Why do we believe lies?

[weltweit]

Spandex I wonder if the internet is somehow similar these days. I know quite a few people who seem to learn quite bizzare truths on facebook.

 

[Jay Park]

I didn't think that was how that was spelt either. mind you on reflection I have no idea how you romanise that phrase.

man of the jungle

 

[Shippou-Sensei]

man of the jungle

Not translate I maen spell that phrase with roman characters

 

[Jay Park]

Not translate I maen spell that phrase with roman characters

ah, sorry

 

[NoXion]

But spoken stories - folk tales - are a different matter. While traditional historical records can only date them back to the 15th or 16th century, the Brothers Grimm believed, and they are supported by modern phylogenetic analysis, that folk tales dated back to before written language. A version of a tale called The Smith and the Devil may date back to early indo-europeans in the bronze age. So it seems that stories have been around almost as long as people.

How do you do phylogenetic analysis on folk tales?

 

[Spandex]

How do you do phylogenetic analysis on folk tales?

If the same tale appears in different forms across a wide area in different languages and in distinct cultures, it's the attempt to trace the evolution of the story back to a common source.

 

[NoXion]

If the same tale appears in different forms across a wide area in different languages and in distinct cultures, it's the attempt to trace the evolution of the story back to a common source.

Right, except that in real phylogenetic analysis, the kind involving actual genes, it's known that among multi-cellular eukaryotes vertical gene transfer (ancestor to descendant) is the overwhelming mechanism by which genes propagate. However, stories don't just pass from one generation to the next. They also transfer horizontally (peer to peer), which is going to muddy things, especially since global communication has been around for over a century now and has only been getting more commonplace since then.

 

[Spandex]

Right, except that in real phylogenetic analysis, the kind involving actual genes, it's known that among multi-cellular eukaryotes vertical gene transfer (ancestor to descendant) is the overwhelming mechanism by which genes propagate. However, stories don't just pass from one generation to the next. They also transfer horizontally (peer to peer), which is going to muddy things, especially since global communication has been around for over a century now and has only been getting more commonplace since then.

Take it up with Dr Tehrani & SG Da Silva.

Here's their analysis of The Smith & The Devil:

(PIE = Proto-Indo-European, not the food of the gods or those shifty fuckers from the 70s).

Full research here.

 

[weltweit]

Fascinating

 

[weltweit]

I suppose - to go back to the OP question - why do we believe lies? it helps if they are wrapped in trustworthy things or told us by a credible friend or parent. Or via a trusted media, like sections of the internet, far be it for me to say but various forums or even facebook!

There was a story claiming to have been an utterance of Dr Fauci in which he railed against aspects of public policy with respect to Covid-19. I saw it on facebook, it looked credible, no in fact it never entered my mind that it might not be, so I posted it here to be immediately told that it wasn't comment by Fauci at all, but was written by someone else altogether.

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