blog number 6 unspun and toxic sludge

Many times we believe things to be true just because we hear them from a credible source. Instead of letting this happen all the time, we just question and check our sources. Unfortunately there are so many lies infiltrating the our minds every day that it becomes difficult to differentiate between the fact and the fiction. Instead of just automatically assuming things are true, we should check things and question them until we know for sure they are true. We must rely on ourselves, not on what seem to be factual resources. From now on instead of just agreeing with a source, I will make sure that other factual resources agree with them and I will use my own brain and cross check everything I hear.

Chapter 6- The Great Crow Fallacy

When reading chapter 6, The Great Crow Fallacy, I realized that a lot of the me we think we're recieving facts, when all along they are only ideas one person may have, that may have little to no real scientific evidence to support their claim. After thinking about this, I wonder how many times I have fallen into schemes similar to this one. I can recall several times in my life that I instantly believed what someone was telling me instead of taking the time to analyze their research or their evidence. Our culture is so concerned with getting things done quickly that we often overlook small details that can make or break the study. The Great Crow Fallacy discusses how one persons thoughts and unprofessional observations were manipulated to become "facts" that were actually researched. From now on, when hearing something that seems especially too good to be true, I will take the time to look at the details of the experiment and the research methods used instead of just assuming it to be true.

Chapters 4 and 5 reaction

When reading chapter 4, "UFO Cults and Us", I was not completely surprised when I read that most people subconsciously ignore any logical evidence that prove your ideas are wrong. I think most people feel ashamed to admit that they are wrong, especially when it comes to beliefs they feel hit close to home. Unfortunately, this makes people less educated and less informed. I thought it was ironic that they said that people tend to jump to conclusions and are irrational when it comes to emotional situations. For example, they say in this chapter that people hear about one flight that crashed and forgot about the 10 million flights that land safely every day. People go into a frenzy when something bad happens, however they forget the good things that happen every day. In the chapter, they also mention that tendency people have to hear too much hype about one particular crime incident, and then feel completely unsafe all the time. I thought this was very prevalent today, since the news is always over emphasizing the crime that goes on in the Philadelphia area. You hear the broadcasts and stories, and if we didn't know any better you'd think that crime is at an all time high right now. However, this is not the case at all. The chapter tells us that in fact crime has been down since its all time record high in the 1990's. Its true that we tend to listen to what people in "authority" have to say instead of finding the facts for ourselves, because that takes thinking and effort.

In chapter 5, "Facts can change your life" they go into great detail about how the common phrase "you get what you pay for" is not always true. In fact, the phrase is wrong 50% of the time. I thought it was interesting when the author discussed the difference (or lack of) between Smirnoff Vodka and Grey Goose Vodka. In a blind taste test, only half of the people were able to correctly identify which vodka was which. Many people are strong believers that the higher priced product tastes better, however I think our brains manipulate us to believe that rather than it really does taste better. After realizing that we spent more money than we had to, I think people try to justify it by forcing themselves to believe there is a difference in taste when in reality it is probably the exact same product as the cheaper version.

reaction to chapters 1-3

Before reading chapter 2, "A Bridesmaid's Bad Breath", I never realized how often advertisements prey on the insecurities and fears of people in order for them to buy their product. In the chapter they uncover how years ago Listerine capitalized on a common insecurity women had back then. In their add, Listerine said that without purchasing their product, women would become old spinsters who could never find a man to marry. Women have always been pressured by society to settle down and get married, and the idea of an old unmarried woman has always been frowned upon. I can only imagine how many women after viewing that commercial went out to buy this product to cure their bad breath, something they may not even have had in the first place. After reading this chapter, I realized how many times I fell for advertising tactics that preyed on my fears.

In chapter 3, "Tall Coffees and Assault Weapons", what stuck out to me the most was that product names can be just as misleading as their descriptions. I think that people, including myself, automatically believe in product names. I never even considered before that products names don't have to be regulated as much as descriptions. Smart advertisers recognize that people generally fall for product names and believe that the product itself does what the name says it does. From now on, I plan to consider that to an advertiser I am only another gullible buyer and I will be smarter before making purchases.