# What fact is most obvious to you that you hear frequently denied? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 30, 2010, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fact-is-most-obvious-to-you-that-you-hear-frequently-denied/527009 "2010-01-30T07:31:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Lunchy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Lunchy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lunchy)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2010, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fact-is-most-obvious-to-you-that-you-hear-frequently-denied/527009/61 "2010-01-31T08:34:12Z")
Not sure if this is right, but. Not sure how advertisements are legal anymore, 90% of them seem misleading at best, or down right false. How talking on a cell phone and jamming out to the radio in a car is all that different. How people are in disbelief that sex(reproducing) is one of the main driving forces of human existence(or any other species). ---
**Author:** ![Roland\_Orzabal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c2a13f/32.png) [@Roland\_Orzabal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roland_Orzabal)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2010, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fact-is-most-obvious-to-you-that-you-hear-frequently-denied/527009/62 "2010-01-31T08:44:25Z")
I recently noted one of mine in [this post](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=12058881&postcount=53), so I figure I ought to mention it here: the difference between direct and indirect effect with regard to morality. By way of example, it’s the difference between the following scenarios: 1. I punch you in the face, which injures you; therefore I have committed a moral crime against you. 2. I punch you in the face, which injures you, leaving you unable to work; therefore I have committed a moral crime against your employer. 3. I punch you in the face, which injures you, leaving your wife unwilling to have sex with your broken-faced self; therefore I have committed a moral crime against society for leaving you unable to have children. To me, (1) is obviously true, whereas (2) is equally obviously complete bullshit, and (3) even moreso. I have a logical grounding for this, but it was derived so long ago – and is applicable in so many situations – that I have long since come to (erroneously) consider it a universally-accepted truth, which often leads to confusion in any debate where I don’t establish it beforehand. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2010, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fact-is-most-obvious-to-you-that-you-hear-frequently-denied/527009/63 "2010-01-31T09:04:06Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > I actually did a totally fake one, probably about 5 to 8 years ago . A thread here inspired it (fake Snapple facts, I think). > > Had several people start e-mailing it out to all their contacts. About six weeks later, I got it forwarded to me. WhooHoo! Dude! You never told me! (We collaborated on that list.) Wonderful news. 😃 ---
**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:** [January 31, 2010, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fact-is-most-obvious-to-you-that-you-hear-frequently-denied/527009/64 "2010-01-31T09:26:31Z")
Mostly, I hear stuff claimed that is bullshit. And I don’t hear a whole lot denial of obvious truths, because their denial is silent and internal. I read a lot of denial of obvious truths – here – because most people I know in the RW simply aren’t interested in debate or even intelligent discussion of… anything. However, to fit the OP… One door closing does NOT always open another. Things DON’T always work out for the best. Christianty and capitalism are NOT compatible. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2010, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fact-is-most-obvious-to-you-that-you-hear-frequently-denied/527009/65 "2010-01-31T10:40:42Z")
My fact is that it’s rarely true that if you really want something to happen, it will. The people who say that were lucky enough to find themselves in a good position. There are plenty who will never ever be in that good a situation, and it’s cruel to say anything so unrealistic. Hope is all very well, but false hope is just unfair. I have also heard that there are “plenty of fish in the sea”, and yet we are also trawling the sea to depletion. Utter madness! ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2010, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fact-is-most-obvious-to-you-that-you-hear-frequently-denied/527009/66 "2010-01-31T10:58:31Z")
- Evolution, as other have mentioned; the evidence for it is overwhelming. - There’s no reasonable reason to believe in God, souls or an afterlife. Believing in them is dumber than believing in Santa Claus when you are 40 ( dumber, because the claims made are more grandiose ). - There’s nothing good and noble about aging and death, or inherently wrong with wanting to live for centuries or millennia. - America is NOT the “greatest country in the world”. I see no reason to think such a thing exists, or can even be defined objectively. - The Right Wing is largely composed of genuinely bad people, not just misguided people who mean well. - There is no moral reason to oppose same sex marriage. - The anti-abortion movement is overwhelmingly a hate movement aimed against women, with very, very little concern for the welfare of children unborn or otherwise; or anyone else for that matter. - Opposition to same sex marriage in favor of “civil unions” and support for segregation are basically the same phenomenon aimed at different victims. - “Socialism” is not always bad, nor is the free market always good. - America is not automatically in the right when it attacks someone. - Like it or not, global warming is real, and the scientific consensus is that humans are to blame. - Luck, connections and privilege are major forces in the world; including in America. People can and do suffer misfortune despite being smart, hard working and virtuous; and people can and do prosper despite being lazy, incompetent and immoral. - Men and women are different. More different than we appear, not less. - Saying that men and women are different is NOT a claim that one is superior to the other. - Religion has been an overwhelmingly negative influence on the world. - “Free will” is just a noble sounding way of saying that we are too blind to our own thought processes to know how we make decisions. ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2010, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fact-is-most-obvious-to-you-that-you-hear-frequently-denied/527009/67 "2010-01-31T11:40:04Z")
From my employer: That sexuality is a choice. And that he’s a bigot, but not a racist. Man, do I need a different job! ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2010, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fact-is-most-obvious-to-you-that-you-hear-frequently-denied/527009/68 "2010-01-31T13:16:32Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Evolution. It seems so obvious to me that I cannot understand why there is any debate. > > Barack Obama is neither a Messiah nor the Devil. He’s a politician. I keep asking my Facebook friends why people believed that he was a new kind of Special Leader Who Could Make the World Right. I think it’s the younger generations who haven’t seen the attempts to break down the political agendas fail. They always at the least hit the point of, “Oh, yeah, I remember why I don’t like your policy. I disagree with your fundamental philosophy!” ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2010, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fact-is-most-obvious-to-you-that-you-hear-frequently-denied/527009/69 "2010-01-31T13:18:24Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > This one has been often-mentioned, but it’s worth repeating: > > Being out in the cold - without a hat or whatever - will not give you a cold. I have students tell me implications of this one about 4 months of the year. It would be even more, but this is southern California, where kids complain about the temperature because it’s 60F. ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2010, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fact-is-most-obvious-to-you-that-you-hear-frequently-denied/527009/70 "2010-01-31T13:21:50Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Things DON’T always work out for the best. As one of the most churchified people on this board, let me categorically slap down this empty headed idea of “everything happens for a reason.” Really, supposed Christian person? That woman was raped and murdered because God had a bigger plan? I thought God couldn’t inspire badness/sin. Yeah, get real/grow up. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2010, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fact-is-most-obvious-to-you-that-you-hear-frequently-denied/527009/71 "2010-01-31T13:35:35Z")
1. Many of us would like, over the course of our lifetimes, to strive to become better people. (I guess this is a very controversial and offensive idea.) 1. Some people are better than others. (This one can’t be controversial or offensive as it’s just one of the logical consequences of 1, if 1 is true.) ---
**Author:** ![PatriotGrrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9dc877/32.png) [@PatriotGrrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotGrrrl)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2010, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fact-is-most-obvious-to-you-that-you-hear-frequently-denied/527009/72 "2010-01-31T13:47:50Z")
That some people (male or female) are so unattractive physically or mentally that they are simply not going to get laid no matter what they do. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2010, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fact-is-most-obvious-to-you-that-you-hear-frequently-denied/527009/73 "2010-01-31T16:06:18Z")
There is empirical evidence that global warming is happening and Humans are responsible for the warming in recent decades. > **[Empirical evidence that humans are causing global warming](https://skepticalscience.com/empirical-evidence-for-global-warming.htm)** > > \Direct observations find that CO2 is rising sharply due to human activity. Satellite and surface measurements find less energy is escaping to space at CO2 absorption wavelengths. Ocean and surface temperature measurements find the planet continues... That is denied even in the SDMB. Evolution is also denied but I don’t see it denied much over here, the denials usually come from relatives and coworkers. The United States still supports reactionary and pseudo democratic solutions instead of supporting democracy that is not just only good for elites, Honduras being the latest example. [http://narcosphere.narconews.com/thefield?page=3](http://narcosphere.narconews.com/thefield?page=3) ---
**Author:** ![Oregon\_sunshine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/50afbb/32.png) [@Oregon\_sunshine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oregon_sunshine)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2010, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fact-is-most-obvious-to-you-that-you-hear-frequently-denied/527009/74 "2010-01-31T16:08:50Z")
That there are **more than two genders**. People just can’t seem to get that through their heads, generally! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2010, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fact-is-most-obvious-to-you-that-you-hear-frequently-denied/527009/75 "2010-01-31T16:23:43Z")
