# Fighting ignorance at work: I give up (urban legend emails) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 7, 2004, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorance-at-work-i-give-up-urban-legend-emails/249186 "2004-06-07T22:41:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2004, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorance-at-work-i-give-up-urban-legend-emails/249186/21 "2004-06-08T18:48:06Z")
> [@Bongmaster](#): > > True, I’m always getting frowned at for ruining a good story. Just goes to show you people don’t want the truth, they want to be entertained. Ahh, let us not forgot those who get pissed off when you enlighten them, because “you always have to be right, don’t you??”… :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Sister\_Vigilante](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Sister\_Vigilante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sister_Vigilante)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2004, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorance-at-work-i-give-up-urban-legend-emails/249186/22 "2004-06-08T18:55:14Z")
My mother recently sent me the “Swiffer Jet Cleaner will kill your dog/cat” UL, with the caveat that she hadn’t yet checked snopes and that it might not be true but that she didn’t have time to check, so she forwarded it to her address book anyway. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2004, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorance-at-work-i-give-up-urban-legend-emails/249186/23 "2004-06-08T18:57:19Z")
Funny, I don’t really get any urban legend emails. Either I have smarter friends, or no friends at all. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2004, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorance-at-work-i-give-up-urban-legend-emails/249186/24 "2004-06-08T19:07:58Z")
> [@chula](#): > > A local bar had an urban legend as the answer to a trivia question on trivia night. Luckily I wasn’t there for trivia night or everyone in the bar would have hated me for insisting that it wasn’t the right answer. Instead I just annoyed the bar owner who wrote the question, who never believed I knew what I was talking about, despite my detailed explanation. Don’t leave us hanging! What was the trivia question? I finally told several people that I did not like “chain” letters and not to send them to me. I’m about to have to tell another not to believe every freakin’ email that comes down the pike–he sends me all kinds of UL stuff—usually I just delete it. What is funny is that he sends really OLD stuff, like from 2 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![chula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a4c791/32.png) [@chula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chula)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2004, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorance-at-work-i-give-up-urban-legend-emails/249186/25 "2004-06-08T19:35:16Z")
> [@Dolores Reborn](#): > > Don’t leave us hanging! What was the trivia question? It was the old “Why did they change the name of the Chevy Nova in Mexico?” one. It hardly seemed worth mentioning since it’s such an obvious one for any Straight Dope and Snopes reader. ---
**Author:** ![velvetjones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5f9b8f/32.png) [@velvetjones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velvetjones)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2004, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorance-at-work-i-give-up-urban-legend-emails/249186/26 "2004-06-08T19:46:28Z")
Yes, I too have managed to train my mother and my co-workers to check with me or with Snopes before forwarding stuff. Unfortunately snopes is now blocked by our company’s firewall so I can only look stuff up at home. ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2004, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorance-at-work-i-give-up-urban-legend-emails/249186/27 "2004-06-08T20:39:12Z")
I finally broke my SIL of the habit by publicly humiliating her to everyone on her email list. This was after at least half a dozen polite and carefully researched responses to the latest UL. My last attempt was a “Reply to All” with an exasperated response that basically boiled down to, “I just want to remind you that you can find these out by going to Snopes and typing in the key words in their search engine. It took me about 5 seconds to debunk this.” Along with the link and an excerpt of the relevant text. After that, all I ever got were the feel-good glurge emails, which I simply deleted unread. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2004, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorance-at-work-i-give-up-urban-legend-emails/249186/28 "2004-06-08T22:21:33Z")
> [@chula](#): > > It was the old “Why did they change the name of the Chevy Nova in Mexico?” one. It hardly seemed worth mentioning since it’s such an obvious one for any Straight Dope and Snopes reader. :smack: You’re kidding. That one’s so old I thought everyone knew it by now. Just goes to show you… Never underestimate stupidity. ---
**Author:** ![Futile\_Gesture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Futile\_Gesture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futile_Gesture)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorance-at-work-i-give-up-urban-legend-emails/249186/29 "2004-06-09T11:36:27Z")
> [@chula](#): > > It was the old “Why did they change the name of the Chevy Nova in Mexico?” one. It hardly seemed worth mentioning since it’s such an obvious one for any Straight Dope and Snopes reader. I **hate** when quizzes do that. You know it’s wrong, but you also know that they’re going to give the wrong answer too. Do you give the wrong answer and take the points? Do you give the right answer and argue about it later? It’s not like you’re going to win any friends that way, or even get your points. And you can be sure they’ll not take the points off the mugs who go with the urban myth. But wait! What if the quizmaster is actually a snopes reader? Maybe they do have the right answer! What’s to be done!!!?? I **hate** when quizzes do that. ---
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorance-at-work-i-give-up-urban-legend-emails/249186/30 "2004-06-09T11:58:37Z")
