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It’s no secret that it’s been getting increasingly hard to separate facts from fiction. With so much chaos, fake news, conspiracies and whatnot surfing around the media, it’s easy to lose your own standpoint.
But believing nonsense, aka myths, is part of (often flawed) human nature. In fact, people believed all kinds of crazy things a long time before the pandemic hit, and ridiculous beliefs, like that when you get a covid vaccine, you get injected with a microchip, started spreading much like the virus itself.
So when someone asked “what myth is still widely circulated as truth?” on r/AskReddit, the 33.2k responses came flowing in. We selected some of the most eye-opening ones that debunk so-called common knowledge that turns out to be anything but knowledge!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
A lot of people still believe a woman sued McDonald’s because her coffee was hot. In reality, the woman had 3rd-degree burns throughout her pelvic area and only asked that her medical bills be paid.
WilvanderHeijden 3 years ago
She only wanted that McDonalds paid her medical bills. McDonalds refused and that why she took them to court and got the $2.9 million awarded.
RELATED:
#2
If you work hard at school and get good grades you'll get a good job and enjoy a stable life.
#3
That diamonds are rare and therefore should be expensive, that is just a myth perpetrated by the de beers diamond cartel.
Many myths widely circulate as truth in our society, as this post has shown us all. And while some of them go about their ways for years and years after someone finally disproves them, other myths turn into full-blown fake news and conspiracies that can do a lot of harm.
Take anti-vaxxers, who vehemently avoid vaccines on the premise that they are dangerous and unhealthy. With the rise of the internet, they’ve organized into massive affirming echo chambers on forums like the Vaccine Resistance Movement. Researchers say that many conspiracies, just like covid denialism and anti-vaccination, are nothing new and they are all the result of fear and distrust. Think of 9/11 conspiracies surfing on the internet forums that were basically fueled by the lack of faith in the government.
#4
That you have to wait for 24h before you can report a missing person. If someone is missing, go get help!
#5
Bulls hate red. They are actually colour blind and are reacting to the movement of the cloth and the a**hole behind it.
#6
The mystery of how the pyramids were built. They know how they were built. Ramps, pulleys, ropes, and labor.
So in order to find out how exactly conspiracy theories work and why some people are more prone to believing them than others, we spoke with Annika Rabo, a professor emeritus of the Department of Social Anthropology, Stockholm University.
“Conspiracy theories can be understood as a response to the question: why are bad things happening to me (or my family, my ‘group,’ my country.) In conspiracy theories there is no room for chance but BAD THINGS happened because of the evil plotting of hidden actors out to harm,” the professor explained.
#7
If an HIV-positive person has sex with another HIV-positive person, they don’t have to worry about protection. They do, because there are 140 different strains of the HIV/AIDS virus, and getting infected with another strain, especially a potentially deadlier one, could be dangerous. Also, pregnancy is still a very big risk for HIV-positive women. If you are considering a sexual relationship, get tested, and talk to your doctor about birth control.
#8
people believe in the whole alpha and beta wolves thing
It’s not true. The “leaders” of the pack are the parents.
-in natural wolf packs, the alpha male or female are merely the breeding animals, the parents of the pack, and dominance contests with other wolves are rare if they exist at all.
Adam Jeff 3 years ago
Yes, the original theory was based on observations in a zoo, where a group of unrelated wolves had been artificially brought together. In the wild, packs are always family groups and don't show the same dynamic. Sadly, the incorrect theory had already spilled over into a lot of dog-training theories which are still used.
#9
The Food Pyramid
Rikke Visby Wickberg 3 years ago
A pyramid has three or four sides. I want to know what is on the other sides!
Prof. Rabo said that there may be a few reasons why people are prone to conspiracies. “Some researchers claim that people who are less able to handle uncertainties are more prone to embrace conspiracy theories. Other researchers claim that people embracing conspiracy theories are evenly distributed in the population.” Having said that, she added that “populations in stable democracies in North and West Europe have until now been less prone to embrace conspiracy theories of a political nature.”
#10
The Bible.
Final score:
211points
RandomBeing 3 years ago
I am Christian and I read the bible. But for heavens sake people it's far from a primary source, its been translated many times by people who are far from perfect, and the context of what its about, and it's translation should be taken into account. Words change meaning in less that centuries. It's far from a literal and perfect document.
#11
That washing chicken gets it rid of bacteria. No. Cooking chicken gets rid of bacteria, given that you do it well. Washing chicken, on the other hand, can contaminate your whole kitchen with salmonella.
#12
That goldfish have a 6 second memory. I mean it's still not great, I think like a couple of months. But still... Get your fish a bigger damn tank
When it comes to the conspiracy theories we notice now in the pandemic period, Prof. Rabo said that they are not really different from earlier ones. “They involve hidden agents who are either evil outsiders or insiders. The suspicion against vaccines and the pharmaceutical companies is not new. What is new is the fact that news and conspiracy theories are spread VERY quickly across vast distances today,” she explained.
“The basic elements—the theme—of conspiracy theories are fairly constant, but the elements differ and if they do not resonate with local conditions, they will disappear or evolve into new elements,” the professor concluded.
#13
That you can tell if someone is a "virgin" by looking at their hymen to see if it is "intact."