> [@MLS](#): > > Giving birth is NOTHING like the way it is portrayed on TV and in the movies For this I’m grateful otherwise I’d probably never even consider it. I’m not keen on it at the moment but I figure I could change my mind, and I’d like to think it’s not something that requires hours of screaming. Or something that I’m required to do in a taxi cab or elevator. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2010, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fact-is-most-obvious-to-you-that-you-hear-frequently-denied/527009/76 "2010-01-31T17:14:52Z")
> [@Oregon\_sunshine](#): > > That there are **more than two genders**. People just can’t seem to get that through their heads, generally! :smack: I’d say a bit of an explanation is in order there. ---
**Author:** ![Skylark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Skylark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skylark)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2010, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fact-is-most-obvious-to-you-that-you-hear-frequently-denied/527009/77 "2010-01-31T17:50:10Z")
> [@Oregon\_sunshine](#): > > That there are **more than two genders**. People just can’t seem to get that through their heads, generally! :smack: On Tralfamadore? Sure. ---
**Author:** ![Cesario](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecae2f/32.png) [@Cesario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cesario)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2010, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fact-is-most-obvious-to-you-that-you-hear-frequently-denied/527009/78 "2010-01-31T18:22:20Z")
> [@Cardinal](#): > > As one of the most churchified people on this board, let me categorically slap down this empty headed idea of “everything happens for a reason.” Really, supposed Christian person? That woman was raped and murdered because God had a bigger plan? I thought God couldn’t inspire badness/sin. > > Yeah, get real/grow up. Not to mention read what Jesus had to say on the matter. It was one of the things he addressed specifically. For me, I see the fact that you can be sexually attracted to someone without raping them denied far more often than I’m ever going to be comfortable with. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2010, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fact-is-most-obvious-to-you-that-you-hear-frequently-denied/527009/79 "2010-01-31T19:21:39Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > - Evolution, as other have mentioned; the evidence for it is overwhelming. > > - There’s no reasonable reason to believe in God, souls or an afterlife. Believing in them is dumber than believing in Santa Claus when you are 40 ( dumber, because the claims made are more grandiose ). > > - There’s nothing good and noble about aging and death, or inherently wrong with wanting to live for centuries or millennia. > > - America is NOT the “greatest country in the world”. I see no reason to think such a thing exists, or can even be defined objectively. > > - The Right Wing is largely composed of genuinely bad people, not just misguided people who mean well. > > - There is no moral reason to oppose same sex marriage. > > - The anti-abortion movement is overwhelmingly a hate movement aimed against women, with very, very little concern for the welfare of children unborn or otherwise; or anyone else for that matter. > > - Opposition to same sex marriage in favor of “civil unions” and support for segregation are basically the same phenomenon aimed at different victims. > > - “Socialism” is not always bad, nor is the free market always good. > > - America is not automatically in the right when it attacks someone. > > - Like it or not, global warming is real, and the scientific consensus is that humans are to blame. > > - Luck, connections and privilege are major forces in the world; including in America. People can and do suffer misfortune despite being smart, hard working and virtuous; and people can and do prosper despite being lazy, incompetent and immoral. > > - Men and women are different. More different than we appear, not less. > > - Saying that men and women are different is NOT a claim that one is superior to the other. > > - Religion has been an overwhelmingly negative influence on the world. > > - “Free will” is just a noble sounding way of saying that we are too blind to our own thought processes to know how we make decisions. Good list. Me too. . ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2010, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fact-is-most-obvious-to-you-that-you-hear-frequently-denied/527009/80 "2010-01-31T19:32:07Z")
> [@Oregon\_sunshine](#): > > That there are **more than two genders**. People just can’t seem to get that through their heads, generally! :smack: I think I get this, but suspect it is misworded and anyway puts too much emphasis on the definition of “gender”. If I understand correctly, it means that there are more than two intrinsic profiles of sexuality that normal humanity includes, namely, more than hetero male and hetero female. I understand “gender” describes a linguistic quality of words, and for instance some Native American languages have two genders which are “animate” and “inanimate”. Moreover I understand that it is a bit of a stretch to use it as a more polite word for “sex”, though it’s popularly done. Is that fair? Note that I am not debating what I understand is the intended content, but rather clarifying the vocabulary. If it matters, I agree with what I understand is the intended content. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fact-is-most-obvious-to-you-that-you-hear-frequently-denied/527009.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fact-is-most-obvious-to-you-that-you-hear-frequently-denied/527009.md?page=5)