When I first became an internet afficionado I received many emails on a variety of subjects and like many took them to 'heart' as maybe a newspaper story in the Washington Post.
Soon I learned with the help of a cyber buddy.
Now I check out those I have questions about and it is amazing how many folk are 'out there' with nothing better to do than spread fear or other erroneous information.
Have you had similar experiences?
2007-09-29 09:18:52 · 8 answers · asked by sage seeker 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Cultures & Groups ➔ Senior Citizens
Smiling here - I have a best friend who refuses to doubt those legends and believes it all - despite me sending her snopes disclaimers :-)
2007-09-29 09:33:38 · update #1
Thank you all for your answers :-) I know for me, it galls me to no end when some of those forwards contain scare tactics that are medically based but untrue; or stories about missing children that don't even exist!
2007-09-29 11:12:15 · update #2
yup; I have been on computers since the late 80s, and there's been the same silliness on here for almost 30 years now, but that's just the nature of myth - resilient! My dad is the newest victim in my network, he's new to computers and I get about an email a week from him that he thinks is legit...I always write him back and say, urban legend,dad.
I wish I could get him to just go straight to snopes and check these things...sigh....
wait a minnit!WHAT thing about square watermelons??
2007-09-29 09:27:12 · answer #1 · answered by min 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I see so many ridiculous things in FWDs I can't understand how ANYONE could believe them. WWW.TRUTHORFICTION is an outstanding site. I poopoo'd one young girl in here about MR. ROGERS being a US MARINE sniper (oh, and JOHN DENVER, too). I got a nasty email from her saying I didn't know what I was talking about! Neither had been in any branch. But she didn't want to hear that, instead she'd rather believe some snot nosed, nose ringed child passing on nonsense.
I still remember the FIRST one I got. Some kid had an (now pay attention) INOPERABLE brain tumor. If you passed the email on to at least 10 people, some outfit (AOL, MSN, BILL GATES, CAMPBELL'S) would put money up to help pay for his operation. Now think about it. How can one operate on an INOPERABLE brain tumor. Also, no out fit tracks emails. I don't know how many of those I got. I sent off a note to one person and got back a nasty gram..how much of an insensitive...blankety blankety....etc etc, I was! hahaha
Someone sent on one about a woman getting cockroaches imbedded in her mouth because she licked an envelope that had cockroach eggs in the adhesive. Guess the morons that sent THAT one on have never seen a cockroach egg. sigh
I spent a couple of hours just browsing through the info on truthorfiction.com one night. How can people be so gullible!
2007-09-29 10:23:05 · answer #2 · answered by AmericanPatriot 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Had many try to spread fear & stuff on occasion, not to mention hearing about others getting hate mail & threats etc. So I found out about these sites etc. & learned how to tell the truth from the false etc.Can be fun at times too. Not all are spreading fear.
2007-09-29 09:38:09 · answer #3 · answered by dragon 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Oh yes! Snopes.com is the best place for information on these stories. I suggested it to my mother in law (because she always sends me things), but she still believes the stories about turning on your headlights, perfume sellers at Wal Mart parking lots, and so many more. I did like the one about the square watermelons! My dad and I will try that next year .... since it's true!
2007-09-29 09:26:35 · answer #4 · answered by noonecanne 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Urban legends are part of the folklore of modern life. We have one coming up in about one month. That's the one which deals with tainted candy and razor blades in fruit distributed to children during Halloween. It never happened!
But, it still doesn't stop worried parents from driving over to the hospital to get their children's haul from "trick or treating" x-rayed.
2007-09-29 09:34:00 · answer #5 · answered by desertviking_00 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I have heard about it, but never bothered to go and do any research about it. It just never got my interest going enough to check it out.
Now that I have seen your remarks, I will give it a pass.
2007-09-29 10:27:06 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, I have checked this site out. I am amazed to learn that some are just plain ridiculous.
Thanks for the post.
2007-09-29 10:07:41 · answer #7 · answered by makeitright 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, and I am not very savvy on computer so my brother has told me what to do and how.
2007-09-29 09:51:27 · answer #8 · answered by Gypsy Gal 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