# Is "Adam Ruins Everything" right? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 22, 2018, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-adam-ruins-everything-right/823355 "2018-10-22T21:56:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2018, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-adam-ruins-everything-right/823355/21 "2018-10-23T22:24:29Z")
> [@glowacks](#): > > Doesn’t present nuanced facts about anything, just says what we all know is wrong His facts actually do contain nuance and goes further than just saying what we know is wrong. > [@](#): > > and theoretically has a cite that no one bothers to check. “Theoretically” has a cite? What does that mean? > [@](#): > > Just as likely to create misinformation than cure ignorance. Anything is equally likely to do that…until one fact checks. Finding out which his claims do is the point of this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2018, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-adam-ruins-everything-right/823355/22 "2018-10-23T22:30:52Z")
> [@x-ray\_vision](#): > > The next mistake he claims Adam made is that Columbus thought the Earth was pear shaped. However: > > [https://dontknowmuch.com/2018/10/the-world-is-a-pear-columbus-day/](https://dontknowmuch.com/2018/10/the-world-is-a-pear-columbus-day/) > > I stopped there. You stopped right before he went into the explanation of why that line doesn’t really mean what it says at face value? That’s sort of the textbook example of why “He had a cite” isn’t the end all of being correct. ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2018, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-adam-ruins-everything-right/823355/23 "2018-10-23T22:42:31Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > If you’re going to be in that house a short time, renting makes more sense. If you’re going to be there as long as my parents, my grandparents, my aunts and uncles… have been in the houses they bought, it can make sense to buy. I think it’s a bit of a “chicken and egg” problem: Do people buy a house because they already know they’re staying, or do they know they’re staying because they’ve already bought a house? ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2018, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-adam-ruins-everything-right/823355/24 "2018-10-23T22:57:05Z")
> [@x-ray\_vision](#): > > “Theoretically” has a cite? What does that mean? I think “theoretical” citing does exist and is a very big deal. In short, a great deal of what people hear and read on a daily basis is cosmetically altered to look citation-like. Many many writers and speakers give pseudo-citations and hope nobody is checking. THAT’S “theoretical” citing, IMO. Verbal Photoshopping. ETA: The writers and speakers continue this practice because they have discovered that indeed hardly anyone bothers to check their facts. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2018, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-adam-ruins-everything-right/823355/25 "2018-10-23T23:05:42Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats](#): > > Adam claimed the Hays Code for movies prohibited showing white people as slaves but permitted showing black people as slaves. No, he didn’t. I just watched that portion of the episode. There was an actor playing a cartoonish version of William Hayes saying “No need to censor us. The movie industry shall censor ourselves. The following perversions are hereby banned in Hollywood. Interracial dating- bad. Making fun of clergy- bad. White slavery- bad. Black slavery is a-okay, though.” I suppose one can argue that mentioning black slavery after white slavery hints that they’re the same except for skin color, but he doesn’t claim “the Hays Code for movies prohibited showing white people as slaves.” ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2018, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-adam-ruins-everything-right/823355/26 "2018-10-23T23:07:36Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > You stopped right before he went into the explanation of why that line doesn’t really mean what it says at face value? No, I stopped watching after his explanation, as the rest of the video doesn’t have anything else regarding “Adam Ruins Everything.” His explanation for “why that line doesn’t really mean what it says at face value” is: _No, he didn’t think the Earth was shaped like a pear with a nipple on top. In fact I had never even heard this claim before but luckily Adam gives us his source, who actually never says that Columbus said the Earth was shaped like a pear."_ Actually, “Adam” never gives us his source. There are sources for claims Adam makes on truTV’s website, and the one given for that claim is an article which says: _"Putting all this together, Columbus reasoned that the world was shaped like a ball with a breastlike protuberance._ and doesn’t specifically mention being pear shaped, but that either means there are other sources and Adam isn’t wrong or Adam is claiming being ball shaped with a breastlike protuberance is synonymous with being pear shaped (which isn’t really that much of a stretch). But I already showed that there is a good cite for Columbus making the pear shaped statement, so I don’t get your issue. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2018, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-adam-ruins-everything-right/823355/27 "2018-10-23T23:13:01Z")