Rhonda sweetie, I can’t believe you fell for this. This hoax has been circulating on the internet for over 5 years. Please read these sites: > **[Free Company Giveaways](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/thousand-dollar-bill/)** > > Can you get free cash or merchandise for forwarding an e-mail message or clicking share links? [http://hoaxbusters.ciac.org/](http://hoaxbusters.ciac.org/) ----- Original Message ----- From: Rhonda Hotchkiss To: John Lynda ; Kimberly Moyer ; Dora Mullett ; Michele Myrick ; Scott Myrick ; Lisa Nosek ; Brian Overby ; Heather Shear ; Barry Simpson ; Wanda V ; Jane Verdon ; Rhonda Whitt ; rkasha ; ‘Tricia’ ; Jennifer Batronis ; Doug Brown ; Sarah Carlson ; Steve Chene ; Mindy Finnicum ; John Fitzgerald ; Jeremy Hammond ; Nataly Hannon ; BJ Harwood ; Bob Harwood ; Henry Harwood ; Alya Hessami ; Ruth Hotchkiss ; Natalie Jane ; David N. Joffe ; Brad Johnson ; Eric Kinkead ; Kysha Knutson ; Chris Leininger Sent: Thursday, November 14, 2002 12:10 PM Subject: Fwd: PLEEEEEESE READ!!! It was on the news!!! Apparently this is the real deal. It was in the newspaper. Sorry if this offendes anyone. But to the rest of you pass it on. Kisses, Rhonda Note: forwarded message attached. ---
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorance-at-work-i-give-up-urban-legend-emails/249186/31 "2004-06-09T12:00:44Z")
Oops, if a mod could please remove that email addy I’d appreciate it. BTW, of course I replied to everyone with my reBUTTal. ---
**Author:** ![jlzania](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/67e7ee/32.png) [@jlzania](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jlzania)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorance-at-work-i-give-up-urban-legend-emails/249186/32 "2004-06-09T14:19:01Z")
Several years ago, we were at a friend’s house for dinner and were joined by another couple that we had never met. Within 5 minutes of being introduced, the female launched into a detailed story about how a man was abducting women from malls by running in and asking them to help with a child that was choking in his car. I immediately started laughing because I had just read that particular legend in Snopes. I asked her why she thought any semi-intelligent woman would accompany a man that had abandoned a choking child in a car rather than bringing said child inside with him. I really wasn’t rude but she she became very huffy and the evening went downhill from there. ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorance-at-work-i-give-up-urban-legend-emails/249186/33 "2004-06-09T16:22:56Z")
My FIL actually tried to convince us that he knew a FOAF who actually had his kidneys removed and who woke up in a tub of ice. I felt bad that I busted out laughing as a response. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorance-at-work-i-give-up-urban-legend-emails/249186/34 "2004-06-09T17:57:34Z")
Do you mean to tell me that my orders for human flesh steaks from manbeef dot com are never actually going to arrive??? Crap. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorance-at-work-i-give-up-urban-legend-emails/249186/35 "2004-06-09T18:06:31Z")
> [@vivalostwages](#): > > Do you mean to tell me that my orders for human flesh steaks from manbeef dot com are never actually going to arrive??? > > Crap. They should arrive the same day as your money from the Nigerian businessman. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorance-at-work-i-give-up-urban-legend-emails/249186/36 "2004-06-09T18:30:40Z")
Guideline for those frustrated by these things: People will always prefer to believe an entertaining lie, not a boring truth. Thus, the effort is futile. There will be ULs popping up faster than we can debunk them. I just delete them when they show up nowadays. If people wish to remain ignorant, maybe they’re in a blissful state, maybe they don’t care, but there comes a time when the horse has been shown the water too many times without drinking. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorance-at-work-i-give-up-urban-legend-emails/249186/37 "2004-06-09T18:45:56Z")
Not too long ago, my supervisor forwarded to all her coworkers an email that sure sounded like an urban legend: the dangers of buying toothpaste from dollar stores. It mentioned a news report on “Channel 5” but not exactly when or where. I tried Snopes first, found nothing, then went to Google News. Turned out to be based on a real news report from [Dallas](http://www.nbc5i.com/money/3293576/detail.html). I see Google News now lists [two](http://www.kake.com/news/headlines/790092.html) [other](http://www.nbc4columbus.com/target4/3343872/detail.html) reports along with the one from Dallas. ---
**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2004, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorance-at-work-i-give-up-urban-legend-emails/249186/38 "2004-06-10T00:12:42Z")
> [@Jeff Olsen](#): > > Not too long ago, my supervisor forwarded to all her coworkers an email that sure sounded like an urban legend: the dangers of buying toothpaste from dollar stores. It mentioned a news report on “Channel 5” but not exactly when or where. I tried Snopes first, found nothing, then went to Google News. Turned out to be based on a real news report from [Dallas](http://www.nbc5i.com/money/3293576/detail.html). I see Google News now lists [two](http://www.kake.com/news/headlines/790092.html) [other](http://www.nbc4columbus.com/target4/3343872/detail.html) reports along with the one from Dallas. While I understand your initial suspicion, two-year-old Canadian Aquafresh is just the kind of thing I’d expect to find at a Dollar Store. ---
**Author:** ![AveDementia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@AveDementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AveDementia)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2004, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorance-at-work-i-give-up-urban-legend-emails/249186/39 "2004-06-10T00:13:02Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > DAF: Yeah, but he’s lying. Satanists do that! I’m going to stop buying P&G products. Praise the Lord! OH. MY. GOD. I can’t stop laughing at this. How did this person reach adulthood without, oh I don’t know, drowning themselves in the toilet, or choking to death on a toenail? Or something. Sheesh! ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2004, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorance-at-work-i-give-up-urban-legend-emails/249186/40 "2004-06-10T00:43:06Z")
> [@AerynSun](#): > > While I understand your initial suspicion, two-year-old Canadian Aquafresh is just the kind of thing I’d expect to find at a Dollar Store. True, but the main point was the unhealthy (compared to US brands) amounts of flouride, which sounded like the usual UL scaremongering to me. I’m not sure the email even mentioned the potential of buying an oudated import. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorance-at-work-i-give-up-urban-legend-emails/249186.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorance-at-work-i-give-up-urban-legend-emails/249186.md?page=3)