What are the worst misconceptions you know of?

[5mj7R7yf4Dwr3gdZyyu9PeGNwYjlNrjzuh3iTXQG]

Err.... if somethings a theory its as close to fact as you can get in science, scientific theories have lots of proof

(does that read as bad as I think it does?, fatigue is messing with my brain)

Let's see if I can help.

A scientific theory is backed by compelling evidence and is capable of predicting the outcomes of future events. In this regard, a theory offers proof beyond reasonable doubt.

A fact is an observable event in nature. A fact that fits a theory verifies the theory, especially if the theory was made before the observation was made.

Contrast to a mathematical theorem which has been logically proven beyond all doubt. If the premises (the axioms) are accepted, the theorem cannot be denied.

Contrast also to a layman's theory which is merely commonplace parlance for a hypothesis by those who don't know any better. Even then I find myself using the terms interchangeably when I'm not careful.

 

[laststandman]

The Lord of the Rings is a trilogy.

Well despite Tolkien's wishes, they were a commercial trilogy, even though he had wished to release them all together. One large volume would have been interesting though.

OT: That Thomas Edison is to thank for modern electricity.

Just being published in three volumes is not enough to make something a trilogy.

I agree, I see the Lord of the Rings as more of a history (a history of the War of the Ring, that is). However they were released as a trilogy, so I cant really blame people for thinking that they are, especially with the movies being released in the same format (although, they took heavy liberties in the films, especially between TT and RotK)

 

[andrew623]

Basically all the misconceptions about Islam.
But the one that really "grinds my gears" is that all muslim women have to wear the veil.

The veil is a custom, not Islamic law. The only countries that i can think of that require the veil are Iran and Saudi Arabia. Many Islamic countries discourage wearing a veil (eg Morroco, Egypt) and some have a limited ban (ie banned in public institutions, universities etc) on the veil (eg Turkey, Tunisia)

Also the misconception that Buddas are regarded as deities in Buddhism (Slightly true in some schools of Mahayana Buddhism)

 

[Dr Snakeman]

You'd be surprised how prevalent the belief that the heart is located in the left side of your chest is. It's right under the sternum, but when people get shot in the heart in movies, where is the wound? Exactly.

It's ridiculous, but at least there's Dexter and his anatomically-correct murders.

To be fair it does poke out to the left side a bit
http://www.getbodysmart.com/ap/circulatorysystem/heart/anatomy/location/tutorial.html
so they're not totally wrong, mostly wrong but not totally.

When you think about it, that's how misconceptions happen. There's always a grain of truth that gets distorted with the retelling. Few things are outright lies, just a lot of people getting confused over time.

 

[xdom125x]

When people think that Jesus was white. So stupid.

This is one of those topics I debate just for the sake of conversation with people that still believe in God. I hypothesized that if Jesus did have Godly powers, he could have had the power to be born white in the Middle East.

 

[blankedboy]

I have another.

"40% of men have had sex with another man."

Which is bullshit, because then the average gay man has had sex with at least 200 men. Seriously, who comes up with that shit?

"Anime is only for children".

Pff fine. That half the anime you guys watch isn't made for a demographic far younger than yourselves. =p

But it isn't. I've seen 4 animes, all four are aimed at teenagers.
That's all, not half.

 

[Dr Snakeman]

No I am not evil, I am not a satanist, I don't wear black all the time, I am not always depressed

I assume your a goth, so could you please tell me what it means to be a goth? If it doesn't have anything to do with being depressed or dressing a certain way. What is a goth to you?

Edit: That came off a bit passive aggressive didnt it? Apologies

I'm going to second this request. If it isn't just a superficial fashion choice/attitude combo, then what is it?

 

[Stevanchez]

1) people with small feet/hands have small penis'

2) everyone in europe can understand each other (chinese people believe this)

3)the virgin mary was a virgin

Every saying or belief about penis size is completely false and stupid.

 

[FireCoroner]

That the highest break in a game of snooker is actually 155 and not 147, which most people tend to think.

Those ignorant pricks!

 

[KrazyShrink]

That throughout history, women have always cooked and cleaned. Generally they did work similar and complimentary to men's.

Also, that there are black scorpions in deserts. The ones they show in movies are emperor scorpions, and live strictly in jungle habitats.