> [@x-ray\_vision](#): > > But I already showed that there is a good cite for Columbus making the pear shaped statement, so I don’t get your issue. The show doesn’t mention that there is one singular reference, attempt to look at the context of the statement and explicitly shows Columbus making that claim to the monarchy (for which there is zero evidence). The rest of it does go back to the Adam Ruins Everything episode, such as Columbus meeting the tribes and “discovery” of America. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2018, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-adam-ruins-everything-right/823355/28 "2018-10-23T23:13:36Z")
> [@DavidwithanR](#): > > THAT’S “theoretical” citing, IMO. Verbal Photoshopping. It’s a phrase that doesn’t exist and based on glowacks use, I’m not convinced he/she is using the phrase as you are. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2018, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-adam-ruins-everything-right/823355/29 "2018-10-23T23:26:49Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > The show doesn’t mention that there is one singular reference, attempt to look at the context of the statement and explicitly shows Columbus making that claim to the monarchy (for which there is zero evidence). I included the source of the quote, which included the year. It was 1498. I’m confused as to what you’re saying there is zero evidence for. > [@](#): > > The rest of it does go back to the Adam Ruins Everything episode, such as Columbus meeting the tribes and “discovery” of America. Right, at about 22:17 where the presenter says “do you even remember who the President was 42 years ago” and a pop-up gives us what is supposed to be the correct answer…Lyndon B. Johnson. Interesting. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-adam-ruins-everything-right/823355/30 "2018-10-24T00:07:43Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > The show doesn’t mention that there is one singular reference, attempt to look at the context of the statement and explicitly shows Columbus making that claim to the monarchy (for which there is zero evidence). I see what you’re saying now. I’m not trying to make excuses for the show or Adam, but the cartoon of him asking for money while claiming the Earth is pear shaped, seems to be something the cartoonist came up with and that part isn’t supposed to be a history lesson regarding when and to whom Columbus actually made the pear-shaped claim to. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-adam-ruins-everything-right/823355/31 "2018-10-24T01:01:08Z")
I find he is usually right but there are a lot of “yes but” questions and omissions. I think the clip about hydration is pretty typical. He’s right about a lot. On a typical day for a typical person you don’t have to worry about hydrating. Your body will tell you when to drink. Drinking 8 glasses of water a day has no science backing it up to say its healthy or beneficial. Forced hydration is not necessary for most. Beverage companies do try to sell their products with junk science and scare tactics. He brings up over hydration as an issue even though its extremely rare. He says that people dying of actual dehydration is extremely rare. Sure. What is glaringly left out are heat related injuries: heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Young athletes have died from heat stroke and the clip is set at a football practice. The main way to prevent these heat injuries is to remain hydrated. If you wait until you are thirsty its way too late. As a soldier and in civilian life I have see multiple people suffering from heat injuries. Thankfully no one died in front of me but its very scary to see someone flopping on the ground uncontrollably. Or to see someone entering heat stroke who can’t sweat any more and they start to hallucinate. Its a lot more common than over hydration and deaths from heat stroke are also much more common. Adam and his expert left that out. No its not going to happen under most normal circumstance to most normal people but neither is Hyponatremia or dehydration but those they mention because it fits the narrative of the take down. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-adam-ruins-everything-right/823355/32 "2018-10-24T01:29:37Z")
