What's The Stupidest Thing You've Ever Believed?

[Chris Zulas]

Oh God I have an epic the likes of which have not been seen since the sons of Aryas invented Sanskrit in the Indus Valley

As a kid I played a game on Gamecube called Freedom Fighters, about some plumbers in New York in the 80's winter leading a rebellion against a Soviet invasion. really fun game, I really like it.

As a kid and to this day, I love learning, so Wikipedia and Wikis are my second home page. So I looked at the Wikipedia page for the game, and in an edit I tried to find but failed to do so, it detailed the plot but said "At this point in the REAL invasion the freedom fighters had been pushed back."

I thought, "Okay, that's cool, New York was invaded by filthy commies, makes sense." Later on, I mentioned it to my dad, not in a way where I was asking if it happened but just casually bringing up the invasion. He was like "Yup, that happened."

Later, as I understood Mutually Assured Destruction, I thought "That can't have happened." And it didn't! But I saw these things! And until I had a big beard and was one foot out the door of my high school career I still took for granted that this thing that didn't happen did happen. IDEK what to believe.

[StormySky]

I thought that Krispy Kreme donuts were called happy home donuts because I couldn't read the cursive font

[Tabula Rasa]

19 minutes ago, StormySky said:

I thought that Krispy Kreme donuts were called happy home donuts because I couldn't read the cursive font

Interesting. I wouldn't say that's stupid. That's simply a different perspective.

[Duke Memphis]

I used to believe that only steel wool could take off nail polish. A few years ago, I learned about nail polish remover after complaining that people need to make a type of soap that's strong enough to remove nail polish.

[StormySky]

2 hours ago, The Bookworm said:

Interesting. I wouldn't say that's stupid. That's simply a different perspective.

The fact that I couldn't read cursive though, and also people around me called them "krispy kreme" and I never once heard the words happy home

[DeafeningMeat62]

That the earth was hollow. My mom told me that since I was little, then when I was 19 she said she found out she was wrong cuz of what some conspiracy theorist dude said on tv. I'm almost 21 now, and have a hard time trusting her without getting some physical evidence.

 

Also , when I was four, I thought people just naturally became pregnant at a certain point in life.  Like, cell division or something... The concept of gender was very confusing to me lol

[Marrow]

Here's another, I use to think Chapstick was made of the skin of dead people. I have no idea why I thought that, but it's interesting none the less

[StormySky]

I thought that you could grow wings if you stared at the sky for a really long time.

 

I tried this oh so many times.

But my metaphorical wings of wonder and hope are frickin awesome!!!

[Anthracite_Impreza]

I used to be scared of batteries because I thought if you touched them they'd leak acid on you.

I used to think that getting life insurance meant you wouldn't die.

I used to think dandelion seeds were fairies and that if you didn't let them outside the rest would come and get you in your sleep (thanks mother).

I used to think that a family tree was a literal tree chosen by a family, and I chose a weeping willow in the next village as ours.

I used to think racism, homophobia and transphobia were all the correct attitudes to have (no excuses but I grew up and still live in an area where this is common).

[Sea Lemon]

On 6/17/2018 at 2:26 AM, Sweet Potato said:

I thought skein was pronounced "skeen" until I was 24

Wait... It's not?? Well I guess I learnt a new thing today!

 

On a similar note, it took me until about a year ago to figure out that the word 'misled' was actually 'mis-led', and not pronounced 'mizzled'. I knew 'mis-led' was a word because I'd heard it before, I just somehow had never realised that it was still the same word if you removed the hyphen!

 

Also, as a very young child, I thought that children weren't allowed in pubs because they kept vicious goats behind the bar; and that the porridge police would come and arrest you if you ate porridge outside of Scotland. I think I have my parents to blame for those ones!

[Homer]

The porridge police one is true. I saw someone getting arrested near your house.

[Sea Lemon]

32 minutes ago, Homer said:

The porridge police one is true. I saw someone getting arrested near your house.

[Duke Memphis]

I used to believe that "car insurance" was "carnsherns".

[vmdraco]

In fourth grade, I had a fun teacher who had a running gag regarding aliens.  He would joke about how he was actually an alien from another planet, and me being dumb as a rock used to think that it was true.  Nice to know at 8 years old I didn't care that I had an alien as a teacher.  

 

THE FUTURE IS NOW.

[Nidwin]

That l and everyone else could see atoms with the naked eye, as a kid. I'm one of the chosen ones with snow vision.

[Member131995]

Okay, so like OP I also believed it was illegal to drive with interior lights on in the car. My dad would always get really angry and tell us he could get pulled over when we turned them on. I now know it actually just makes the road harder to see, especially if it's dark outside.

 

I also believed it was illegal to throw away bottles instead of recycling for deposits. I had a relative who would tell me it was against the law when I was a child.

[Zefron]

As an early elementary student I was convinced that it was a thing that all boys just didn't wash their hands after they pee. Recently I told my friend that and he said that he thought the same thing but about girls! Where the f did we even get that from? 

[Cee Fox]

I used to believe that the shape of someone's *ahem* lady parts actually was the shape of your hands pushed together a certain way as the playground rumours stipulated. I have no idea why.

[Feynman]

Not sure this is considered "stupid", but I have always questioned almost everything - like, I was genuinely questioning the very existence of anything at the age of about 5.

[SaturnOOO]

On 5/19/2018 at 1:03 AM, Duke Memphis said:

I used to believe that overcasts were caused by Saturn going between the Earth and sun.

This is true. Enough is enough enough with the sunny days. Sometimes you have to take matters into your own hands.

[Charlie Jay]

When I was like four or five, I believed that there was a monster living in every one of those air hand dryer things you find in restrooms. I was afraid that it would come out and eat me if I put my hands too close to it.

[Karst]

I used to think that New Guinea was part of the United States.

[Leafy -_-]

I used to believe when you saw a molecules. They already have their names in actually life.

[Celyn: The Lutening]

On 7/13/2018 at 11:06 AM, vmdraco said:

In fourth grade, I had a fun teacher who had a running gag regarding aliens.  He would joke about how he was actually an alien from another planet, and me being dumb as a rock used to think that it was true.  Nice to know at 8 years old I didn't care that I had an alien as a teacher.  

 

THE FUTURE IS NOW.

But....how do you know he wasn't telling the truth?

[vmdraco]

6 hours ago, Celyn said:

But....how do you know he wasn't telling the truth?

Now you're asking the real questions...

[StormySky]

I thought that glitter was pixie dust because my mom bought some from the store for a craft project and the jar had a picture of tinker bell on it. 

 

I would sprinkle some on my head and think of the happiest things ever as I jumped on the bed and tried to fly. Nothing happened, but I still did this nearly every night.

[Knight of Cydonia]

When I was little, I thought that when a hockey team went on a "Power Play", the players got super strength and faster reflexes.

[Rodsie8181]

I believed that all my friends secretly hated me and was annoyed by me without any red flag going up indicated they might; I just assumed.  

[here_on_the_morrow]

When i was little my dad told me that if you stick your finger in your belly button your butt would fall off. I didn't stick my finger in mine until i was about ten, and it was terrifying the first few times. 

[Sally]

I thought that even though other people became old, I wouldn't.