I wreck peoples fun

Seems like I occasionally suck the small joys from people's lives. Ignorance is bliss, and occasionally I bring enlightenment and disappointment to conversations. Some would argue more disappointment than enlightenment (assuming I'm even right in the first place), but I feel like I have to say something.


by macten

The most blatant and frequent opportunity for this comes from the emails that are forwarded to me by my friends and family. "OPP says to look out for needles on gas pump handles" No they don't. If the police wanted to alert the public to a terrorist whose weapon of choice was virus-filled hypodermic needles taped to gas pump handles, I'm sure they would find a better way to do that than to rely on a email chain letter. When i break the news to them that this is probably just a hoax, there is denial, followed by embarrassment and acceptance. It's gotten to the point that I feel so bad about it that I don't even bring it up anymore.


by OntCopper

Then there is the opposite end of the spectrum, brief technical inaccuracies that I can't prevent myself from pointing out. "Is that snake poisonous?" Nope, because poisonous refers to toxin delivery through consumption. Some snakes are venomous, which means they deliver their toxins through injection, but they are not poisonous, because you aren't eating them. By now my friends have heard this so many times that as soon as someone in the room misuses the term poisonous, they yell "Shut up Eric" before I even have a chance to go on my rant. It's unfair really. I've practiced it so many times already it's a shame not to use it.


by static416

In between those extremes, there is everything else. Echinacea very probably does nothing. Space ships don't need to bank in turns. The moon landing was not faked. Snakes cannot eat adult humans. Few scorpions even have the potential to be deadly. Fish don't just grow to the size of their enclosure. Centrifugal force does not actually exist. I could keep going.


by tricky ™

I try not to be a dick. I try to minimize my interventions, or at least phrase them in the most gentle way possible. But I still think that it's better that I at least challenge these urban myths or common misconceptions, because sometimes you should question the things you read. I'm by no means above this myself, and expect people to challenge my claims as well. Because as much as I'd like to think otherwise, I have a feeling I'm just as full of crap as everyone else.


by Jeremiah Britt