These 'Well-Known' Facts Are Actually Just Propaganda

Information is valuable. Especially if you have the ability to control the information. So all too often, large corporations use this to influence public perception.

Redditors were asked to come up with popular ‘facts’ that were actually created to perpetuate a stereotype, drag another brand through the mud or even just raise the popularity of certain food.

Source at the end of the article. Comments edited for clarity.

Allegedly a woman once got a huge payout from McDonalds just because she spilled coffee on herself. Wow who knew coffee was hot?!

Except this misinformation was put out by McDonalds lawyers during the trial to make this lady look evil. In reality the McDonalds coffee was being stored at like 200 degrees so McDonalds could cut some corners. She suffered 3rd degree burns to her legs and genitals. She had to go through surgery and almost died, the surgeon said it was one of the worst burns he had ever seen. FROM COFFEE.

All the lady originally wanted was enough money to cover her medical bills, but McDonalds refused and sent her some ridiculously small amount of money. The court decided McDonalds had burned enough people with their coffee and awarded the lady a weeks worth of their coffee sales.

zibwefuh (Source)

“Try our new and improved shampoo and conditioner it’ll repair those pesky split ends!”

Split ends are irreversible. Only way to fix it? Cut them off.

forgofamily (Source)

America does not, in fact, run on Dunkin.

dpfw

SeaWorld has pushed the idea that orca whales live 25-35 years in captivity which is longer than they would live in the wild.

There numerous documented cases of whales in the wild that are 70+ years old and almost all of the public orca facts are misinformation by SeaWorld.

Ace29054 (Source)

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For those who don’t know, the myth that carrots give good eye sight was started by the British in WWII; they had recently invented radar which made their pilots a lot more accurate, so they disseminated a rumor that they had started feeding the pilots tons of carrots. The intent was for Germany to think that was the reason their bomber groups were getting taken out with such frequency.

Notmiefault (Source)

The 3 months salary rule to spend on an engagement ring is ridiculous.

watchamuhcawlit

In Canada they constantly push “drink milk” ads and how it’s basically detrimental to your health if you don’t have enough of it.

They do this since the dairy industry here is heavily protected.

jamescweide (Source)

Saturated fat causes heart disease.

Turns out “big sugar” (candy companies and other companies using fructose in processed foods) straight bribed the researchers responsible for informing the government.

meizhong (Source)

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It’s commonly believed that Napoleon Bonaparte is incredibly short in stature.

The main cause was that the French and British had different measurements. Most importantly though, he was of average height but often painted or shown in the presence of the Guard who were all above average height.

Kquiarsh (Source)

In the first Gulf War (Desert Shield then Desert Storm), we were told that the Iraqi soldiers were throwing babies out of incubators and leaving them to die on the floor. In the testimony of Nayirah al-aba, the daughter of the Kuwaiti ambassador to the US, she made this rumor public but it could not be verified. But I still meet people that never heard the (very quiet) retraction of the facts.

Amnesty International reacted by accusing the Bush administration of “opportunistic manipulation of the international human rights movement”.

jimreaper (Source)

The NASA spent millions to make space pens while Russia used pencils myth. The NASA pens were privately funded and quickly adopted by Russia as well. Pencils have the problem of splintering and the graphite being conductive – not a good combination when there are exposed circuits and no gravity.

Flandersmcj (Source)

Spinach is super high in iron content. Turns out ages ago, someone misplaced a decimal point putting its iron content on par with steak. Spinach has iron but it’s nothing like they say. The propaganda part comes from Popeye and encouraging children to eat their vegetables.

Not that eating vegetables is a bad thing, but following a strict diet where you expect to get all your iron from spinach and watermelons is incredibly difficult, especially if you’re a person who has periods or any sort of blood clotting issues.

Byebyedinorawrs (Source)

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Bottled water is better for you / more pure / safer / whatever.

manata (Source)

MSG is not any worse for you than salt.

lanbrocalrissian (Source)

Organic fruits and vegetables have no/fewer pesticides used on them.

TheHelpfulRabbit (Source)

“Nuclear war will create an unsurvivable nuclear winter.” This was promoted to encourage nuclear disarmament (a good cause), but has always been based on kinda shaky science. More recent modeling shows that nukes CAN start a nuclear winter…if you detonate more than 10,000 of them at once.

phosphenes (Source)

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Marijuana is dangerous, and a gateway drug.

SSmtb (Source)

Viking helmets did NOT have horns on them!

Lemona1d_Lady (Source)

3 meals a day while having a big breakfast. Humans are supposed to eat when they are hungry and that would be continuously throughout the day with smaller portions.

Look at babies for instance, they cry when they get hungry and mama does her thing. Once the baby is full they stop eating and adults should do the same…

FireKnightAxel (Source)

Kim Jong Il once went 38 under par at Pyongyang Golf Course

rileymac83

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Prior to the 1910’s apples were grown primarily for hard cider. Suddenly prohibition and anti-alcohol ferver comes along and apple farmer were like ‘argh, no one wants our apples.’ The ‘apple a day keeps the doctor away’ was a ploy to promote apples as healthy and wholesome enough for the whole family.

(Editor’s Note: The phrase itself originated earlier, but the sentiment of apples being healthy if eaten exploded during prohibition)