Difference between revisions of "Urban legend"
m |
|||
| (5 intermediate revisions by 4 users not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| − | '''Urban legends''' are tales of unlikely events or gruesome happenings which befall 'a friend of a friend', and which hover just beyond the bounds of verifiability. A large number of such legends are comprehensively debunked by the Snopes Report<ref>http://www.snopes.com/</ref> | + | '''Urban legends''' are tales of unlikely events or gruesome happenings which befall 'a friend of a friend', and which hover just beyond the bounds of verifiability. A large number of such legends are comprehensively debunked by the [[Snopes]] Report.<ref>http://www.snopes.com/</ref> |
| − | Urban legends can be seriously damaging to individuals and corporations. During the 1980s, [[Proctor | + | Urban legends can be seriously damaging to individuals and corporations. During the 1980s, [[Proctor & Gamble]] suffered poor publicity, due to an unfounded rumor that they were owned by the Church of Satan. Another popular urban legend is [[Coca-Cola]] being owned by the [[LDS Church]]. |
| + | |||
| + | Political figures are often targeted. A list of 'moron' quotes from Mad Magazine are now being forwarded via e-mail as actual [[George W. Bush]] quotes. Photos of [[George W. Bush]] and [[Bill Clinton]] looking through binoculars with the lens-cap still on<ref>http://www.snopes.com/photos/politics/binoculars.asp</ref> is also widely distributed, though the picture was clearly doctored. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Another long-lasting urban legend involved a supposed attempt by [[Madalyn Murray O'Hair]] to outlaw all religious radio and television stations: the legend continued to persist years after her murder. | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
<references/> | <references/> | ||
| − | [[ | + | [[Category:Mythology]] |
Latest revision as of 20:48, January 11, 2026
Urban legends are tales of unlikely events or gruesome happenings which befall 'a friend of a friend', and which hover just beyond the bounds of verifiability. A large number of such legends are comprehensively debunked by the Snopes Report.[1]
Urban legends can be seriously damaging to individuals and corporations. During the 1980s, Proctor & Gamble suffered poor publicity, due to an unfounded rumor that they were owned by the Church of Satan. Another popular urban legend is Coca-Cola being owned by the LDS Church.
Political figures are often targeted. A list of 'moron' quotes from Mad Magazine are now being forwarded via e-mail as actual George W. Bush quotes. Photos of George W. Bush and Bill Clinton looking through binoculars with the lens-cap still on[2] is also widely distributed, though the picture was clearly doctored.
Another long-lasting urban legend involved a supposed attempt by Madalyn Murray O'Hair to outlaw all religious radio and television stations: the legend continued to persist years after her murder.