Most people inherently believe in the good of others.
So when someone we know as a kind person commits an indiscretion, we tend to forgive them.
However, things get complicated when it comes to accepting common knowledge and concepts.
No matter how much certain groups of people are informed about something that is not at all accurate, they remain in denial of the truth.
Curious to hear from strangers online, Redditor IT-Trader asked:
"What is something fake that people still believe in?"
You can't help it if people are gullible.
Well, If Brad Pitt Says It's Good...
"Products endorsements by celebrities."
– TangibleRalph
"Tom Selleck is trying to get old people to sign up for a reverse mortgage!"
– Pentacostal-Haircut
Sugarcoating
"'Chemicals' mean toxic or harmful."
– bababoel
"When people tell me 'I only prefer natural' I remind them that a curare poison is oh so natural, while most of medications are "terrible chemicals" that save your life."
– lakmus85_real
Not Improv
"Reality TV. Hint: It is mostly scripted."
– SwordfishRadiant8296
"Or heavily edited to tell the story the producers want to tell vs what actually is happening."
– rb928
Common misconceptions were brought up.
Now, See Here
"That you can test a woman's virginity by examining her hymen."
– Creosotegirl
Food For Thought
"The whole 'we only use 10% of our brain' myth."
"I'm looking at you Limitless."
– Super_Comment7470
The Thing About Snakes
"Snakes are slimy"
"If anything it's the opposite."
– ChineseNoodleDog
"I think they mixed up snake and politician. An easy mistake to make."
– Sixhaunt
Now Chew On This
"Gum stays in your stomach for seven years."
– Garaquarubyline
Lacking Flavor
"Tongue taste division, so widespread, so untrue."
– TheBitwolf
"My food science teacher taught this."
"When we did an 'experiment' to test it, she got really frustrated with me when I tasted things all over or in different areas than where the book stated they happen."
– FreakingFae
You can't convince everyone of the truth.
Cultish
"MLMs and pyramid schemes."
– dissolved_mind
"I have a client who does amway so a lot of their referrals to me are amway people. It makes me sad because they all idolize this dude that’s 'up the line' who quit his job. It’s honestly cultish. None of them show any income from it on their taxes. It’s the craziest thing."
– KimJongUn_stoppable
The World We Inhabit
"The earth being flat."
– Difficult-Engine1829
Call It What You Want
"Superior 'natural' medicine."
"Hint: if it works, it's just called medicine."
– Poorly-Drawn-Beagle
As someone mentioned in the thread, gum does not stay in your stomach for seven years, contrary to the myth.
But for the longest time, I, as an impressionable middle school student, believed this myth to be true. Take note: Gum is insoluble, and while it does stick to the bottom of your shoe, it does not attach itself in your intestinal tract.
But because it was an adult who told me, I accepted the popular myth as fact. I think that person actually still believes in what he imparted.