> [@x-ray\_vision](#): > > …that part isn’t supposed to be a history lesson regarding when and to whom Columbus actually made the pear-shaped claim to. Right. The show is entertainment, not really education. But someone watching it and assuming that the show is a credible source would walk away believing that Columbus made the “pear” claim to the crown. In fact, Columbus wrote that passage during his third voyage but the cartoon happily has Columbus stating it in his initial funding pitch. The argument isn’t “Columbus never compared the earth to a pear”, it’s that he made a singular reference to it which very probably wasn’t meant to be taken literally and absolutely didn’t happen as the cartoon depicts. But, hey, it’s all just in fun I’m sure and not at all because they want to make sure the audience is saying “Haha, what a silly-head!” > [@](#): > > Right, at about 22:17 where the presenter says “do you even remember who the President was 42 years ago” and a pop-up gives us what is supposed to be the correct answer…Lyndon B. Johnson. Interesting. The very first comment is a pinned note from the creator saying that it was a mistake. How dare he make an error and pin a correction right at the top. How very interesting! :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-adam-ruins-everything-right/823355/33 "2018-10-24T02:13:55Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > What is glaringly left out are heat related injuries: heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Young athletes have died from heat stroke and the clip is set at a football practice. The main way to prevent these heat injuries is to remain hydrated. The clip is set at football practice, but it starts with the water person saying, “oh my God. we’ve been out here for 15 minutes, we need to be hydrated! Everyone drink up!” The myths he’s busting, along with a professor of exercise science, are regarding the importance given to hydration when one is not thirsty. He doesn’t claim that hydration isn’t important. Regarding hydration being the main way to prevent heat cramps: > [@](#): > > Results: > Dehydration/electrolyte and neuromuscular causes are the most widely discussed theories for the cause of EAMC; however, strong experimental evidence for either theory is lacking. > **[Exercise-Associated Muscle Cramps: Causes, Treatment, and Prevention](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3445088/)** > > Exercise-associated muscle cramps (EAMC) are a common condition experienced by recreational and competitive athletes. Despite their commonality and prevalence, their cause remains unknown. Theories for the cause of EAMC are primarily based on... > [@](#): > > CONCLUSIONS: > Three percent hypohydration does not affect threshold frequency of electrically induced cramps. > > … > > Mild hypohydration with minimal neuromuscular fatigue does not seem to predispose individuals to cramping. Thus, cramps may be more associated with neuromuscular fatigue than dehydration/electrolyte losses. Health care professionals may have more success preventing exercise-associated muscle cramp by focusing on strategies that minimize neuromuscular fatigue rather than dehydration. > **[Three percent hypohydration does not affect threshold frequency of...](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20351595/)** > > Mild hypohydration with minimal neuromuscular fatigue does not seem to predispose individuals to cramping. Thus, cramps may be more associated with neuromuscular fatigue than dehydration/electrolyte losses. Health care professionals may have more... > [@](#): > > CONCLUSIONS: > Significant and serious hypohydration with moderate electrolyte losses does not alter cramp susceptibility when fatigue and exercise intensity are controlled. Neuromuscular control may be more important in the onset of muscle cramps than dehydration or electrolyte losses. > **[Significant and serious dehydration does not affect skeletal muscle cramp...](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23222192/)** > > Significant and serious hypohydration with moderate electrolyte losses does not alter cramp susceptibility when fatigue and exercise intensity are controlled. Neuromuscular control may be more important in the onset of muscle cramps than dehydration... > [@Loach](#): > > If you wait until you are thirsty its way too late. Nope, that’s one of the myths busted. It’s one of the main points! Cites: > [@](#): > > The results indicate that during free access to water humans become thirsty and drink before body fluid deficits develop, perhaps in response to subtle oropharyngeal cues, and so provide evidence for anticipatory thirst and drinking in man. [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0031938484901549](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0031938484901549) > [@](#): > > **Myth: If you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated. > Fact:** It’s not too late. In fact, thirst is the body’s way of telling you to drink water, and you’re not at risk of becoming dangerously dehydrated the minute you feel a little parched. “When you get thirsty, the deficit of water in your body is trivial – it’s a very sensitive gauge,” Dr. Stanley Goldfarb, professor of medicine [and nephrologist] at the University of Pennsylvania, told HuffPost in January. “It might be only a 1 percent reduction in your overall water. And it just requires drinking some fluid.” > **[7 Dehydration Myths, Busted](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/dehydration-myths_n_3498380)** > > 7 Dehydration Myths, Busted Even for athletes: > [@](#): > > Loyola University Medical Center sports medicine physician James Winger, MD. Simply put, drink only when