# Refuted memes that won't stay dead **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [July 4, 2025, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refuted-memes-that-wont-stay-dead/1020488 "2025-07-04T15:48:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![abcdefghij](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/43a26b/32.png) [@abcdefghij](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abcdefghij)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2025, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refuted-memes-that-wont-stay-dead/1020488/21 "2025-07-04T18:58:37Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > exactly what cocktail of sedatives, pain-blockers, and methamphetamines did Daniel take to fight through the pain of a disabling knee injury? I picked the wrong week to stop huffing car polish ---
**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:** [July 4, 2025, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refuted-memes-that-wont-stay-dead/1020488/22 "2025-07-04T18:58:48Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > To the extent that this trope is deployed across a wide variety of media, _Star Wars_ actually subverts it both by having Obi-Wan killed in a duel with Vader (although promising that if he is struck down “I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine,”) I wouldn’t say that subverts it. Vader is the chief bad guy, not one of the legion of faceless enemy mooks. If you wanted to make the plot armor look less obvious, you set up some additional good guys (with real names and dialogue, not anonymous red shirts) and let them killed by the Stormtroopers. Now the Stormtroopers look deadly. But it’s not really that kind of gritty movie and more of a space fairy tale. ---
**Author:** ![shoeshine81](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@shoeshine81](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shoeshine81)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2025, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refuted-memes-that-wont-stay-dead/1020488/23 "2025-07-04T19:00:11Z")
I think “you can’t assume it’s illegal in the movie just because it would be illegal in a real karate tournament” is a valid point. It’s obviously not illegal in the movie, and the nitpicking is classic “plothole”-seeking misunderstanding of how art and entertainment works. In real life, karate is not a magic power that allows a 90 pound kid to beat someone twice his size after a few weeks of training, probably isn’t learned from waxing cars very often if at all, and isn’t going to be practiced in the tournament by Daniel or the Cobra Kai because both of them would have been dealing with the police for about 5 different things they did earlier in the movie. The selective turning on and off of “well of course we aren’t worried about those things, it would be a pretty boring movie if we did” is a sign that the criticism which only exists when taking that approach is dumb. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2025, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refuted-memes-that-wont-stay-dead/1020488/24 "2025-07-04T19:06:57Z")
> [@griffin1977](#): > > the bad guys shoot at the good guys a lot and miss every time. …except that one time they needed an excuse for the Wookie to spend half the movie sitting down, because the actor was too disabled to even walk in that suit 😃 ---
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2025, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refuted-memes-that-wont-stay-dead/1020488/25 "2025-07-04T19:09:48Z")
> [@griffin1977](#): > > It’s because Star wars is at its heart a silly swashbuckling action adventure and in silly swashbuckling action adventures the bad guys shoot at the good guys a lot and miss every time Yes, we all know that, but “plot armor” is a really unsatisfying explanation, unless you can explicitly play with it, like Scalzi’s _Redshirts_. It makes the story much richer when apparent plot holes have reasonable in universe explanations. > [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > No under-18 tournament is going to permit full force contact It was the 80s. I’m sure most of the kids got to the tournament riding in the back of pickup trucks or on their bikes without helmets. Traumatic brain injuries hadn’t been discovered yet. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2025, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refuted-memes-that-wont-stay-dead/1020488/26 "2025-07-04T19:11:21Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > The bigger question is how did this kid who has only received at most a few weeks of training and a montage culminating in crane kicking That’s another one! It’s established right at the beginning of the movie that Daniel did at least some karate training before moving to California. He uses a side kick to open a gate, which hits that one dude, who asks him “Was that karate?” Later, Miyagi sees him practicing with an open karate book in front of him, and asks, “You learn karate from book?” We don’t know how much training he had, but it wasn’t zero. ETA: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/NZpmrVppGm4/maxresdefault.jpg "Mr. Miyagi Spots Daniel Learning Karate from a Book & Johnny Rags Daniel | The Karate Kid (1984)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZpmrVppGm4&t=6) ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2025, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refuted-memes-that-wont-stay-dead/1020488/27 "2025-07-04T19:28:41Z")
