Gullible Society

In 1997, that’s 12 years ago, a 14-year-old student from Eagle Rock Junior High School in Idaho won the school’s science fair with a project demonstrating the gullibility of people. Dihydrogen Monoxide: Unrecognized Killer All the facts in this report that was circulating the Internet are true.

Dihydrogen monoxide:

Is also known as hydroxyl acid, and is the major component of acid rain.
Contributes to the "greenhouse effect."
May cause severe burns.
Contributes to the erosion of our natural landscape.
Accelerates corrosion and rusting of many metals.
May cause electrical failures and decreased effectiveness of automobile brakes.
Has been found in excised tumors of terminal cancer patients.
Contamination has been found in all floodwaters where death has occurred and violent Thunderstorm rains containing destructive lightning.
Changing from crystalline to liquid is a leading cause of the destruction of arctic ice and glaciers.

The fear and the opinion that this product needed to be banned came about because the product named was in scientific terms: Dihydrogen Monoxide, commonly known as water. In 2004, some seven years later and 2007, 10 years later, a cause to ban this odorless, colorless killer was close to initialization again. No one bothered to investigate any further than the “report” brought to their attention by someone else because of…

Gullible, laziness, lacking self-accountability and greed
Note: Greed does not always mean money; some people are greedy for recognition

All of the above characteristics have an impact on friends, family, associates and society. How many emails are forwarded to “warn” people on personal mailing list of dangers and scams without the person forwarding it checking out the authenticity of the claim? It is so easy to go to Snopes and verify an email warning BEFORE sending it along. If one does not take the time to verify, they are a contributor to the cause of fear in the masses and not really serving any good to anyone, not even themselves. Even forwarding something with a disclaimer: “I don’t know if this is true, but…” is again, laziness, lack of self-accountability and contributes to the fear and/or greed of the masses. Ever heard of that saying, “When in doubt, throw it out”? It doesn’t only apply to leftovers in the refrigerator folks, if you don’t want to throw it out, at least check it out before serving.

Emails that promise payment for those who pass it along to 10 friends also show just how blindly a person will act because of greed of money. Forwarding the email along to others with an email list of email address and personal names with cities and/or States in which they reside. Or how about the Internet petitions… Can you say, identity theft or at minimal, email list collector?

Be responsible – Check the facts before hitting that forward button!

Here’s something for you to think about: If you are not a registered voter, Your signature on a petition does not count and if fact can cause the petition to be thrown out because of not meeting a required amount of signatures. Unless you register to vote, you have no voice that counts.

Sensationalism Promotes Grief

Many postings on the Internet and news sites are slanted to promote and profit for the person, organization or business creating the information. Do not trust one account as the absolute truth. “Billy Bob is expected to receive $100 million in donations for his Internet Marketing Techniques Research” is translated into, “Billy Bob’s Internet Marketing Research nets $100 million.” on another site. Look for a 3rd site or more to verify the truth. Do not sensationalize, although it may bring in money, look at the bigger picture. Now, Billy Bob may not get the donations because the donators believe others have paid him. Legal issues may arise for Billy Bob between the donators and himself because of a belief that he has broken an agreement not to sell for profit or he is prosecuted for scamming $100 million for research that has already been completed. The sensationalism has just cost Billy Bob financially and characteristically, and maybe even a larger group of society some valuable information or payment for participation in the research. Furthermore, the research assistants just lost their jobs… Until further notice.

On the larger scale, sensationalism for personal profit can cause damage to a business or person because of inflammatory titles or titles that stretch the truth. If one decides to use “catchy” titles for promotion, fine, but let the words that follow be truthful and not inflated.

Greed or Envy does not profit the whole. However, the whole may suffer from someone else’s greed and envy. Just take a look at the banking issues if the above example does not “click” for you. Banking, lenders and real estate groups sensationalized the ease of getting a loan and buying a home. Many people jumped in with both feet, the idea of joining the “Jones’ Association” was just too good to pass up. People turned a blind eye at the big picture of interest rates rising or balloon payments coming due in a year or two. The banks and real estate agents as well as loan brokers were greedy, the buyer was gullible, greedy and lacked self-accountability. After all is said and signed, reality hit many smack in the center of pride and pocketbook and the finger pointing began. Now the whole of society is paying for the few…millions of “get it while you can” people. People are being tossed out of the “Jones’ Association” and still not accepting their individual part in the fiasco.

As writers and as individuals, it is our responsibility to find all the facts, to the best of our ability, (and with the internet our ability is limitless). To use these facts in writing and making decisions, to honestly and truthfully with self-accountability in mind for how it may affect others.

If we hold ourselves to higher standards, we can make a difference on the Bigger Picture.

Additional sources Dihydrogen Monoxide: Unrecognized Killer:
http://www.snopes.com/science/dhmo.asp
http://www.junkscience.com/news/glassman.html
http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2006/05/17/1631494.htm

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