you’re thirsty, > > … > > Athletes often are mistakenly advised to “push fluids” or drink more than their thirst dictates by, for example, drinking until their urine is clear or drinking to a prescribed schedule. But excessive fluid intake does not prevent fatigue, muscle cramps or heat stroke. > > “Muscle cramps have nothing to do with dehydration,” Dr. Winger said. “And you don’t get heat stroke because you’re dehydrated. You get heat stroke because you’re producing too much heat.” > > Modest to moderate levels of dehydration are tolerable and pose little risk to otherwise healthy athletes. An athlete can safely lose up to 3 percent of his or her body weight during a competition due to dehydration, Dr. Winger said. [https://ssom.luc.edu/news/stories/athletesshoulddrinkonlywhenthirstyaccordingtonewguidelines.html](https://ssom.luc.edu/news/stories/athletesshoulddrinkonlywhenthirstyaccordingtonewguidelines.html) ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-adam-ruins-everything-right/823355/34 "2018-10-24T02:43:08Z")
> [@x-ray\_vision](#): > > The clip is set at football practice, but it starts with the water person saying, “oh my God. we’ve been out here for 15 minutes, we need to be hydrated! Everyone drink up!” > > The myths he’s busting, along with a professor of exercise science, are regarding the importance given to hydration when one is not thirsty. He doesn’t claim that hydration isn’t important. > > Regarding hydration being the main way to prevent heat cramps: > [Exercise-Associated Muscle Cramps - PMC](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3445088/) > [Three percent hypohydration does not affect threshold frequency of electrically induced cramps - PubMed](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20351595) > [Significant and serious dehydration does not affect skeletal muscle cramp threshold frequency - PubMed](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23222192) > > Nope, that’s one of the myths busted. It’s one of the main points! Cites: > [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0031938484901549](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0031938484901549) > > [Dehydration Myths: 7 Things You Should Know About Staying Hydrated | HuffPost Life](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/dehydration-myths_n_3498380) > Even for athletes: > > [https://ssom.luc.edu/news/stories/athletesshoulddrinkonlywhenthirstyaccordingtonewguidelines.html](https://ssom.luc.edu/news/stories/athletesshoulddrinkonlywhenthirstyaccordingtonewguidelines.html) You are confusing regular muscle cramps with heat cramps. Another issue he glosses over. Hydration will do nothing for Exercise Associated Muscle Cramps. [Heat cramps](https://www.mayoclinic.org/first-aid/first-aid-heat-cramps/basics/ART-20056669) are caused by excessive heat and lack of water and minerals. Its often the first step to heat exhaustion or stroke but it doesn’t have to go in order. Under normal circumstances you can wait until you feel thirsty before you drink. Hump a ruck in 100 plus weather in Iraq and get back to me. Most people will know to slow down and rest and get out of the heat. When you can’t because you are on a mission you better be drinking. Once you become a heat casualty its too late and off you go with an IV in to the hospital. Adam (or his staff) is right about hydration for the vast majority of people. Most people don’t have to even think about hydration. They automatically drink what their body needs. He conveniently leaves out heat casualties. > **[NIOSH Heat Stress Topic Page](https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/heatstress/default.html)** > > NIOSH Heat Stress Topic Page From one of you cites : “In recent years, at least 14 deaths of marathon runners, football players and other athletes have been attributed to exercise-associated hyponatremia, a condition that results from drinking too much water or sports drinks.” That’s the same point Adam brought up. And no doubt some athletes take hydration to extremes. The CDC says an average of around 600 people per year die from heat related injuries. One of the main ways to prevent being a heat casualty is to be properly hydrated. You can’t argue with the fact that he doesn’t even mention heat cramps, heat exhaustion or heat stroke. That’s because he would have to admit that hydration plays an important role in preventing possible deadly medical conditions. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-adam-ruins-everything-right/823355/35 "2018-10-24T03:37:25Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > You are confusing regular muscle cramps with heat cramps. What is the proper medical terminology for “heat cramps”? My first link was to a paper titled “Exercise-Associated Muscle Cramps [EAMC].” Another cite for you: > [@](#): > > **Heat cramps” - a misnomer** > > Case reports and anecdotal observations often related the development of cramping to physical activity per-formed in hot and humid conditions, and **this has led to the use of ‘‘heat cramps’’ or ‘‘exertional heat cramps’’. These terms are often used synonymously with EAMC [15,42,44,50].