You DO Believe Man Walked On The Moon, Right?
If you're like me, you've probably heard a crazy story or two. We know it doesn't make sense to believe 'em. But why do so many of us buy into utter nonsense?
Well, a team from the University of Western Australia says we get our misinformation from one of four places:
- rumors or works of fiction
- politicians [you did watch our just-completed elections, right?]
- the media [not us, of course], and
- the Internet [and there have been a few doozies here].
So, how can you clear up a myth? Nothing might work [some stories just become part of what people believe, even if they've heard and understand the truth ], but here are a few things to try:
-attack the source [do they know what they're talking about?],
-tell people the real reason why something happened. If you can, explain how the myth got created; and,
- keep your explanation simple.
Again, none of this may work. But it's worth a try.
Just out of curiosity, what's the wildest story you've ever heard [I'll spare you my most bizarre rumor, but it involved, among other things, a famous person, a common rodent frequently kept as a pet, and a cardboard tube...] ? Tell us, or if you wish, start a rumor here, or on our Facebook page.