#14
That whole "you eat seven spiders a year" myth. It was created by some lady in the late 90s or early 2000s to prove that ridiculous things can be found on the internet, spread like wildfire, and believed by many.
#15
That cold is caused by lower temperatures. The cold is a virus that transmits between people.
Edit: a lot of people are saying that cold temperatures weaken the immune system and thus indirectly make you more susceptible, and while it’s true, the direct cause for common colds is caused by human contact.
#16
That we only use 10% of our brain
#19
The Bermuda triangle. Turns out ships and planes disappear at the same rate all over the world's oceans.
Sean Baxter 3 years ago
Bermuda Triangle is just a highly active part of the ocean when it comes to sea trade
#20
I was adamantly told by some seniors at work not to drink the water that boiled twice because it cooks the oxygen out of it.
#22
That historical armour was useless, or just something you wore so you had a slight chance to turn a death blow into merely a serious injury.
Shows and movies still perpetuate this. Game of Thrones has "acclaimed" sword fights where guys casually shove swords through dudes in plate armour. Impossible. Metal is not cardboard.
Even the most basic iron or bronze chain mail armour will be barely scratched by a slash from the sharpest katana. Well-made plate armour is impervious to all damage short of a blow from a specialized armour-piercing weapon (lance, pole axe etc.). Even the earliest guns couldn't penetrate plate armour.
Armour was incredibly expensive. Common people couldn't afford it so made do without or, if lucky, with fabric armors (that were still very effective protection!). A suite of the custom-made plate would have cost a knight the equivalent of a modern high-end luxury car. Why would people pay that much for something useless?
Armour was very useful. That's why weapons continued to advanced over the centuries and why armour did as well. It was an arms race.
#24
That the seeds are the spiciest part of hot pepper. The seeds are the only part of a pepper that isn't spicy. The white stuff near the seeds though, spice max.
#25
Knuckle cracking doesn't lead to arthritis, it is just an old wives tale people use in place of simply telling you it's annoying them. Crack away!
Captain Awesome 3 years ago
Actually, as a lifelong knuckle cracker, it doesn't cause arthritis but can cause tendon/ligament damage in the fingers and hands.
#26
That you can reduce fat from a particular body part
#27
Gum takes 7 years to digest
#28
That Corsets are a lethal torture item and every Victorian woman did tight-lacing.
The myth about harmful Corsets was started by Victorian men, in order to bring down women-owned businesses. And some feminists (looking at you, Emma Watson) swallowed that lie, hook, and sinker, thinking they are empowering somebody with it.
The truth is, Corsets are way better than bras. If you have back pains, which many women have because of their bras, switch to Corsets. There is a reason, why it was used that long.
#29
You have to wait 30 min to swim after eating
Monica Martinez Castañeda 3 years ago
When I was a kid, in Spain, it was said you had to wait 2 hours! :)
#30
The European "Dark Ages"
People seem to love the idea that, between the fall of Rome and, like, DaVinci or something, everyone in Europe was just blowing spit bubbles and looking at the funny pictures in the Bible. Not only was there not a complete absence of classical learning in Europe during the dark ages but throughout the dark ages and medieval period, there actually was a fair amount of progress in fields like architecture, engineering, metallurgy, philosophy, theology, and yes, even science.
But then again, I suppose it all ties back to the notion that people in the past were somehow far stupider than we are.
What do you think ?
Eli Klimentova 3 years ago
That you need to make at least 10k steps a day. While moving around and going for a walk is certainly healthy, that 10k number actually has no scientific backing. It was a clever marketing strategy of a Japanese pedometer manufacturer, Japanese symbol for 10k looks like a walking figure.
Chaos&Roses 3 years ago
And people who believe you can accurately count steps by wearing a fitbit on your WRIST.
First Name Last Name 3 years ago
This place has rapidly become RedditLite. What happened to all the non-recycled non-political fun??
Chich 3 years ago
Having an advanced degree in one thing making one an expert in all other fields. No it does not. I have met a few Master/PHD holders who were pretty clueless- except for their narrow speciality.
James Doe 3 years ago
You'd hope though that everyone who has done some sort of proper scientific research has a grasp of what science is and how it works. Understanding how immensely huge the seemingly tiniest topics can be in the scientific world and hence have a better understanding of what to respect respect or be sceptic about published results.
Load More Replies... Eli Klimentova 3 years ago
That you need to make at least 10k steps a day. While moving around and going for a walk is certainly healthy, that 10k number actually has no scientific backing. It was a clever marketing strategy of a Japanese pedometer manufacturer, Japanese symbol for 10k looks like a walking figure.
Chaos&Roses 3 years ago
And people who believe you can accurately count steps by wearing a fitbit on your WRIST.
First Name Last Name 3 years ago
This place has rapidly become RedditLite. What happened to all the non-recycled non-political fun??
Chich 3 years ago
Having an advanced degree in one thing making one an expert in all other fields. No it does not. I have met a few Master/PHD holders who were pretty clueless- except for their narrow speciality.
James Doe 3 years ago
You'd hope though that everyone who has done some sort of proper scientific research has a grasp of what science is and how it works. Understanding how immensely huge the seemingly tiniest topics can be in the scientific world and hence have a better understanding of what to respect respect or be sceptic about published results.
Load More Replies... Related on Bored Panda
