Do you believe it?
By craftcatcher
@craftcatcher (3699)
United States
November 13, 2008 2:06am CST
Do you believe everything you read without question? I've seen so many things written up as discussion here on myLot where people say, "I got this e-mail and it said, this whatsits is extremely dangerous. It was written by Dr. SoandSo from Big Name Hospital in Big City so it has to be true right?! I'm going to stop using my whatsits because I don't want to get sick, you should stop using yours too! Pass this around to everyone on your address book!!"
Ok, now you've got not only yourself scared to death, but several hundred people who are going to get the forwarded e-mail or read the discussion who will believe it.. and what you have done is just forwarded a hoax, a complete falsehood, an urban legend that could destroy a business, people's jobs and scare the bejeebers out of hundreds of friends for no other reason than you couldn't be bothered to check to see if it was true or not.
This is becoming entirely too common over the last few years and needs to be stopped. For those who already check and don't pass this rubbish on.. bravo! I applaud you. For the rest PLEASE take a few seconds, google it, check wikipedia, check snopes.com, but CHECK the FACTS before passing on these hoaxes. Think about what you're doing and the people who could be frightened or hurt before posting it here on myLot.
We have enough trouble, lies and fear in the world without adding to it with prank e-mails and discussions. Be responsible.
Ok, climbing off my soapbox and to make this a discussion: Are you a fact checker?
11 people like this
21 responses
@tessah (6617)
• United States
13 Nov 08
yesh... imma fact checker. any of those email fwd`s i get with warnings of a horrible virus, or this thing causes cancer.. that thing makes you sterile.. etc, i hit snopes or wki and double check the facts.. and then usually send a reply to whomever sent it to me out of concern for my safety as well as the 42 other people they sent it to.. with a link to the facts and berate as is justifiable for their lack of checking the source of the info before they near cause mass hysteria over an innocent gel candle. 
3 people like this
@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
13 Nov 08
Hey tessah! Somehow I knew you would be a fact checker! You know BS when you see it and don't tolerate it any more than I do... thank goodness.
2 people like this
@Barbietre (1438)
• United States
13 Nov 08
What really amazes me is how some people actually fall for this stuff. I always check everything and then double check. Besides who is foolish to think Bill Gates will pay us all for reading his emal. Aside from the fact that it is impossible to do that, he would have run out of money a long time ago.
I have a background in research evaluation and know not everything is what it seems. Did you know that the results from the early low fat studies did not even conclude what they say it does? Or that is was very sloppy research, and that now the AMA concludes low sugar works better?
I have a background in research evaluation and know not everything is what it seems. Did you know that the results from the early low fat studies did not even conclude what they say it does? Or that is was very sloppy research, and that now the AMA concludes low sugar works better?2 people like this
@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
13 Nov 08
Oh Barbie I'll bet I got 100 of those Bill Gates e-mails. I wrote to every single person who sent it to me and though I was fairly polite, it took everything I had in me not to call them all gullible idiots. Including my own mother! 
I've have also seen a lot of sloppy research, especially in the medical field. I've looked up some studies that intrigued me thinking wow something really new and exciting has been discovered. Until I find out the there were 10 people in the control group.. Oh pullleeeezz. Why would anyone even bother to write an article about it?
I've have also seen a lot of sloppy research, especially in the medical field. I've looked up some studies that intrigued me thinking wow something really new and exciting has been discovered. Until I find out the there were 10 people in the control group.. Oh pullleeeezz. Why would anyone even bother to write an article about it? 1 person likes this
@pumpkinjam (8763)
• United Kingdom
14 Nov 08
I think it is very bad to publish sloppy and inaccurate research. I guess some people would rather do sloppy than nothing. I have begun researching post natal depression in men and have looked for volunteers. So far, I have only had one person choose to volunteer and, as much as I would like to collate information and write an article about it, I'm not about to go ahead with writing up results of a study where I have only one representative. That would be unfair and potentially dangerous as I am sure a lot of things can be if taken at face value and not researched further.
1 person likes this
@Barbietre (1438)
• United States
13 Nov 08
My Mother is the worst! And she used to be a bank VP, you'd think she was more intelligent than that!
But the real problem is that she just forwards crap from her friends. I hate to delete her stuff, but when it is a forward I do.
