# Snopes: Do people REALLY believe this crap?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snopes-do-people-really-believe-this-crap/701236>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [October 13, 2014, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snopes-do-people-really-believe-this-crap/701236 "2014-10-13T20:32:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\
**Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snopes-do-people-really-believe-this-crap/701236/41 "2014-10-14T02:31:35Z")

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> [@LSLGuy](#):
>
> I’ve always found it interesting that so many of the items they debunk are designed to appeal to the _right-wing and ignorant_ demographic. Whereas I see fairly few that would appeal to the _left-wing and ignorant_ demographic.
> 
> I wonder whether that’s due to
> 
> 1. Snopes has a preference for making right-wingers look silly & cherry picks what they debunk.  
> or
> 2. Somebody(s) somewhere are producing these items \*en masse \*for right-winger consumption to keep the base agitated.  
> or
> 3. the _left wing but ignorant_ crowd is so slothful or anomic or ??? that they don’t see, much less repeat or report, stuff intended to appeal to their prejudices.  
> or
> 4. ???
> 
> Anybody have a theory?

The people behind snopes are Barbara and David Mikkelsen. Barbara Mikkelsen is a Canadian. Her husband, David, is a registered independent.

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**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\
**Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snopes-do-people-really-believe-this-crap/701236/42 "2014-10-14T02:34:20Z")

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> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#):
>
> A 14-year-old girl is pregnant with the son of God?

Not wanting to argue religion necessarily, but if you believe the prior claim why would you automatically poo-poo this one?

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**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\
**Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snopes-do-people-really-believe-this-crap/701236/43 "2014-10-14T04:06:45Z")

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> [@Guinastasia](#):
>
> Considering some of the conspiracy nuts we’ve gotten here, I have no trouble accepting that there are people who actually believe this shit. Think of people who’ve taken _The Onion_ seriously.

To the point that Facebook and Twitter now both label Onion links as satire.

And, yes, I’ve seen pretty much all of those spread by at least one person on my mom’s Facebook page. They definitely think it’s true. One guy did spread one on my Facebook once–but he deleted it before I even had a chance to tell him he was wrong. Someone had replied with a Snopes link.

> [@kayaker](#):
>
> Not wanting to argue religion necessarily, but if you believe the prior claim why would you automatically poo-poo this one?

Because believing in the first one usually comes with the belief that it was a special event that will not happen again.

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**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\
**Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snopes-do-people-really-believe-this-crap/701236/44 "2014-10-14T04:16:48Z")

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> [@BigT](#):
>
> To the point that Facebook and Twitter now both label Onion links as satire.

Which has led to the invention of the “not-the-onion” tag, when some real-life news item sound too incredible to be true.

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**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\
**Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snopes-do-people-really-believe-this-crap/701236/45 "2014-10-14T07:46:51Z")

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> [@Flyer](#):
>
> Starting with Clinton–and possibly before, but certainly Clinton–every President since has been subject to rumors that he was somehow going to run for a third term, or “cancel elections” or some such nonsense.

Every president since Clinton … so that’s, like, two.

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**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\
**Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snopes-do-people-really-believe-this-crap/701236/46 "2014-10-14T07:51:48Z")

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> [@njtt](#):
>
> Every president since Clinton … so that’s, like, two.

You never heard any third term rumors about Carter or Bush Senior.

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**Author:** ![madrabbitwoman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c37758/32.png) [@madrabbitwoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madrabbitwoman)\
**Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snopes-do-people-really-believe-this-crap/701236/47 "2014-10-14T07:54:18Z")

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> [@Typo\_Negative](#):
>
> Wondering how a holiday on the 31st could EVER fall on the 13th…

one of my friends posted that one on facebook. When I asked her “logic” was that October had the 13th Friday the 13th in it so ~magic~:smack::smack::smack:

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**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\
**Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snopes-do-people-really-believe-this-crap/701236/48 "2014-10-14T08:12:33Z")

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**Shakes**

> [@](#):
>
> It wouldn’t be too hard to convince me that Sara Palin actually did utter the words: “I demand Barak Obama invade Ebola!”

(I definitely agree)

And she demanded he do that right from 1400 Pennsylvania Avenue. 😃

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**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\
**Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snopes-do-people-really-believe-this-crap/701236/49 "2014-10-14T11:17:55Z")

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> [@BigT](#):
>
> Because believing in the first one usually comes with the belief that it was a special event that will not happen again.

Again, not my area, but isn’t a return specifically foretold!

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**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\
**Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snopes-do-people-really-believe-this-crap/701236/50 "2014-10-14T11:35:00Z")

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> [@The\_Joker\_and\_the\_Thief](#):
>
> I’ve personally seen this on a different messageboard I frequent. There are a lot of idiots out there.

The [original story](http://www.medicaldaily.com/ebola-zombie-good-morning-america-captures-ebola-victim-come-back-alive-moments-cremation-306169) had me muttering “I don’t want to go on the cart! I feel peppy!”

Yeah, I know. I’m in a handbasket.

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**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\
**Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snopes-do-people-really-believe-this-crap/701236/51 "2014-10-14T11:49:14Z")

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The political glurge I think tend to be right-wing oriented I think just because liberals and conservatives think differently. Something about their mindsets make it possible for right wing talk radio to thrive and left wing talk radio to wither, and right wingers are more likely to forward ridiculous emails than left wingers. I don’t have an answer as to why, but that’s my observation.

