have Been Proven To Be Fake Yet People Still Believe To Be True That eating fat (as in the macronutrient in general) makes you fat. This is why we have so many low-fat or reduced-fat versions of foods where the fat is just replaced with cheap sugar, and sugar actually makes you fat.

It all boils down to the marketing. The issue lies within foods being sold as low-fat substitutes of the original and being marketed as healthier options, when really, the fat is substituted for sugar, which can be even worse for you.

To all the people saying what do you mean? fat is 9 calories per gram and sugar is 4. Correct. But do you think it's better to eat 9 cals of fat, or sub it with 9 cals of sugar. Eating fat is actual required for your body to burn fat, and is vital for all types of bodily functions. Sugar, on the other hand, skyrockets your blood glucose, resulting in the secretion of insulin, and when insulin is high, it's much harder to burn fat.

If you cut all the fat from your diet, you can have hormonal issues, potential joint pain, s**t digestion, no libido. Cut all the sugar (not carbs in general, just processed sugar) and you'll probably lose some weight and feel awesome!

We can go on for days here. The point is, if you're going to opt for a low-fat version of a food, take a peek at the ingredients and see what you're consuming instead!

muchostouche , Mike Mozart Report

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Leo Domitrix
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Eating fat can make you fat. Eating too much of ANYTHING will do it, even if you're only consuming whey protein shakes in almond milk.

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#30

That GMO is bad, courtesy of the organic farming industry.

Beninoxford Report

#31

‘Drink 3 litres of water per day’ is a complete myth with no scientific backing, created by water bottle companies. Yes, it’s important to drink water, but once you get past a certain point all you’re doing is spending money for something that goes in, does nothing, and then gets excreted.

anon Report

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CalicoKitty
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Three litres a day is a great way to make a very small person go to the toilet very often.

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#32

That if you work hard, keep your head down and do the right thing - corporations will reward you as being a valued member of the company.
about 15 years after you've joined the grad programme you realise that is the ultimate way to get exploited by a company and not how (m)any bosses got their positions :-)
Smart people should work for themselves or creative industries ...

ThisMansJourney Report

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Barbara Kayton
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Entrepreneurialism is a myth created by MLMs and pyramid schemes. Know your worth, don’t fall for the employer tricks to underpay you, but definitely don’t be deceived by the network marketing companies either. No matter what spiel they give you, if you can’t afford their products and programs comfortably on your current salary, you will lose money - or even go broke. And their health and wellness certifications are c**p. - you can literally kill someone if you don’t have extensive knowledge of medicine if you sell them vitamins or supplements. Vitamins and supplements are 1) unregulated, and 2) based on a theory that was never properly peer reviewed; and evidence is showing that if you don’t medically need them, they can be harmful or even deadly.

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#33

40 Facts And Theories Spread By Corporations That Have Been Proven To Be Fake Yet People Still Believe To Be True There’s this weird idea among some women that pads are inferior to tampons, or that only young girls or virgins use pads. This was actually perpetuated by tampon companies in the 60s or 70s I believe, when the link between Toxic Shock Syndrome and tampons was made. Pad companies latched onto this and started marketing their product as cleaner, so tampon companies countered by marketing their product as for mature, professional women. This was particularly effective at the height of Second Wave feminism when women were struggling to be taken more seriously in the workplace. So effective that this perception still exists today even though there’s no logical basis and no one even really knows WHY they think this way. You can sort of still see it in commercials today, where pad commercials are usually just someone pouring blue liquid on a pad while in tampon commercials there’s usually a woman dancing around or playing a sport or something equally not fun to do while you’re on your period.

sappharah , Natracare Report

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InvincibleRodent
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

.... now that I think about it, I've never seen a TV- or youtube ad for a menstrual cup. I've only ever heard about one through word of mouth, even though in a lot of cases, most people I know (myself included) have objectively better experiences with it, and are not likely to go back to disposable products. That's more than likely the reason companies aren't very eager to promote it, lol

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#34

40 Facts And Theories Spread By Corporations That Have Been Proven To Be Fake Yet People Still Believe To Be True "When you care enough to send the very best," you'd better make it a Hallmark card.

Hallmark wants you to believe that sending their expensive greeting cards somehow proves your feelings for someone else.