But the real problem is that she just forwards crap from her friends. I hate to delete her stuff, but when it is a forward I do.2 people like this
@cloud_kicker_32 (4635)
• United States
13 Nov 08
hey now Craft,And ya knowww i am soo with you.,i get frustrated as hell when i get emails out the bum about nonsense..From a new trick people are doing to get your money..to a new way someone is trying to get you when you get in your car at night..and teh false Amber alerts..andd MY BIGGEST MAJOR PET PEEVE THAT TO NOOO END TICKS ME OFFFFFF are the emails of some poor child dying..and if u pass it on..he will get soem kind of money for it..WHATEVERRRRR!! STOP THE MADNESS!!! sOO NOW i HAVE full proof plan to check my emails..i go to www.snopes.com they have every single email fraud..truth an dfiction on just about everything you hear..and if they dont..you email them abnd they will get back to you as soon as they find out..its a fantastic site!! and i recommend everyone checking it out at least once in theer life..i have leanred soo much from them,,good and bad..
@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
13 Nov 08
Hey cloud, how ya doing! I'm glad to see someone else who gets as frustrated as I do about this garbage. I absolutely love snopes and visit it about once a month whether I'm looking up stuff or not. Sometimes I just like to browse!
1 person likes this
@lyrickat21 (102)
• United States
13 Nov 08
I am embarrassed to admit that I am extremely gullible and have a tendency to believe most things that I hear if they are presented well enough to me.
2 people like this
@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
14 Nov 08
Hi lyrickat, great thing about the human brain.. you can always learn something new! 
1 person likes this
@Opal26 (17679)
• United States
13 Nov 08
Hey craftcatcher! I sure am a checker! I never take what
anyone says at face value! I am not one to believe what I
hear without making sure that it is a true fact. I do not
believe in hearsay! There is too much junk out there to get
caught up in everything that everyone says. If that was the
case then we would all go totally crazy! I am not very trusting
to begin with so I definitely need to know that what someone
is saying sure better be real and not some load of crap that
they might have gotten that some hysterical person passed on
to them from who knows where!
2 people like this
@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
13 Nov 08
We are a lot alike Opal! I am not very trusting of what people say either. People sometimes think I'm rude when I tell them I'll reserve my opinion until I check it out. But I think I'd rather be considered rude than gullible. Sometimes plain old common sense will dictate whether something can possible be true or not. Unfortunately it seems fewer and fewer people are using common sense lately. It's very frustrating to have to tell people over and over again that something is a hoax. *applause* Bravo to you Opal!
2 people like this
@pumpkinjam (8763)
• United Kingdom
13 Nov 08
I try to check facts but usually if I get any emails like that, they are from my sister who checks them all on snopes.com anyway! I do like to have facts because there are a lot of situations where it can be very detremental not to check them. Not only online with viruses, etc. but also in real life. It is all too easy for people to assume that a bad thing is true no matter where it has come from so it is important that I know as much as possible about things before making a decision about them.
1 person likes this
@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
14 Nov 08
Kudos to you AND your sister pumpkinjam! You are absolutely correct, it is important to know the facts before making a decision. Saves a lot of trouble, fear and embarrassment down the line.
1 person likes this
not all the time for if I pass something even if it was a hoax it could still possible have happened or could happen . only then do I pass without thinking.
Guess I better snopes before sending out from now on huh?@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
13 Nov 08
Hi Lakota! I think it's always a good thing to know the truth. Snopes really does a good job investigating rumors and hoaxes. The thing I like best about them is if they don't know a fact, they'll tell you they don't know. I really admire that. Thanks so much hon, hugs.
@cyntrow (8523)
• United States
13 Nov 08
I always check and if it proves false, I will let the person who sent it to me know that it is false. Especially the crime ones. My biggest fear is that when we spread these things around, it might eventually get back to someone who would seek to make the urban legend a reality.
1 person likes this
@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
13 Nov 08
That is one of my fears as well. I mean it's not like violent sociopathic criminals aren't doing enough damage, we have to go and give them ideas.
@ycanteye (778)
• United States
13 Nov 08
I'm glad you posted that. I always check with snopes before passing stuff on and if it's false info I send it to the person who sent me the email to let them know. I, like you, wish more people would check that stuff out before sending it or posting it here.
2 people like this
@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
13 Nov 08
*applause* to you. If enough of us keep pointing this out the fewer gullible people there will be. A greater contribution to humankind by far than creating unnecessary fear.