The silly completely non-factual stuff seems to have eternal life. Although it’s starting to fade, it used to be every summer you’d get something about Mars was going to appear as large as the moon in August. August came and went with no super-Mars, yet the very next year the same people would post the very same thing with the date changed. Now you get a couple times a year someone will post “this month has 5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays, and 5 Sundays! That’s the Chinese money bags month! Forward this and money comes your way! It only happens once every 734 years!” No, geniuses, it will happen every time a 31 day month begins on a Friday, which means roughly once in every seven 31-day months.

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**Author:** ![Namkcalb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Namkcalb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Namkcalb)\
**Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snopes-do-people-really-believe-this-crap/701236/52 "2014-10-14T12:22:10Z")

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> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#):
>
> Is Congress ‘moving to appoint Barack Obama to a third term’ in 2016?

Unlikely is not the same as absurd. He is a mostly competent president with a significant powerbase. It’s more likely than Austrian-born Governor Schwarzenegger becoming President.

> [@](#):
>
> Can cell phone calls from particular phone numbers cause brain hemorrhage and death?

Untrue, but potentially based on the true fact that certain radio frequencies put out more energy than others, and thus might cause more damage.

> [@](#):
>
> Has the Obama administration ordered $1 billion worth of disposable coffins for use with Ebola victims?

Is it unlikely that America might donate coffins to the affected region?  
Isn’t it common for American aid to be made in America?  
Isn’t it common for people to misspell million as billion.  
Coffins cost ~$1000, a million dollars would get you only a thousand coffins. Ebola has been very deadly.

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**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\
**Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snopes-do-people-really-believe-this-crap/701236/53 "2014-10-14T13:18:28Z")

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It’s easy to fall for stuff if you want it to be true because it fits your preconceived notions.

I admit I fell for the urban legend that Fox News went to court in Canada to defend their right to lie.

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**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\
**Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snopes-do-people-really-believe-this-crap/701236/54 "2014-10-14T13:37:44Z")

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> [@Revtim](#):
>
> I admit I fell for the urban legend that Fox News went to court in Canada to defend their right to lie.

Oops! Good thing I didn’t use that one. It was on the “what’s new” page. I thought about it, though.

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**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\
**Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snopes-do-people-really-believe-this-crap/701236/55 "2014-10-14T14:31:51Z")

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> [@kayaker](#):
>
> Not wanting to argue religion necessarily, but if you believe the prior claim why would you automatically poo-poo this one?

I’ll answer differently than BigT, although to a believer his answer is the correct one.

I wouldn’t believe it because if it were verifiably real, it wouldn’t be something you hear via email or Facebook. It would be EVERYWHERE. Such an event would have world-wide repercussions. TV and radio would be preempted. Life as we know it would stop while everyone figured out the ramifications of one religion being proved correct over all the others. There would be wars.

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**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\
**Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snopes-do-people-really-believe-this-crap/701236/56 "2014-10-14T16:25:54Z")

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> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#):
>
> … But everyone’s missing the point here. The gummint spent $1B on coffins for Ebola victims? That was for \*eight \*coffins, purchased through Mil Spec! I know it’s true because a guy at the convenience store has a cousin whose brother makes coffin handles.

Yeah, but they’re _stealth drone_ coffins. You load them with bodies, fly them to one of those Stan countries, and crash them into terrorists.

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**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\
**Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snopes-do-people-really-believe-this-crap/701236/57 "2014-10-14T16:28:10Z")

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That’s it. I’ve just come across some, well, to put it nicely, gulible people lately. They believe things like, “If you see it in a picture it must be true!” and, “I must be quiet and obedient and patient when my spouse rages at me over something from work.”

Feel free to share your stories of ignorance fought, or at least attempted.

Sometime even Snopes doesn’t convince them.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\
**Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snopes-do-people-really-believe-this-crap/701236/58 "2014-10-14T16:30:03Z")

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> [@Revtim](#):
>
> It’s easy to fall for stuff if you want it to be true because it fits your preconceived notions.
> 
> I admit I fell for the urban legend that Fox News went to court in Canada to defend their right to lie.

No,[they did that right here in the US.](http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/10/25/797064/-Fox-News-admits-they-lie-and-distort-the-news-so-why-so-pissy) And they won.

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**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\
**Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snopes-do-people-really-believe-this-crap/701236/59 "2014-10-14T16:33:44Z")

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Dude. It’s flu season. If I hear one more, “I don’t get the flu shot because my sister’s cousin’s roommate got it once and it gave her the flu,” I might just shank a bitch.

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**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\
**Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snopes-do-people-really-believe-this-crap/701236/60 "2014-10-14T16:37:31Z")

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> [@Namkcalb](#):
>
> Coffins cost ~$1000, a million dollars would get you only a thousand coffins. Ebola has been very deadly.

While this chain of events is remotely plausible, if we _were_ sending $1000 coffins to a region where the average income is \< $1/day, that would indicate some fucked up priorities.

It’s interesting to consider the sorts of ignorance that these myths target.

Innumeracy (2): Halloween and coffins  
Political (3): 3rd Term, coffins, Palin  
Scientific (3): fish, cell phone, ebola zombie

I do think that the “teenage girl pregnant with the child of God” one is interesting, since it’s basically an _exact_ description of an event that lots of people believe happened at least once.

I also think the Palin one is the most believable since (a) it really only requires a simple misstatement (maybe she meant to say “attack Ebola”), (b) it’s a rare politician who doesn’t make misstatements, and (c) Sarah Palin is not that politician.

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