Back2Bach , Michael Lehet Report

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Minath
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

A handmade card of any quality shows a lot more thought than an expensive bought one.

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#35

Change your oil every 3,000 miles or 3 months. Was created by car repair shops to gain more business. Motor oil companies say you can go 5000-7500 miles or 6 months. Owners manuals even say it.

As a mechanic here is my 2 cents. Change that oil and filter twice a year, first week of spring and first week of fall. Do a motor flush once every 2 years. Splurge on tires when it’s time to replace and try to get ethanol free gas if you can, if you can’t, use a fuel additive once a month. Don’t forget about your spark plugs, they are the most underrated component on your engine.

spotweld Report

#36

That you can shrink your pores.

sellerofstuff116 Report

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Ashley Schriber
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When my mother was in school, the boys had shop class while the girls had "home ec." One of the things the girls learned was how to wash their faces. Hot water supposedly "opened the pores" and so you were supposed to start with hot water. Then when the pores were nice and open, you were supposed to use cleanser, then use cold water to "close the pores." Meanwhile, the boys were learning how to build stuff. Good times.

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#37

40 Facts And Theories Spread By Corporations That Have Been Proven To Be Fake Yet People Still Believe To Be True Christmas and Easter as we know it were mostly designed in the 1950s.

anon , Jill Wellington Report

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Vix Spiderthrust
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Christmas was largely designed by Charles Dickens. Trees and cards also date to the Victorian era.

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#38

“We’ll stand by our warranty” —Circuit City one week before they closed.

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Wintermute
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Or the ones that were pushing gift cards up until the day they closed.

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#39

This has already been stated, but milk is not good for bones nor does it have amazing health benefits. I love milk but it was all created by the big milk companies to push out more milk. They even did a study back in like the 50s or 60s where they had women lose weight with healthy diet that included milk and tried to say it was the milk that helped the weight loss... Pretty sure it was the low calorie, veggie based meals they had with that milk.

Along that line of thought, most "diet" foods or processed foods designed to be "healthy" usually aren't healthier at all. They just wanted to Target both health concious and non health concious people at once. If it comes in a box, it probably still kinda bad for you. The best option is always gonna be whole foods with the least processing. But that doesn't make people money.

Which leads to another big corporate lie: the fad diets that sell things like detox teas and diet pills. A lot of people may claim that "diets never work" and "you can't lose weight by just eating less and exercising" but that's just cause that kind of weight loss doesn't lead to profits for them. So they try to make you think you can't do it yourself, you have to pay money for pills and plans and drinks that will do the work for you.

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AwesomeLeoWife
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is flat out incorrect. Milk is an excellent source of calcium (yes I know there are others) which is needed to maintain bone density, helps blood clotting and other heart related things. The vitamin D that is also present in milk helps the body absorb this calcium too. This is why milk is promoted because it’s a “one-stop shop” for these vital nutrients.

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#40

That fats are generally bad for you.

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Nicky
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Unsaturated fats like salmon, guacamole, and almonds are good for you whereas saturated and trans fats are bad for you since their chemical structure leads to more artery blockage.

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#41

That mattresses need to be replaced every 8 years.

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#42

40 Facts And Theories Spread By Corporations That Have Been Proven To Be Fake Yet People Still Believe To Be True The idea of Type A and Type B personalities were essentially created by tobacco companies that promoted the initial study. The study found that Type A personalities had an increased risk of coronary artery disease and, conveniently enough, would also smoke more because those hard workers need the stress relief.

This would let tobacco companies deflect the blame on any studies showing the association between heart disease and tobacco by saying that their personality type was the confounding factor.

The_Vikachu , Norman Tolba Report

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John Legere
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They had doctors recommending certain brands. EXAMPLE (Kent with the micronite filters are good for you)

#43

A lot of the on sale yellow clearance tags at Lowes that say something like WAS $44.99 NOW $24.99 is fake because when I look it up in the system it still shows MSRP as $24.99 and under that is the ADVT or advertised price and that is usually blank. Not on sale just a ploy to get you to buy it. If it sounds too good to be true ask someone to look it up under 5.1 in Genesis. Everyone has access to it. Also it's easier if you can give us the item number from the tag. Its also often on the item itself. A 6 digit number.