1 person likes this
@moonlitmagikchild (22181)
• United States
14 Nov 08
i know i am!! and i am surrounded by people that dont and it drives me nuts!! i think my mom is still waiting on that money or free computer from forwarding crap on.. i always check things out and usually the things out because i have learned too much about forwarding something i honestly did believe just to be made a fool of later on lol.. never again!! but seriously some people are so naive
1 person likes this
@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
14 Nov 08
We all start out gullible and naive.. the big secret is to learn from our mistakes. Now see you learned very quickly, I learned very quickly. However, most of the time I get these garbage e-mails they're from people my age or older!And I have to explain to them, sorry but you didn't win the UK lottery! There is no member of the Nigerian royal family who needs your help to get his cash out of the country and willing to give you half. I sometimes have to shake my head and roll my eyes.
@xXSnowFoxXx (458)
• Philippines
13 Nov 08
No, I don't believe everything that I see or hear is true, as people nowadays are trying to deceive other people with their lies. I believe that the reason for this is that they cannot do any other things, so, they do things that are not good so people will take notice in them. They do those because all they experience is indifference, so, as a result, they need more attention from other people, and the only thing that they can think of is to spread a false rumor such as that more people will get to take notice of them. I don't blame these people as they only want other people to know that they exist, but by treating them with indifference, those people feel that the other people treat them as nothing, as if they don't exist.
1 person likes this
@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
13 Nov 08
Hi SnowFox. I agree that there are people who do this to get attention, for some even negative attention is ok with them. I've also seen people do their best to scare people away from using the product of a competitor. Saying that the competitor's product contains a dangerous chemical. A lot of businesses have been destroyed and a lot of people have lost their jobs because of this kind of hoax. It's just wrong whatever the reason. I'm glad you are one who doesn't believe everything they read!
@tamarafireheart (15384)
•
13 Nov 08
Hi craftcatcher,
To be honet with, I don't take a blind bit of notice unless I hear in the newsbroadcast on the television, so I just skip these scares mongers.
Tamara
2 people like this
@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
13 Nov 08
Glad to hear it Tamara. You're a smart lady. *applause* to you!
1 person likes this
@kyliexo (71)
• United States
14 Nov 08
I really do try my best to always check facts. I remember when the presidential campaign first started, there were sooo many rumors about Obama. I won't even begin to list them, I'm not looking to start an argument but just using it as an example. I have had friends really use some of that non-factual garbage as a reason why he shouldnt be president. And where did this information come from? A chainletter email. I read this email once too, but what did I do? I read his autobiography, and not on just one biased website. I think it's so important, especially in this day and age of the internet where ANYTHING can be passed off as truth, to check the facts. Read a book, learn something from time that came before computers; before a time where we could manipulate information and pictures.
1 person likes this
@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
14 Nov 08
Very smart kylie and I completely agree with you! I also read a lot of garbage about both candidates. Especially here on myLot. It was so ridiculous, twisted facts, words out of context, hoaxes, lies, just stuff that was so silly I stopped looking them all up. There were just way too many! I finally just passed them by and I definitely deleted all the e-mails, I never read a single one of them.
I also agree with you on the "read a book"! *applause* to you kylie!
@ladyluna (7004)
• United States
17 Nov 08
Hello Craftcatcher,
Excellent discussion!
Yes, I am a checker. I'll add that I am not plagued by those worry-wart
e-mails, 'cause I've set my protection software to block anything that's forwarded. No chain letters, no pie-in-the-sky, unbelievably incredible get-rich-quick-schemes, and definitely no you'll-die-if-you-don't-do-as-I-say e-mails.
Instead I focus on 'all good things in moderation', 'trusting one's intuition', 'stopping to smell the roses', and never missing an opportunity to let the one's we love know how appreciated they are. As long as I stick to that formula, I will care little if eating blue potatoes under a Harvest moon will cause my left, big toe-nail to turn purple.
Life's much too short to be taken for hay rides in the land of Oz!
'Course, try telling some people that ...
Oh, and by the way Craftcatcher -- did you know that there is a subcategory under the 'medical conditions' category titled "gullible"? This sounds like a perfect discussion for that worrisome ailment don'cha think?
@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
18 Nov 08
Hi Luna! No I didn't know about that subcategory but yes I do think a similar discussion would be appropriate for the "gullible" category! Along with dupe, patsy, sucker, and dunce.
No hayrides in the land of Oz or purple toenails for me either... that's great!
