Myths, aside from being false, are so persistent that they almost never die. So, it's not shocking that myths persist in popular beliefs despite repeated attempts to disprove them. This made one Reddit user wonder, “What are the most annoying myths people still hold to?”
1. The Pregnancy Myth
There are so many dos and don'ts surrounding pregnancy which one Redditor describes as ridiculous. The worst one, they said, was being told not to raise their arms over their head when pregnant, so the baby doesn't get tangled in the umbilical cord.
Sadly, these kinds of beliefs have power over people who believe them, especially when there’s a coincidence of events.
One user narrated that their older brother passed away during birth. And their mom is convinced she lost him because she raised her arms above her head. Their mom claimed to have felt him move inside her when she reached above her head and is convinced that caused the death. Nothing they tell her makes her believe otherwise.
Moving away from that myth, another user remembers being told that if she carries her belly higher or lower, it's supposed to determine the gender of the baby. She also wished someone would have told her that morning sickness doesn't necessarily mean you get sick in the mornings, “I got sick at any time,” she said.
2. The Cop Myth
One user mentioned how many folks believe that an undercover cop has to tell you they're a cop if you ask them.
But it defeats the purpose of an undercover investigation. Another Redditor illustrates why it's dangerous for an undercover cop to reveal himself: “Imagine an undercover cop investigating a crew of violent criminals, and one of them asks, hey, are you a cop? He’s forced to reply with the truth, knowing they will surely murder him.”
A Redditor points out that it isn't out of place for an undercover cop to lie about being one because the police lie all the time, and they are legally allowed to lie during the process of an investigation. Pointing out that they do this all the time with statements like “We have a witness that says they saw you…,” or “Your buddy gave you up…,” or “The store has security cameras…”
3. The Bird Myth
As a child, your parents likely told you that if you touch a baby bird, its mother will abandon it because of your human smell. One Redditor brought the bird myth up and explained that while birds actually have a very poor sense of smell, except for vultures, “smelling” a human on their baby chick won't make a bird abandon them, as far as they are aware.
Another Redditor narrated their first hand experience exposing this myth to be false. They said that they spotted three baby birds when stopping the mower to move a branch. They moved the bird nest to an elevated spot by carrying each bird by hand and placing them back into the nest. The mom eventually found the chicks and continued to raise them until adulthood.
Redditors on the thread claim that the real reason behind the myth is because parents didn't want kids playing with baby birds when finding a nest so that the babies don't get hurt. And they never correct the lie afterward.
4. Waiting 24 Hours Myth
Redditor ArtObjective614 pointed out that waiting 24 hours to file a missing person’s report is a myth. Someone else agreed, saying the exact opposite should be the case because the first 24 hours are the most important. Apparently, there is NO waiting period for reporting a person missing. Security agencies can accept any report without delay.
5. We Only Use 10% Of Our Brains
One Redditor refuted the 10% brain usage that has become very popular. Another user thinks it's a misunderstanding from poor reporting, noting that the study where this myth arose made the statement, “We only use 10% of our brain at any given time.” They said, “The media misheard and has been abusing the phrase” ever since.
Someone else expressed their hatred for the claim. He noted that the brain is a massive, fuel-guzzling organ full of folds and wrinkles to increase its size. As such, having an organ that big with a 10% utilization capacity is plain stupid. Still, on the issue of the brain myth, one Redditor tries to clarify what the myth may truly imply. They think it has more to do with the 90% of the brain we “don't use” that isn't directly involved in conscious thought. According to them, 90% of the brain is responsible for all kinds of other body-management processes.
6. Alpha Wolf Theory
A Redditor mentioned how people still believe the alpha theory for wolves, even though the person who made the theory took it back. They clarified that the ‘alpha’ of wolves is actually just the pack’s parents, and the pack is usually made up of their offspring. According to a Redditor, anyone who still believes this myth should be avoided, and they make themselves easy to identify by accepting such a ridiculous theory. They say that this is a useful myth because the people who continue to espouse it and live their life by the “I'm an alpha” ideology gives a demonstrable reason to avoid them.
7. Battery Myths
Tips you might consider useful to your battery life, such as letting the battery go flat before charging or never charging it to 100%, are myths. According to a Redditor, almost all the weird things people believe about charging batteries are entirely wrong. This is because they are based on old NiCad cells, and most of that advice does not apply to lithium-ion/LiPO batteries.
Another Redditor doesn't agree and said that a few of the myths hold true for lithium-ion. For example, they explain that storing batteries over four volts for extended periods is bad, but you shouldn't worry about unplugging your phone at 80% battery. According to them, it's far worse for the battery's health to be emptied than fully charged.
Also, all modern chargers stop charging when the battery is full. So unless you're attaching wires to each end of the battery and charging it that way, you don't need to worry about overcharging as your phone, and all chargers have built-in protection circuits. “Basically,” they say, “Just don't let it run out completely, and don't store it at low or very high charge levels for long amounts of time.”
8. MSG Myth
One user admits that believing the MSG myth is incredibly annoying. They say MSG tastes great and adds a little razzle-dazzle to certain foods. They declared that the unhealthy food people eat is bad for them, not the MSG. For others, it is how people say MSG is bad, but go ahead and buy food with high natural MSG content. One user’s grandmother saw them adding MSG to a curry, and the look on her face was as if they were pouring rat poison into the pot. Meanwhile, the Redditor claims their grandmother has shaved her diet down to foods with very high natural MSG.
You can read the original Reddit story here.
This post was produced and syndicated by Wealth Of Geeks.
Featured Image Credit: Roman Samborskyi/Shutterstock.
Amaka Chukwuma is a freelance content writer with a BA in linguistics. As a result of her insatiable curiosity, she writes in various B2C and B2B niches. Her favorite subject matter, however, is in the financial, health, and technological niches. She has contributed to publications like Buttonwood Tree and FinanceBuzz in the past and currently writes for Wealth of Geeks.