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P B Wilson
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I remember radio shack used to do the same thing. They would raise the price six weeks to a month before the sale and then drop it back to normal price for the sale

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#44

Expiration dates on some canned and dry goods.

EDIT: I said some. Not all. Some.

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Spooky Scary Skeletons
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It depends on the items. You could get away with milk a day after it's expiration (always sniff first) but don't take any chances with stuff like fish or poultry!

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#45

40 Facts And Theories Spread By Corporations That Have Been Proven To Be Fake Yet People Still Believe To Be True That putting a lime in a Corona is a time-honored Mexican custom, when the combination was actually invented in the United States in the early ‘80’s.

wanderinghome , Raphael Nogueira Report

#46

That cows need to be milked.

It's not quite a *myth*, but it's lacking some pretty important [context](https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/mar/30/dairy-scary-public-farming-calves-pens-alternatives) - specifically, that they have to give birth to induce lactation, just like humans. However, their milk production dries up after a while, when their calves would've been moving onto eating grass, so they need to be re-impregnated again. The calves are sort of surplus to this process, so they're taken away shortly after they're born.

Edit: Cows also "need to be milked," because we've bred them to produce as much milk as freaking possible, even when it [negatively impacts their health](http://www.humanesociety.org/assets/pdfs/farm/hsus-the-welfare-of-cows-in-the-dairy-industry.pdf).

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Casey Horn
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

this is how all mammals work. back in the day there would be women who would just continue to breast feed children. either the mom died or for some reason could not breast feed. these women would continue to produce milk long after their children were grown because they continued to use their mammary glands. you might have heard the term before: wet nurse

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#47

The idea of "teen culture"--that adolescents need to have their own everything that is different from their parents. Invented by advertisers to sell new lines of product.

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Jessica Wood
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Also teenagers are complex and individualistic so they don't always follow the same trends or like the same things.

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#48

That drinking milk from a cow is important for your health. Many other foods have plenty of calcium and are more nutritious.

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Dean Meixner
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I can't drink milk, perhaps I'm slightly lactose intolerant, it makes me a little queazy afterwards, a little milk in a cup of tea if fine, but to down a whole glass ... hmmm nope.

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#49

Pork isn’t the other white meat, because it’s a red meat! Big pork was trying to get people to buy more of it, so they came up with the slogan so people would think it’s as healthy as chicken. It’s not, it just so happens to be white when cooked.

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#50

That formula is healthier for infants than breast milk

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Little Wonder
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Breastmilk isn't always an option, and it's fantastic that we have a safe alternative.

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#51

The old advertising agency saying is that Johnson & Johnson's most lucrative invention wasn't Listerine; it was "halitosis."

TheSanityInspector Report

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Vorknkx
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Halitosis is a real thing, though. It's caused by abnormal proliferation of bacteria in the mouth or other conditions, such as the so-called "tonsil stones."

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#52

Certain colors being associated with genders. Pink and blue becoming girls' and boys' colors wasn't a thing until the mid-1900s as a way to sell more clothes.

Edit: I did some more research to check myself and the line is more blurry than I initially learned. For instance, it's debated whether corporations put out these color associations on their own accord, or whether it was a response to a growing cultural inclination. There are a few theories about why culture might have inclined itself to specify genders in the mid-later-1900s:

-The post-WW2 return of men to the workforce and ideas of a working class, nuclear family might have emphasized a need to reinforce gender roles (stay at home mother and working father) through a set color differentiation.

-A growing trend of parents doing pre-birth gender reveals led to a growing need for gender differentiation.

-The decision that pink should represent femininity might be traced to a series of icons in pop culture such as Jackie Kennedy on the day of the JFK assassination, Marilyn Monroe in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, etc.

-An, albiet less common, theory posits that pink badges worn by homosexual men in Nazi concentration camps led to the idea that pink is a symbol for femininity.

There was actually solid evidence dating back to pre-WW1 of the idea of gender signification with blue and pink, but it was either conflicting or the opposite of what we know today. Most of the evidence was from corporations, so that may be evidence to support my post.

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Vicki Doggurl
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes! Red was a masculine color and for men, while the lighter shade was for babies. Blue was feminine with its lighter shade for babies. Back in the 1800s and early 1900s!

