Hoaxes are meant to deceive others to prove a point, sway their thinking, make money, or for fun. The Cardiff Giant, Hitler’s diaries, and War of the Worlds are just a few famous hoaxes that duped the world. But these 13 examples were too successful as some still perceive them as true.
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Turning Down a Raise Because of Taxes
The majority of Americans don’t understand how progressive tax brackets work. So, they turn down a raise because they fear they’ll make less money due to taxes. But, “taxation is a percentage. And here, you’re only taxed in the upper bracket for every dollar above the previous bracket.”
On the other hand, some people refuse a raise because it would mean cancellation of their medical cards and food stamps.
Cracking Your Knuckles Causes Arthritis
This is a lie some people believe despite science debunking it. “My dad still tells me this, says a poster, “I was 12, and I’m almost 30 with literally no joint issues.”
Detox
Detox is a successful hoax since many people forget their bodies have a liver that cleanses all toxins and that water is the best detoxifying agent. So, they pump the “detox” remedies into their bodies for the liver to clean.
Hustle Culture
Many people are caught up in the hustle culture hoax and are obsessed with accumulating wealth. “It’s one thing to be poor and have to live with that, but working yourself to pieces for the slightest chance that you could be rich doesn’t seem worth it to me,” states a user.
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 exposed to oxygen in the air, like when you get a cut.’ But the blood’s whole purpose is to carry oxygen inside the body; therefore, it’s always red and doesn’t turn red because of the oxygen in the air,” argues a commentator.
You Can Lose 25 Pounds in Three Weeks
People also believe marketers who claim to have products or exercises that could help them lose weight in minimal time without undertaking extreme dieting measures. Their desire to lose weight overpowers their ability to spot these marketers’ lies.
Wealth Trickles Down
No, wealth doesn’t trickle down but accumulates upward. This is why the rich keep getting richer, the middle class diminishing, and the poor becoming poorer.
Earth Is Flat
Meanwhile, some people don’t believe the earth is a sphere and have crazy conspiracies that explain it is flat.
“Many of them think that a flat earth would prove there is a creator or god, and we’re the center of the universe. They say Satanists, Nazis, Freemasons, and Walt Disney started NASA. They also don’t believe there’s an edge because there’s a dome above us like a snow globe,” writes a poster.
Humans Only Use 10% of Their Brain
Experts explain that humans use 100% of their brains, not 10%. However, some choose to believe the hoax.
All You Have to Do Is Work Hard, and You’ll Get Rich
Unfortunately, things don’t work like this, a lesson that takes years for many to understand. One says, “Working hard only gets you exploited by others.”
Vaccines Cause Autism
This lie is still deeply rooted, with some parents refusing to vaccinate their children because they don’t want them to become autistic. However, studies indicate gene mutations or environmental influences cause the condition.
The Food Pyramid
The USDA introduced the food pyramid to help people know what kinds of food to consume. But some insist on eating 6 – 12 servings of grain daily, as the diagram recommends.
Chiropractors Are Doctors
Meanwhile, just because a chiropractor can pop and crack your vertebrae doesn’t make them a doctor. But you’ll have difficulty explaining this to people who feel much better after visiting one.
Source: Reddit
Featured Photo from Shutterstock
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