This entry is a bit of a test
Have you ever been sitting talking to a friend or group or friends and hear a particular kind of story? The kind of story that seems plausible although unlikely in it's nature. It may have happened to a distant friend of a friend, relative or acquaintance.
As it was a friend who told you this story you are likely to believe them or at least accept the story at face value. You may even pass the story on to other friends, and the story spreads.
Weeks or months later you are talking to another friend who tells you nearly exactly the same story but about a completely different person and circumstances. Something clicks in your brain and you think it's a little weird.
You have encountered an Urban Legend or Myth. A story or information that springs up around a real or fictional event that literally takes on legendary or mythical status. They can become generally accepted for varying reasons and even given credibility. Thanks to the interweb they now spread like wildfire and of course many accept all e-mail tales as being 100% true.
A year or two ago, one actually made the front page of a local newspaper I happened to read.
Probably about the most referred to one I've found is that we only use 10 percent of our brains. It's total nonsense. Yet I've seen it creeping into lots of different places you'll see it yourself if you look out for it.
I could go into much more detail. It would be kind of redundant as there is a wonderful interweb resource that lists and provides analysis for hundreds of them.
The Urban Legend Reference Pages
It's really quite interesting.
As it was a friend who told you this story you are likely to believe them or at least accept the story at face value. You may even pass the story on to other friends, and the story spreads.
Weeks or months later you are talking to another friend who tells you nearly exactly the same story but about a completely different person and circumstances. Something clicks in your brain and you think it's a little weird.
You have encountered an Urban Legend or Myth. A story or information that springs up around a real or fictional event that literally takes on legendary or mythical status. They can become generally accepted for varying reasons and even given credibility. Thanks to the interweb they now spread like wildfire and of course many accept all e-mail tales as being 100% true.
A year or two ago, one actually made the front page of a local newspaper I happened to read.
Probably about the most referred to one I've found is that we only use 10 percent of our brains. It's total nonsense. Yet I've seen it creeping into lots of different places you'll see it yourself if you look out for it.
I could go into much more detail. It would be kind of redundant as there is a wonderful interweb resource that lists and provides analysis for hundreds of them.
The Urban Legend Reference Pages
It's really quite interesting.
posted by soup_dragon at 2:07 am
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