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#53

40 Facts And Theories Spread By Corporations That Have Been Proven To Be Fake Yet People Still Believe To Be True That cell phones can actually interfere with aircraft systems.

They can’t. All cell phone signals are either digital, like WiFi, which can’t interfere with any other device (take note that you can have multiple devices on the same WiFi network with no trouble); or the cell phone uses radio bands outside the communications bands used by aviation and therefore can’t interfere. And besides, all the wires and electronics in airplanes are shielded from these signals anyway.

FlyJunior172 , Lina Kivaka Report

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Monday
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There is a non-zero chance a phone could interfere though. You might be in an old plane that has unshielded electronics, or the shielding on a device might be damaged and your phone happens to do something at the correct frequency. It's probably not going to happen, just like you are probably not going to die from eating food past it's expiration date, but it's better to just not take the risk at all.

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#54

That "organic" necessarily means "better for you and/or the environment. I try and tell my mom: "This is all just lifestyle marketing: you are literally paying an extra dollar for nothing more than a label that has absolutely nothing to do with how healthy something is or how good for the environment it is, just how much they can get you to think that they are. They are blatantly and shamelessly ripping you off." and she just refuses to buy the normal stuff.

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Little Wonder
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There are environmental considerations either way. Non organic uses pesticides and chemical fertilizers which aren't brilliant for the planet, but organic gets a lower yield per acre and therefore needs more cleared land. That's a simplification.

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#55

That prom is supposed to be the best night of your entire life.

In my opinion, prom isn't that big of a deal, but you see in movies and books and in advertisements by corporations that it's supposed to be a magical night, so you spend thousands of dollars on great dresses and hair and makeup and suits and flowers and prom-posals and post-prom parties and all that stuff so people think that's just expected.

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Boris Long-Johnson
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Assuming prom is at about 18 then it’s a pretty sad existence for the next 70 years.

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#56

That 'natural' ingredients in skin and healthcare are better for you than 'unnatural' ones.

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Monday
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Poison Ivy is alllll natural, so you should definitely rub it all over your skin! /s

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#57

That their specfic investment managers can beat the market consistently. Latest research shows only 3% could consisentely outperform in excess of fees. News Flash all the firms don't have top 3% people.

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Thomas Biorogue
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Pelosi is batting a thousand right now. Must be nice to be on the inside like that and know exactly what stocks to buy and when.

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#58

That America is a super letigious nation, and that the courts are overfull with frivolous law suits.

Myth created by McDonalds and others hoping to get people to reconsider suing them for genuine reasons. This came about after the infamous spilt hot coffee lawsuit.

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Monday
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I dunno...with the amount of frivolous law stories I've heard over the years and the amount of threats for legal action I've heard customer service reps talk about I'm inclined to believe the US is at least slightly more sue-happy than most other countries.

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#59

The need to shave is at least, in part, a corporate cultural creation.

Gillette ran extensive advertisements in the early 20th century convincing men that a smooth shave would increase their sex appeal to women.

No company gets rich when you just let your hair grow.

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Judes
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh, come on! Men have been shaving for 100s of years, long before Gillette came into being. Of course, the amount of facial hair has varied a lot over these 100s of years, but that's fashion.

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#61

That all speakers have actual tweeters

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Bored Panda
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What's your point? You don't necessarily have to have a separate tweeter to get good sound. Nor do you have to have a separate midrange speaker. Audio signal response totally depends on the speaker itself and the enclosure it is in.

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#62

Mavis Beacon doesn't actually teach typing— because *she doesn't exist*!

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Billy Harrelson
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I learned in 8th grade back in the '90s on an Apple II. No fancy software. Once you memorize the location of the keys on a QWERTY keyboard, typing really is a breeze.

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#63

Isn't most of how we perceive Father Christmas essentially a creation of Coca-Cola?

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Vix Spiderthrust
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No, this is a myth. Father Christmas is unchanged since the poem A Visit From St Nicholas (1823) and has been wearing red since at least 1870, when Thomas Nash painted him. As cola was not invented until the 1880s, it's obvious that Coca-cola merely appropriated Santa due to the matching colour scheme, rather than creating his colours as is apocryphally suggested.

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