> [@echoreply](#): > > Yes, we all know that, but “plot armor” is a really unsatisfying explanation Speaking of armor, does anybody know what stormtrooper armor is supposed to protect them from? Ewoks armed with nerf darts? ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2025, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refuted-memes-that-wont-stay-dead/1020488/28 "2025-07-04T19:35:35Z")
> [@echoreply](#): > > It was the 80s. I’m sure most of the kids got to the tournament riding in the back of pickup trucks or on their bikes without helmets. Traumatic brain injuries hadn’t been discovered yet. I competed in martial arts tournaments in the 1980s; only light contact allowed, strikes only allowed above the knees and below the neck, definitely no flying kicks to the face. > [@Horatius](#): > > It’s established right at the beginning of the movie that Daniel did at least some karate training before moving to California. He uses a side kick to open a gate, which hits that one dude, who asks him “Was that karate?” Later, Miyagi sees him practicing with an open karate book in front of him, and asks, “You learn karate from book?” > > We don’t know how much training he had, but it wasn’t zero. If wasn’t enough to make Daniel sufficiently adept to not [make a complete fool of himself in the beach fight](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXzs8FOOOI8&t=90s). The only blow he even gets in was a that sucker punch which was such a light jab that it didn’t even phase Johnny, and he uses a totally ineffectual guard with his arm sticking horizontal way out in front of him that isn’t actually going to stop anything. > [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > Speaking of armor, does anybody know what stormtrooper armor is supposed to protect them from? Ewoks armed with nerf darts? My theory is that stormtrooper armor is actually some kind of advanced reactive armor that projects a protective forcefield around the user but the Empire is so bad at writing technical specifications that the forcefield projectors were mounted facing inward, and as a result any time stormtroopers are struck by even a light blow or run into one another they are worsted and pummeled by the concentrated forces. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2025, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refuted-memes-that-wont-stay-dead/1020488/29 "2025-07-04T19:51:02Z")
I haven’t watched this video yet, because I don’t want to get spoilered for the second season of _Andor_ (will Cassian live to be in _Rogue One_, or will he just get edited out?). YouTube keeps suggesting it to me, so maybe they do bother answering why sometimes Stormtroopers are effective, and other times they are not. Non-joke answer. All armies have different units that do different things. Sending a facilities maintenance crew to do the job of a special forces team is going to make them look pretty incompetent. Send a unit trained in subjugating civilian populations to search a city, and they might be ruthlessly efficient. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/4qa3LBoxy_U/maxresdefault.jpg "Andor finally explains why Stormtroopers are so useless") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qa3LBoxy_U) ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2025, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refuted-memes-that-wont-stay-dead/1020488/30 "2025-07-04T20:19:19Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > protect them from? Ewoks armed with nerf darts? Even as a little kid, I knew that the Storm Trooper helmets being musically beaten like drums by Ewoks at the end of ROTJ wouldn’t sound like that. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2025, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refuted-memes-that-wont-stay-dead/1020488/31 "2025-07-04T20:38:22Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > What we actually see them doing is missing, a lot. Missing the stars- who have plot armor, and the Force working to protect them. Those rebels aboard Leia’s ship were moved down pretty accurately in the opening scenes of A New Hope.. Some in other battles. I dont remember the Stormtrooper being bad shots unless it is against the stars. Other refuted memes- **Electric car chargers are run off diesel generators.** > **[Misleading Meme Monday | Center for Inquiry](https://centerforinquiry.org/blog/misleading-meme-monday/)** > > Welcome to Misleading Meme Monday, an occasional series of short columns each focusing on a single, specific popular-yet-misleading meme. Of course many, if ... This cite shows others- > **[Disinformation and Misinformation Memes - 3CL Foundation](https://www.3cl.org/misinformation-memes/)** > > Memes serve as more than just vehicles for online expression, demonstrating their power as weapons in the arsenal of misinformation and disinformation. Frequently dismissed as harmless jokes, memes have disproportionate power and are difficult to... > [@DCnDC](#): > > The crane kick that ends the All Valley Karate Tournament is not illegal. The only rule we’re ever given is “anything above the waist is a point.” Is that a meme? ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2025, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refuted-memes-that-wont-stay-dead/1020488/32 "2025-07-04T20:46:42Z")
