Society & Culture

Urban Myths- Are you responsible for there proliferation?

Society & Culture

Posted by: Ricky

18th Dec 2010 08:19am

When I was younger I remembered hearing that Meatloaf had died from a heart attack and that Micheal Crawford was killed doing his own stunts. If you put sugar into a petrol tank it will cease the engine.
Even today I feel embarressed that I believed them. And since then, hundreds of stories have reached my ears but today I am more discerning as to the validity of those stories (even from and especially reputed sources.). I have become a 'sceptic' and it has held me in good stead.
A drawback is it can put you offside with people who make claims about such things as I tend not to let things go unchallenged. Most people would politely nod in agreement then later say they talked 'rubbish.' But I prefer to get them to think before they make a statement as fact.
The mechanism 'why' people get so upset is
(1) You make them look like a fool. ( Not intentionally but is cannot be helped.)
(2) You challenge their belief system. Our brains are wired to think of outcomes based on experience (or thought/conclusions.)
Often a person cannot be persuaded even if evidence is placed in front of them. So strong is this survival mechanism.
Think of yourselves.
When have you denied the evidence?


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