** More substantive data to support the use of this terminology came from a study in which the term “heat cramps” was reported to be more common when American Football players trained in an environment where the heat index was ‘‘high’’ or ‘‘extreme’’ com-pared with “low” or “moderate” [21]. It must be noted that these hot and humid weather conditions occurred during the rst 2-3 weeks of training in a season when players were also most likely less well-conditioned and/or acclimatized to the heat. EAMC is known to also occur in individuals exercising in moderate to cool tempera-tures [13,49] and exposure to extreme cold also has been associated with EAMC in swimmers [51]. In addition,\*\* it has been found that the development of EAMC does not correlate with an increased core temperature [13]. Clearly, heat alone is not a direct cause of muscle cramping during exercise. As such, the term ‘‘heat cramps’’ is inaccurate and its use should be discouraged.\*\* [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/314859171\_Exercise\_Associated\_Muscle\_Cramps\_-A\_Current\_Perspective](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/314859171_Exercise_Associated_Muscle_Cramps_-A_Current_Perspective) From the same paper: > [@](#): > > Conclusion > > EAMC are a common condition experienced by recreational and competitive athletes. As such, it is imperative for clinicians to identify underlying causes and effective strategies for treating and preventing the condition. Despite the high prevalence of EAMC, few experimental data exist on their cause, treatment, and prevention to date. EAMC has long been explained by the electrolyte imbalance-and-dehydration theory. However, its sup-porting evidence comes mainly from anecdotal observations and case reports. In addition, the theory does not offer plausible pathophysiological mechanisms, and it has been reported that EAMC can occur without electrolyte depletion or dehydration. More recent evidence suggests that EAMC may be mediated by muscle fatigue that altered neuromuscular control. > [@](#): > > Under normal circumstances you can wait until you feel thirsty before you drink. Yet, that’s not what you claimed. > [@](#): > > Hump a ruck in 100 plus weather in Iraq and get back to me. Most people will know to slow down and rest and get out of the heat. When you can’t because you are on a mission you better be drinking. Once you become a heat casualty its too late and off you go with an IV in to the hospital. Oh, please. I’ve served, but it’s not a cite for anything. I provided cites, including one for athletes, and that covers what we’ve been discussing. > [@](#): > > Adam (or his staff) is right about hydration for the vast majority of people. Most people don’t have to even think about hydration. They automatically drink what their body needs. He conveniently leaves out heat casualties. What’s convenient about it? He’s busting myths that people like you still believe. Kids were being told they had to hydrate after 15 minutes of the start of football practice with a fear-mongering tone. There was no need to bring up heat casualties. > [@](#): > > The CDC says an average of around 600 people per year die from heat related injuries. One of the main ways to prevent being a heat casualty is to be properly hydrated. That depends on the heat casualty. I provided a cite already. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-adam-ruins-everything-right/823355/36 "2018-10-24T10:18:00Z")
> [@x-ray\_vision](#): > > No, he didn’t. I just watched that portion of the episode. There was an actor playing a cartoonish version of William Hayes saying “No need to censor us. The movie industry shall censor ourselves. The following perversions are hereby banned in Hollywood. Interracial dating- bad. Making fun of clergy- bad. White slavery- bad. Black slavery is a-okay, though.” > > I suppose one can argue that mentioning black slavery after white slavery hints that they’re the same except for skin color, but he doesn’t claim “the Hays Code for movies prohibited showing white people as slaves.” They showed a picture of a burly Amish looking farmer in chains when they said “White slavery - bad”. I could only conclude that they thought that what was meant by white slavery. If they distorted the meaning of ‘white slavery’ to make a cheap joke about racism while knowing what the term ‘white slavery’ actually meant, then they have no business making claims to be an educational show. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-adam-ruins-everything-right/823355/37 "2018-10-24T13:41:30Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > People who rent have a greater capability of relocating for better jobs than those who own and can take advantage of offers that others may not be able to. That is absolutely true - but that doesn’t even scratch the surface of the utility function for the renter or homebuyer. The person making the rent/buying option is making a decision relative to their situation, and the relative utilities of renting and buying will be correlated to the need for mobility. Of course when I was 25, and likelier to change jobs, I rented; at 46, where my career is stable and selling/buying a home isn’t really a huge barrier to moving, I buy. The relative difficulty of selling/buying just isn’t significant to me now, and so buying is simply a higher utility move. I’ve done the math and even there it’s just not a close call at all, but there’s more to it than that. If the guy is making the argument that buying a house is bad, then at the risk of pointing out the obvious, one must explain why so many people buy houses. It’s not that people can’t be irrational or misinformed; they can, and we often put into place structures to save people from the peccadilloes of economic behaviour (pension plans and retirement saving plans, for instance, are structured to force behaviour we would otherwise be terrible at.) But in the case of people buying houses, it has almost NONE of the hallmarks of poor economic choices; it’s not small scale, not based on irrational risk avoidance, and not a short term decision that defeats long term benefit. It’s kind of on Adam to explain why he thinks he’s right and everyone else is wrong, rather than just making general, sweeping claims that he is right and everyone else is wrong. It strikes me as obvious that there will be particular cases where renting makes sense and buying does not, and in those case what happens is that people almost always rent, rather than buying. So his point is really kind of nonsensical. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-adam-ruins-everything-right/823355/38 "2018-10-24T14:54:59Z")
I was curious so I looked up the [fuller context](https://openamlit.pressbooks.com/chapter/narrative-of-the-third-voyage-1498-1500-excerpt/) of the “Earth is a pear” Columbus bit. In a nutshell, Columbus understood well that the prevailing science was that the earth was a sphere and that this had been known since at least Ptolemy. However, when sailing from Sierra Leone to Trinidad, Columbus noted that the people went from very dark in complexion to lighter brown and that the weather changed from sweltering to fairly mild. Columbus posited that while most of the earth was a sphere, far enough to the west it contracted to help explain why a voyage due west brought such notable changes in people and climate. He also thinks that a “pear shaped” earth would explain both why the observations of Ptolemy could be accurate and still not predict the differences Columbus saw while sailing west. Obviously Columbus was wrong in his guess and there’s far more complicated reasons for why the weather patterns would be different or why people evolved differently. But Columbus based this theory on his collected travels to the Americas and didn’t discount the spherical earth but rather simply thought it incomplete. He saw that the area of Trinidad was more like Valencia (east of Philadelphia) than like Sierra Leon and developed a theory as to why that would be. None of this comes through the Adam Ruins Everything episode (or really any time I see the ‘pear’ thing brought up) but rather shows Columbus thinking this before he even sets out on his journey and using it as part of his appeal to the crown and certainly gives no thought as to WHY Columbus would develop this notion. Maybe they did this because they didn’t actually bother to research it. Maybe they just thought “LOL this is funny and we can say _nipple_!” trumped accuracy in a show that’s supposedly about telling the real story. No matter how you look at it, it was --at best – misleading. But they have “a cite” (see, it says here he thought it was a pear!) so we’re supposed to accept it as accurate despite the argument using that cite being completely disingenuous. ---
**Author:** ![sps49sd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@sps49sd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sps49sd)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-adam-ruins-everything-right/823355/39 "2018-10-24T18:27:05Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > There is an interesting show on Netflix called “Adam Ruins Everything”… > > On the one on housing he makes the case that renting makes much more sense than buying. > > Has anyone else seen the show? What do you think? It’s entertaining, and he does cite often, but his ‘ruining’ is often overstated, there are lesser errors (he has admitted several; nobody’s perfect), and he doesn’t always present conventional wisdom/ thinking in a balanced way (buying my house was the best financial move I ever made, for one). But it definitely will wake you up and hopefully have you reconsider. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-adam-ruins-everything-right/823355/40 "2018-10-24T19:42:37Z")
An important point about renting vs buying that I never see discussed: Retirement. When you retire can you afford house payments or rent and still live comfortably? I’m not saying you have to have your house paid off on your 65th birthday but you should have enough equity in you house so you can buy a house you can retire in full. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-adam-ruins-everything-right/823355.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-adam-ruins-everything-right/823355.md?page=3)