How Myths Become Facts
In Just a Thought, October 23rd, 2009
Have you ever wondered how myths become facts?
All that is required is that the myth be repeated as fact over and over again, but truth will eventually win out, for example, the old, “Flat Earth” fact was popular for centuries, but eventually gave way to truth.
For more lasting impact, make public policy based on popular myths, once the myth is enshrined in law, it is much more difficult for the truth to prevail, and even when it does, the damage will already be done.
Take the myth that global warming is caused by humans, a myth so well rooted that we are actually debating a law designed to punish humans whose carbon footprint is too big (unless you’re a celebrity or your name is Gore). And we persist even though 2009 is the coolest year in the past decade, and not a single global warming model predicted such cooling.
Makes you wonder just how gullible we are.
