Fact and Myth is an ongoing analysis of common facts and myths/fallacies that pervade western (mainly US) culture and society. In today’s “post-fact” world of social media and 24-hour news cycle, we are bombarded with information, include an onslaught of claims that passed off as fact. Too often, there is no context nor in-depth explanation and we are left with the option of taking these sources at their word, or discarding them as myths, fallacies or even lies. What’s more, many of us have a pre-conceived worldview which leads us to accept statements from one “camp” while resisting all information from another. This process, known as confirmation bias, in turn, affects society at large, as people vote, lobby, donate, demonstrate and engage in other activities that result in outcomes which may or may not be desirable. It affects policies that are passed or defeated; it affects the science that children learn (or don’t learn) in schools.
