QueenCat Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 I've been thinking about the lies people believe... what makes them believe it? You know, the emails people forward that tell you something about a politician or crime or a health scare, with what appears to be credible resources (that no one actually verifies). Why do people believe them and forward them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 They want to believe them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted May 31, 2011 Author Share Posted May 31, 2011 They want to believe them. Wish I'd seen your response before I made the poll to go with the message :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 Wish I'd seen your response before I made the poll to go with the message :) Validates their own beliefs is pretty close. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cindergretta Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 Tough choice. I think many people forward them because they are ignorant and don't want to research the truth, so they send out emails that validate their POV without having to put forth any effort at actually discerning what is real and what isn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewellsmommy Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 They want to believe them. :iagree:and it drives me crazy. My dh gets a twisted joy out of sending people back the snopes link that debunks their newfound "truth." I also hate those "send this to 10 people in the next min. and _____ will happen for you" :glare: but, anyway... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Once Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 Fear. I think fear as an acceptable response has become much more common. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 I don't know. I don't even open them up to see what they might be and what might be motivating them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 They've been genetically programmed to believe what they read, from the days when journalists claimed to investigate thoroughly and present all sides of a story. It happens with books, magazines and newspapers too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom in High Heels Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 :iagree:and it drives me crazy. My dh gets a twisted joy out of sending people back the snopes link that debunks their newfound "truth." I also hate those "send this to 10 people in the next min. and _____ will happen for you" :glare: but, anyway... Your dh and I would get along well because I do the same thing. I'm alway sending it back with the snopes article attached. It drives me crazy to get this stuff. My parents are the worst about forwarding crap to me. It's usually political garbage, often about the President. I'm neither democrat or republican, and I don't believe in maligning someone just because of their party affiliations. My parents have no such qualms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 I had someone tell me JK Rowling was a self-admitted Satanist. When I replied with both the snopes link and the text of the article (from the Onion) that the purported quotes were lifted from, he said 'but you got that off the internet, and you can't believe stuff you read on the internet. I got mine through e-mail!' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted May 31, 2011 Author Share Posted May 31, 2011 I had someone tell me JK Rowling was a self-admitted Satanist. When I replied with both the snopes link and the text of the article (from the Onion) that the purported quotes were lifted from, he said 'but you got that off the internet, and you can't believe stuff you read on the internet. I got mine through e-mail!' :lol::lol::lol: Sounds like something my mil would say... or send! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murmer Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 Also a whole generation or more has grown up without having instruction in logic and rhetoric...they are not asked to critically think about things and to accept what the "authority" figure says, and then do whatever is asked to get the grade. Therefore they are ignorant and use whatever they can to prove their POV without evaluating whether or not it is truth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 All of the above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 I voted that it validates their beliefs. My FIL is like this. He finally took me off his forward list after dh asked him repeatedly. He forwards things about politicians (usually the current president or a member of that party) and about how much better things were in his day. This is what he believes anyway, so finding it on the internets :D just validates it for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 Also a whole generation or more has grown up without having instruction in logic and rhetoric...they are not asked to critically think about things and to accept what the "authority" figure says, and then do whatever is asked to get the grade. Therefore they are ignorant and use whatever they can to prove their POV without evaluating whether or not it is truth. I've found it to be members of older generations that forward things. My FIL, my aunt, and others in their age group (over 60). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaillardia Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 All of the above and what Mrs Mungo said, "They want to believe them." We don't want to think we're being lied to. I even wonder about Snopes. There was something I couldn't believe and I checked with Snopes, it said it was true, but I still couldn't believe it.:confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kchara Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 Also a whole generation or more has grown up without having instruction in logic and rhetoric...they are not asked to critically think about things and to accept what the "authority" figure says, and then do whatever is asked to get the grade. Therefore they are ignorant and use whatever they can to prove their POV without evaluating whether or not it is truth. :iagree: I voted that it validates their own POV, but I think this has a lot to do with it, too. I don't think it's just one generation, though. Developing critical thinking skills seems to be a bit of a lost art. :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassyscrapperinid Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 I also hate those "send this to 10 people in the next min. and _____ will happen for you" :glare: but, anyway... :iagree: those irritate me the most too!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted May 31, 2011 Author Share Posted May 31, 2011 I've found it to be members of older generations that forward things. My FIL, my aunt, and others in their age group (over 60). I would say that 75% of what I get comes from the same group. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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