Edit: Jesus christ, how could I forget nuclear energy? Unbelievably misunderstood. Nuclear power plants cannot explode and kill thousands of people, they're highly contained and controlled and simply don't work like that. Cherynoble was exposed and used graphite for cooling, making it way more dangerous than modern plants, and it only killed 31 people, all firefighters who went directly into it. Living near a nuclear power plant doesn't increase your risk of cancer at all, the amount of radiation even 3-mile-island gave off was almost nothing compared to what we normally get. Also, the stuff you see rising out of nuclear power plants isn't pollution, it's pure, plain steam.

 

[some1stolemyusername]

That gamma radiation is ionising. Sorry, had to call you out on that one, gamma is an electromagentic wave, just like visible light, radio and microwaves.

"gamma-ray photons can ionise atoms by knocking out electrons by means of photoelectric and compton effects. furthermore, if a gamma ray has sufficient energy, it can undergo pair production... which(sic) go on to produce further ionisation"
Giancoli, DC, 1998 "Physics: Principles with Applications", 5th edition, Prentice Hall, New Jersey.

 

[Rhiehn]

Evolution literally means, monkeys turning into people.

 

[Dark Knifer]

Simple question, what misconceptions do you know of that are just blatantly wrong?

Mine would be that all Muslims are terrorists. If that was the case then there would be, literally, a billion terrorists in the world. I seriously doubt that.

Your turn.

I lead you to the Wikipedia List of Common Misconceptions. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_common_misconceptions]

You may have just won the thread. Congratulations.

Spoiler: Here is your prize :)

 

[ShadowsofHope]

Simple question, what misconceptions do you know of that are just blatantly wrong?

Mine would be that all Muslims are terrorists. If that was the case then there would be, literally, a billion terrorists in the world. I seriously doubt that.

Your turn.

I lead you to the Wikipedia List of Common Misconceptions. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_common_misconceptions]

..Excuse me a moment, I need to go mass email the nearest MP's that give a shit about education.

OT: Winter coats somehow prevent virus' (the Cold) from infecting your body during the winter.

 

[Snotnarok]

There's few of people on the escapist who have this misconception that all of America is a big war loving country who are violent and racist.

I'd have to say the person that thinks America is racist is preeetty dumb considering it's a big country and there's lots of people with lots of different beliefs. So saying the whole country thinks/says/is [blank] is generalizing and oh yeah stereotyping. Sounds kinda RACIST to me. Are there racists? Sure, there's racism in every country. Are there war nuts? Sure there's some in every country.

Just saying since I've seen a few Escapists who are a monocle short of being a snobby racist.

 

[StoneCutter]

People thing that yin is the "good" one and yang is the "evil" one
Actually yin is "evil" and yang is "good"


BTW this is my first post, hello Escapist

 

[niceguy191]

1. That we only use 10% of our brains (if that's the case, you won't mind me removing the other 90% that's just wasting space and resources then right?)
2. That bats are blind
3. That evolution claims that humans evolved from chimpanzees
4. That your hair and fingernails keep growing after you die
5. That sugar makes kids hyper
6. That men think about sex every 7 seconds
7. That the Coriolis effect is what makes toilet water spin a certain direction
8. That Edison invented the light bulb
9. That people during Columbus' time thought the Earth was flat
10. That vikings had horns on their helmets
11. That Canadians live in igloos
12. That gum takes 7 years to digest
13. That black holes somehow have a higher gravitational pull than the star they formed from
14. That Daddy Longlegs (harvestmen) are highly poisonous or even spiders for that matter
15. That Ninja wore black

 

[Mason Lambert]

All whites and all Republicans are racist, sexist, homophobic, and such.

 

[Something Amyss]

Theories have no real proof.

Well, this is true in one sense of the word. However, I hate it when it's used as an argument against SCIENTIFIC theories. If you do so, you clearly know nothing about science.

Similarly, the notion that all opinions are equal. Well, no. Some people have poorly formed opinions. And some people form opinions on things like logic.

Also, to repeat the meme, "gravity is just a theory."

 

[Cakes]

People thing that yin is the "good" one and yang is the "evil" one
Actually yin is "evil" and yang is "good"


BTW this is my first post, hello Escapist

Actually it has nothing to do with 'good' or 'evil', it's just a symbol representing how opposites only exist in relation to each other, how they're interconnected and whatnot.

Welcome to The Escapist! You'll soon get used to nerds correcting you over inconsequential mistakes.