Some other examples: Mice liking cheese and rabbits liking carrots: In fact, mice generally much prefer carbs like crackers, and rabbits much prefer leafy greens like lettuce. The vast majority of Taylor Swift’s songs are not about breakups. Frankenstein was the scientist, not the monster. Michael Jordan was never cut from his high school team. Gandhi never said “Be the change you want to see in the world.” Einstein never said that insanity was defined as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Marilyn Monroe never said “well-behaved women seldom make history.” Paul Revere never said “the British are coming,” Burke never said “the only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing.” There is no proof that Amber Heard pooped on a bed. Black Panther was not the first black superhero. etc. etc. etc. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2025, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refuted-memes-that-wont-stay-dead/1020488/33 "2025-07-04T20:51:12Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > The bigger question is how did this kid who has only received at most a few weeks of training and a montage culminating in crane kicking Daniel learned karate in New Jersey before he ever met Miyagi - Miyaji gave him additional training, not an introduction to karate ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2025, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refuted-memes-that-wont-stay-dead/1020488/34 "2025-07-04T20:51:18Z")
I keep seeing the one about male and female bell peppers: Peppers/capsicums with three and four distinct lobes are **not** ‘male’ and ‘female’ respectively - that is not how biology works. ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2025, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refuted-memes-that-wont-stay-dead/1020488/35 "2025-07-04T20:52:16Z")
I still see the “people use only 10% of their brain” trope pop up even though it has been debunked. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@Johnny\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Q)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2025, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refuted-memes-that-wont-stay-dead/1020488/36 "2025-07-04T20:53:56Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > My theory is that stormtrooper armor is actually some kind of advanced reactive armor that projects a protective forcefield around the user but the Empire is so bad at writing technical specifications that the forcefield projectors were mounted facing inward, and as a result any time stormtroopers are struck by even a light blow or run into one another they are worsted and pummeled by the concentrated forces. This actually fits in with my Star wars based sitcom “McClunkey!” about a member of the Imperial Technical Pool who’s around just before various things go wrong, but is gone before they actually do. He is always oblivious to the carnage he leaves in his wake, but his name is often the last word screamed before everything goes to shit, hence the title. Among his accomplishments: Wrote the calibration guide for stormtrooper rifles, although this was based on the original specs rather than what was actually delivered. signed off on the delivery of the thermal exhaust port shield generator before going to lunch. Got reassigned before he could tell anyone where he put it. Was going to “look into” the armor problem but never did “Tuned up” Greedo’s pistol on his lunch break(only in the universes where Greedo Shot At All) And so on. Whether he’s actually a deep cover Rebel operative is never revealed. Ever. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2025, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refuted-memes-that-wont-stay-dead/1020488/37 "2025-07-04T20:58:01Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Mice liking cheese and rabbits liking carrots: In fact, mice generally much prefer carbs like crackers, and rabbits much prefer leafy greens like lettuce. Good one. > [@Velocity](#): > > Paul Revere never said “the British are coming, In effect he did- he said “The regulars are coming out” which was understood as "The British (army) is coming. " > [@dorvann](#): > > I still see the “people use only 10% of their brain” trope pop up even though it has been debunked. Good one. Pushed in _Defending Your Life_. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2025, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refuted-memes-that-wont-stay-dead/1020488/38 "2025-07-04T20:59:23Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Pushed in _Defending Your Life_. It was the major plot device in _Lucy_ ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2025, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refuted-memes-that-wont-stay-dead/1020488/39 "2025-07-04T21:06:53Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > It was the major plot device in _Lucy_ Which I didnt like. However Defending Your Life was a pleasant watch, due to the cast. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2025, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refuted-memes-that-wont-stay-dead/1020488/40 "2025-07-04T22:12:18Z")
And the 10% bit was treated as part of the general fantasy setting, so it was less annoying (to me anyway) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refuted-memes-that-wont-stay-dead/1020488.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refuted-memes-that-wont-stay-dead/1020488.md?page=3)