No hayrides in the land of Oz or purple toenails for me either... that's great! 1 person likes this
@oldboy46 (2129)
• Australia
17 Nov 08
Basically I am a cynic and believe none of this garbage that comes in emails, and particularly when the originating source is someone I do not know and have never heard of. I shake my head and hit the delete button, phishing scam in fact,m because there is no way I would be annoy my friends with such utter garbage.
One I would do a check on these things but not anymore simply becase I do not believe the informatin. If the results were genuine then it will be well covered in the media so the whole world would know. There were times in the past when I actually did do a check to find out more but that was before I got wise on the ways of phishing on the internet. More than once I found that someone was claiming to have done extenstive testing and on delving deeper discovered tat te entire testing group is less than 100. No way does that equate to "extensive testing" as far as I am concerned.
The worst of this sort of garbage is that there are some not so well educated people who actually believe the information. So the stop taking their medication or perhaps get some of this "miracle cure" stuff and end up very sick, or even worse in some cases, as a result.
@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
18 Nov 08
I do feel bad for the people who do believe everything they read. That's what kind of set me off to start this discussion. I ran across a couple of discussions where people were telling an old urban legends like they were facts! A couple of responders got frightened and I got upset about it. I set them straight and provided links to prove my point then I started this discussion.
I try not to be too cynical but it's hard sometimes, but I am definitely always skeptical!
Thanks for your comments oldboy!
Thanks for your comments oldboy!
@AmbiePam (92714)
• United States
13 Nov 08
I'm a fact checker. Heck, I don't believe half the things the news media airs on TV. With good reason! On mylot if I read something that seems far out, I usually just shrug it off. But if it remotely seems possible, I'll look it up to see if it is for real. I think a lot of times, mylotters get excited they have a discussion topic to post, and they want to post it before anyone else does. Or maybe they just believe things very easily. Whatever it is, I agree. Check the facts as well as we can before posting.
1 person likes this
@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
13 Nov 08
Hi Pam! There have been many discussions that I knew were completely factually wrong but not harmful so I pass them by rather than sit and argue. But I came across a couple last night that really set me off. A rumor that's been going around for years and created for nothing more than spreading fear. Like there isnt' enough of that in the world!
I have seen many talk shows and news programs where a so-called expert comes on with a story that I knew for a fact (because I checked) was total BS. Sometimes the mistakes are caught and sometimes they aren't. I just keep thinking that all it would take is for one person to get online and check! Every tv studio, radio studio, and most especially news studios have complete access to the internet!There are so many reliable sources online nowdays there is no reason for anyone to tolerate lies and fearmongering anymore. I can't help but feel that the more of us who point out how easy it is to find the facts the more people will check for themselves.
Being a skeptic is a good thing!
1 person likes this
@kayrod2 (1304)
• Australia
18 Nov 08
dont people send some rubbish through? i get fed up with a lot of it. i regularly visit snopes when things come through like that. same with the ones that say about bad things happening if you dont do such and such. and something will happen at a certain time tomorrow if you send this on.
best wishes to you and take care
@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
18 Nov 08
Hi Kay! I'm tellin' ya hon, there are some doozies out there! I got 3 e-mails a few days ago telling me I won 28 million dollars in the UK lottery. Now I can honestly say I voluntarily dumped 84 million dollars in the trash in one day .
.
@Pose123 (21635)
• Canada
13 Nov 08
Hi craftcatcher, Well sometimes it may depend on who sends it, but in most cases I ignore this sort of thing. some people are so fearful that they believe everything they read. Most of this is trash and I have no time for it. There are a couple of friends that I would take seriously and would check it out before deleting. Blessings.
1 person likes this
@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
13 Nov 08
Hi Pose! I think that being skeptical is a good thing. So many of those e-mails go out of their way to prey on people's fears. There is enough fear in reality, we don't need to add to it with rumors and lies. Thanks hon!
@misskit (289)
• United States
13 Nov 08
Years ago, when I was incredible gullible, I believed almost everything that I read, yep, I was that naive and taken in easily. But after a lot of soul searching and fact checking I found out that 75% of what I was reading was wrong, not based on fact, scare tactics for sure. So now I am a "checker", or a deleeter which ever I feel like being at the time. LOLOLOL
1 person likes this
@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
13 Nov 08
Hi misskit! We all are usually gullible and naive when we're young. Then experience teaches us that we need a healthy dose of skepticism to keep us from being foolish. You have learned that lesson well. *applause* to you!
