Marci Weddle

Hoaxes and Urban Legends (Elective #7)

I have not had much experience with hoaxes and urban legends. I have never owned a computer until two months ago. I used my dad’s computer very often though. I have a lot of things blocked from my email. I also have bulk mail. I automatically delete my bulk mail without even looking out it. It is all junk in my opinion. I always get the ones that state read this and send it to 10 people and this will happen. I also get some that have to do with money. They say that it will change your life forever and you will be making the big bucks. I do not read these or believe any of this is true. As soon as I see the subject, I just delete them. After reading some of these web sites, it seems that many people believe them and respond to them all the time. I have a friend who responds to them and still sends them to me. I get so frustrated. She spends hours reading and sending them. I think what a waste of time. I just can not believe that people and companies spend time looking at these emails and people believing them. I had a friend that received one that stated if you give this much money and stuff envelopes, you could make 2,000 a week. She donated the money and never saw any envelops in the mail.

I will tell my students to have a bulk email set up and also inform themselves on the hoaxes and urban legends. One can go to Google and search for signs and the common hoaxes that get sent out. I believe two things stick out that most and that is the chain letters and the get rich fast. These two are what gets people most of the time. I will also tell my students to be critical of their emails. I have also heard of hoaxbusters.com that seems to be very helpful.

There are many signs that students or someone can look for to realize that it is a hoax. Urban legends commonly lack the classic details of “who, what, where, when, and why.” They also do not have a lot of details and are also very human eras. Some other signs are they tell a story that triggers terror, prejudice, revulsion or just give us the creeps. One again there are the ones that promise us money and most people due fall for those. Wow, so much we have to look at for these days.