Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

People Break Down The Stupidest Propaganda They've Ever Heard

People Break Down The Stupidest Propaganda They've Ever Heard
Kyle Glenn/Unsplash

When we think of propaganda, we might think of wartime propaganda. There's that poster of Uncle Sam telling you to join the army that comes to mind.

Propaganda has been around for quite some time before the early 1900s, it just wasn't always called that.


Merriam-Webster's dictionary defines Propaganda as:

"Spreading of ideas, information, or rumor for the purpose of helping or injuring an institution, a cause, or a person."

It's still used all the time today. So we went to Reddit to see what the most ridiculous propaganda people have ever seen.

Redditor ospreysstuff asked:

"What is the absolute stupidest propaganda you have ever heard?"

Here's what Reddit had for us.

Anti-Trains

"I remember seeing an Anti Train Flyer from like the 1800s, said something like God didn't intend man to go faster than 20MPH. Or something along those lines."

- Elwalther21

"I recall reading that a report on the proposal for the first German railway suggested lining the route with a high board fence so that innocent bystanders would not be adversely affected by exposure to the sight of a train running as fast as 20-30 mph."

- steelgate601

"This feels like marketing, like how potatoes were popularised through the use of armed guards in fields."

- TheMania

"My high school history book said that a Prussian king ate a plate full of cooked potatoes in front of a crowd to prove that potatoes were a safe alternative for grain."

- Freezing_Wolf

Women shouldn't do anything.

"'Women shouldn't be allowed to vote because the stress of voting would cause them to become infertile.'"

- ss_00_14

"See also, 'Women shouldn't ride trains because the high speed will make their uteruses fly out.'"

- thewarnersisterDot

"See also: 'Women shouldn't be allowed to run marathons because all the running will cause their uteruses to fall out.'"

"This was in the 1960s, IIRC. Within living memory. Less than a lifetime ago."

- pbmcc88

Sporks from hell.

"'The spork is "the devil's utensil" because it is the amalgamation of the masculine fork and the feminine spoon and is trying to blur gender lines in society.'"

- -eDgAR-

"Man I wonder what that person thinks about knives."

- freemyboykaczynski

"'Stares at the pair of chopsticks. 'Which one of you is the fork?'"

- WolfgangVolos

Politician accused of witchcraft.

"There's a politician that was accused of witch craft a few years ago."

- Geepwriter

"Christine O'Donnell. She insisted 'I'm not a witch.'"

- JMW007

"That's what a witch would say."

- Syteron6

They want you to believe they're close.

"'Our company is a family.'"

- mythsofthevalley

"Our company is a family...a very toxic family."

- Seymour_John

"When I worked at Homedepot they had this monthly newsletter that came out called something like the Orange Apron that would get sent to your address. It was comically anti-union and with articles about employees pitching together to buy medical treatment for sick employees or volunteering off the clock in an Homedepot apron at a soup kitchen."

"It was a fun job but the magazine as look at our employees who don't have a living wage having to help each other out. Corporate and manager level I remember made a very good Salary with the jobs almost dangled above you to stay with no real chance at getting them."

- thecoolerllcoolJ

Conspiracy theories.

"JKF Jr. rising from the dead. WTF."

- 777lespaul

"Not only was he going to rise from the dead, he's also now a republican for some unknown reason. It's hilarious if you don't think about all the people who actually believed this."

- brownliquid

"He faked his death because his family didn't approve of him being a Republican. He was going to announce the reinstatement if Trump. Also, Elvis was coming back to give a concert."

- Myfourcats1

Alkaline water.

"Alkaline water is healthy for you, so better go buy some."

- erichmich

"Lemon infused alkaline water."

- outcastedOpal

"The stupidest selling scam water related thing I have heard is the one where 'water being oxidized means its old, which is bad.' Water is already oxidized, if its not, its not water because water is oxidized hydrogen."

- depressed_man1

"Everyone detests working from home so much and absolutely cannot wait to go back to the office full time...perpetrated by banks who are sh*tting themselves that commercial real estate might fall apart."

"I read this story in various forms in Canada two to three times a month. I have not met any of these people yet, virtually or otherwise."

- thewarnersisterDot

"America, land of empty industrial parks and full homeless encampments."

- shah357

"Don't forget the loads of articles about how much everyone adored commuting every day, especially on public transport! Yeah nah."

- tainkirrahe

These are very silly but real examples of propaganda. Like the JFK Jr. coming back from the dead episode, propaganda still works and had real consequences.

Be sure to really examine what you take in these days.

Want to "know" more? Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again. Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.

More from Trending/best-of-reddit

Screenshot of Sanae Takaichi and Donald Trump
MS Now

Room Goes Silent After Trump Makes Super Tone-Deaf Joke To Japanese Prime Minister About Pearl Harbor In Shocking Video

The audience in the Oval Office went silent after President Donald Trump made a tone-deaf joke about the attack on Pearl Harbor to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi following a question about why he kept his attack on Iran a "surprise."

Trump was wrapping up a Q&A with reporters during a bilateral meeting with Takaichi when a Japanese journalist pressed him on why key allies—like Japan—were not notified ahead of the attack on Iran on February 28.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from @torimosser's TikTok video
@torimosser/TikTok

Woman Says Stranger On TikTok Helped Save Her Life After Dangerous Medical Misdiagnosis

It is far too common for women's health concerns to be dismissed in the United States, especially when it comes to chronic conditions and pain levels.

Diagnosed with several chronic conditions, 23-year-old TikToker Tori Mosser reflected on years of painful stomach cramps and painful episodes when she finally was able to share that she'd received a diagnosis: Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome (CVS).

Keep ReadingShow less
Images from u/South-Basket-887's post in the 'Mildly Infuriating' subReddit
u/South-Basket-887/Reddit

Landlord Sparks Debate After Warning Tenant About Leaving Small Appliances Plugged In

Many of us have had to live in a rented space at some point in our lives and had to deal with landlords, some of whom can be very imposing and let the power of having tenants go to their heads.

But most of us probably didn't receive special notes from our landlords detailing the little observations they noticed about our lifestyles while doing a surprise inspection.

Keep ReadingShow less
Mark Zuckerberg
Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images

Meta Is Shutting Down Its VR 'Metaverse' After Spending An Obscene Amount Of Money Building It—And People Are Roasting Mark Zuckerberg Hard

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg was roasted online after Meta announced they'll be shutting down Horizon Worlds, part of their virtual reality "Metaverse," this summer after spending close to $80 billion on the project.

The news comes five years after Zuckerberg declared the metaverse to be the future of Facebook, even renaming the company Meta to reflect that vision. In recent months, Meta cut roughly 10% of the workforce in its "metaverse" division and signaled a shift away from virtual reality for its flagship platform, Horizon Worlds, where users interact through avatars.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots of Rand Paul and Markwayne Mullin
C-SPAN3

Video Of GOP Senator Picking A Fight With A Witness Replayed During Contentious Senate Confirmation Hearing

Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul confronted his GOP colleague, Oklahoma's Markwayne Mullin, President Donald Trump's pick for Secretary of Homeland Security, over his "anger issues," even presenting video evidence.

Earlier this month, Trump announced he will replace Kristi Noem as Homeland Security Secretary with Mullin. Trump said Noem will instead take on the role of Special Envoy to the Shield of the Americas, a newly created organization intended to foster a right-wing alliance across South America.

Keep ReadingShow less