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?


MariaG
  • 15th Feb 2011 03:54pm

I must agree with your feelings on this. Over the years I have learned that word of mouth is distorted from one mouth to the next. Now, with all the wonders of technology, one can't even believe what they hear, read or see as a result of editing, splcing and photo shopping.
I guess it comes down to make a choice as to how one manages the feed of information.
As I have matured, I have tended to take on the old "I'll believe it when I see it" attitude and just go on living my own life.
It is probably a waste of energy to disprove evidence. I prefer to approach matters in a non commital way by replying "you don't say".
Cheers, Maria


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