From Santa (sorry…) to Bigfoot, there are hoaxes, lies, and old stories that don’t seem to die off, despite most people not believing them. Maybe they are comforting, interesting or so ingrained that a small portion of the population still clings on to these beliefs.
Someone asked, “What is the biggest hoax that people still believe?” and people shared all the delusions they had encountered. So get ready to possibly have your worldview shattered, make sure you are comfortable as you read through and upvote your favorite examples. Comment your thoughts and arguments below.
#1
All that detox health science bs. Your body already has a detox system. It’s called your liver.
Image source: EnvironmentLow9075, Angela Roma
#2
The privatized American “healthcare” system.
It takes billions of American taxpayer money to “operate” while *also* charging Americans billions on insurance premiums and fees.
Americans should either pay taxes that cover universal healthcare *or* pay insurance premiums and/or fees, NOT BOTH.
Image source: racoon-fountain, Pixabay
#3
The Wakefield Paper. A deliberate hoax commissioned by a crooked law firm seeing to profit from legal judgments based upon the entirely falsified “results” of the “study”. This single act of entirely knowing and intentional fraud precipitated the greatest public health catastrophe of the antibiotic era: the modern antivaxx movement.
Image source: OHRunAndFun, Ivan Radic
#4
“Be loyal to your company and they’ll reward you”
Bull f*****g s**t… Only thing they’ll do is exploit you more.
Image source: RaptureRising, Tima Miroshnichenko
#5
That wealth trickles down
Image source: frenziedkoalabuddy, WoodysMedia
#6
That cutting taxes for the rich is good for workers.
Pfffft.
Image source: Lutiskilea
#7
“You can lose 25 pounds in three weeks and never feel hungry while eating all the delicious foods you want. Just call this 800 number…”
Image source: Gorf_the_Magnificent, Andres Ayrton
#8
Homeopathy
>
Germany, the birthplace of this movement, still allows people to study ‘MD Homeopathy’ despite the EU largely being opposed to it. In India one can get certified as a “Bachelor of Homeopathic Medicine and Surgery”. Most countries, while not recognising homeopathy doctors as legitimate, still allow sale of their “remedies” because they don’t see the harm in what are essentially sugar tablets and diluted alcohol.
Image source: dscchn, Nataliya Vaitkevich
#9
I’ve met more than one person who turned down a raise because they thought they’d end up making less money because of taxes.
Nahhhh, son. Nah.
Image source: freestyle43, Monstera Production
#10
The stigma around MSG.
Image source: toastyavocadoes, Douglas Muth
#11
that blood is blue when inside your body. I remember getting into it with a gym teacher he insisted “blood is blue inside your body but turns red when it’s exposed to the oxygen in the air like when you get a cut” but bloods whole purpose is to carry oxygen INSIDE the body, therefore it’s always red, and not turned red because the oxygen in the air.
apparently i’m still heated about that lmao
Image source: Stupid-ForYou, Karolina Grabowska
#12
Healing Crystals.
“Oh, if I put this inert rock next to my wrist, it’ll help with my arthritis?”
Image source: sloopieone, Alina Vilchenko
#13
Alkaline water is pseudoscience, any chemist or doctor will confirm this
Image source: secularJ, unknown
#14
All you have to do is work hard and you’ll get rich.
Image source: WWDB, Andrea Piacquadio
#15
Humans only use 10% of their brain (well lately I guess some do)
Image source: DrummerBob10, RF._.studio
#16
Pyramid schemes.
Image source: Happy_Bullfrog_5379, Luis Quintero
#17
Im a police officer, and Ive had people tell me that ALL police officers MUST by law say they are cops if/when they are asked, including cops that are undercover. I tried to explain this would defeat the purpose of being undercover because the criminals would just simply ask “Are you a cop?” to everyone they were committing crimes with and invest is over. There is no such law but i can never win the argument.
Image source: actionjaxn411, cottonbro studio
#18
The hysteria over GMO food. It is demonstrably fine. We have been genetically modifying food in an uncontrolled way since before the written word. The idea that it’s *more* haphazard and dangerous when done with precision by scientists with advanced technology is completely absurd.
Also, trees and plants can’t run away from predators, they have to protect themselves with chemistry. Pesticides are naturally occuring and omnipresent. In fact, food we consider inedible is mostly that due to the presence of said pesticides, compounds in them which make them unpalatable or dangerous for us to eat.
Image source: DeadFyre, David Prasad
#19
One big lie that some people still believe is that cracking your knuckles causes arthritis. It’s been debunked, but it’s amazing how many still believe it!
Image source: blandsiding, Eren Li
#20
The food pyramid.
Image source: Scurvy-Banana, Rachael Moore
#21
Shaving making hair grow in thicker.
Image source: WarpedMathematician, cottonbro studio
#22
The common cold is caused by being cold.
Image source: BubbhaJebus, Andre Furtado
#23
I think the amount of people that continue to fall for hustle culture and the snake oil salesmen push it. There is huge emphasis in modern society on not only being rich but being rich young by the simplest/fast means necessary. Its honestly depressing how many people continue to purchase master classes/work shops that all filled with surface level near useless information.
Image source: reddit.com, Ron Lach
#24
Chiropractic adjustments, getting your vertabrae popped and ground on a frequent basis is good for you.
Image source: mywifesoldestchild, Cojanu Alexandru
#25
Drinking 8 glasses of water a day. Gluten being bad for you if you don’t have celiacs.
Image source: Joel22222, Maurício Mascaro
#26
Don’t go swimming after eating
Image source: FreshStartRetry, Dương Nhân
#27
Carrots improve your eyesight. This was English propaganda during WW2. They didn’t want Germany to know that they had radar which spotted their bombers. It was those sharp eyes of Brit’s pilots.
#28
That going to sleep with or going out with wet hair causes a cold.
Image source: geordiesteve520, Polina Kovaleva
#29
Milk for strong bones.
Dairy industry advertising campaign that isn’t supported by evidence and in fact we have a good amount of evidence to the contrary.
Image source: Thatweasel, samer daboul
#30
Recycling is saving the environment
Image source: hbsboak, Lisa Fotios
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