NationStates Jolt Archive

The subject says it all really, What do you think about urban legends? Why do you think that? do you believe them? what's your favourite Urban legend? and I'm NOT TALKING ABOUT THE FILM. (http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0002CH9DM/qid=1119383525/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_11_1/202-6935212-7776650)

Poll Coming!

Edit: I'm asking specifically about URBAN LEGENDS (http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=urban%20legend) not just LEGENDS (http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=legend) on their own.

The subject says it all really, What do you think about urban legends? Why do you think that? do you believe them? what's your favourite Urban legend? and I'm NOT TALKING ABOUT THE FILM. (http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0002CH9DM/qid=1119383525/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_11_1/202-6935212-7776650)

Poll Coming!

What part of the word 'Legend' don't you understand?

I think they're legends, which are urban.

What part of the word 'Legend' don't you understand?
Why do you say that?

In this case, LEGEND == A romanticized or popularized myth of modern times. (http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=legend).

In this case, LEGEND == A romanticized or popularized myth of modern times. (http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=legend).

The same website says this (http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=urban%20legend) about Urban Legends

The same website says this (http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=urban%20legend) about Urban Legends

And then goes on to say this (http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=apocryphal):

a·poc·ry·phal
adj.

1. Of questionable authorship or authenticity.
2. Erroneous; fictitious: “Wildly apocryphal rumors about starvation in Petrograd... raced through Russia's trenches” (W. Bruce Lincoln).

And then goes on to say this (http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=apocryphal):

a·poc·ry·phal
adj.

1. Of questionable authorship or authenticity.
2. Erroneous; fictitious: “Wildly apocryphal rumors about starvation in Petrograd... raced through Russia's trenches” (W. Bruce Lincoln).

And...? I'm asking what people THINK of them, whether they believe they are true, and what their favourites are....NOT what the definition of them is.

What part of the word 'Legend' don't you understand?
"History becomes legend, legend becomes myth..."

"History becomes legend, legend becomes myth..."

Lie. History becomes false. We all know that the Neolithic Revolution never occured.

They are occasionally true.

www.snopes.com

All hail snopes

Hail in order of:
Teutons/Nords
Celts
Italians
Vikings
Pretzels
Salt
...
Snopes

And...? I'm asking what people THINK of them, whether they believe they are true, and what their favourites are....NOT what the definition of them is.

If they're defined to be false, the question is whether people believe that false things are true or false. Just seems like a strange question is all. Don't get your knickers in a twist.

If they're defined to be false, the question is whether people believe that false things are true or false. Just seems like a strange question is all. Don't get your knickers in a twist.

They never SAY that they are false, but merely say questionable....a more reputable dictionary I.E. chambers or oxford would say "...believed to be ficticious..."

They are always true, like how Mrs Davison got kidnapped by aliens last week!!

Stupid horny aliens kidnapping our hot biology teachers!! Give her back!! (If you find this funny, you probably go to the same school as me. Hello.)

Stupid horny aliens kidnapping our hot biology teachers!! Give her back!! (If you find this funny, you probably go to the same school as me. Hello.)

Probably not, I'm in Uni, In wales, UK...not school, but hello anyway. You have a hot biology teacher? What do you ACTUALLY think about urban legends?

I think they're fascinating. However, sometimes they can lead to the incredibly frustrating situation where I *know* something isn't true (often the proof is freely available) and the person I'm talking to won't believe me because they 'heard it somewhere'. :headbang:

I think they're fascinating. However, sometimes they can lead to the incredibly frustrating situation where I *know* something isn't true (often the proof is freely available) and the person I'm talking to won't believe me because they 'heard it somewhere'. :headbang:

What's your favourite one?

If they're defined to be false, the question is whether people believe that false things are true or false. Just seems like a strange question is all. Don't get your knickers in a twist.

It seems strange to define them as false. If you look into an urban legend and it turns out to be true, or partly true, does it stop being an urban legend? That doesn't seem right.

What's your favourite one?

I like the one about a woman giving birth to snakes/fish/octopusses after accidentally swallowing snake/fish/octopus eggs. It's weird.

Probably not, I'm in Uni, In wales, UK...not school, but hello anyway. You have a hot biology teacher? What do you ACTUALLY think about urban legends?

Wales is kind of close to Cornwall (well, I go to school in Devon, not that I expect you really care that much :) )

And that's what this was about?? Crazy.

They're good for a laugh, but you can't really say anything ele for them, can you?

I like the one about a woman giving birth to snakes/fish/octopusses after accidentally swallowing snake/fish/octopus eggs. It's weird.

Have you heard about the one where a bunch of teens...(sounds like every crappy teen horror movie already)....play with a ouji board and one of the boy/girls gets told he/she's going to die and he/she runs out into the street, scared and gets killed by a car/bus/lorry/mad-cyclist?

going to the spirit of the questions.

I believe Urban Legends are false but in their history, there is a grain of truth.

Kinda like the size of the fish that got away gets bigger and bigger.

as for my favorite Urban Legends... well just go to Darwin Awards (http://www.darwinawards.com/)

and my favorite is...
The Bricklayer
1998 Urban Legend
Accident Report
This one needs an introduction, so you won't be lost at the beginning. This man was in an accident at work, so he filled out an insurance claim. The insurance company contacted him and asked for more information. This was his response:

"I am writing in response to your request for additional information, for block number 3 of the accident reporting form. I put 'poor planning' as the cause of my accident. You said in your letter that I should explain more fully and I trust the following detail will be sufficient. I am an amateur radio operator and on the day of the accident, I was working alone on the top section of my new 80-foot tower. When I had completed my work, I discovered that I had, over the course of several trips up the tower, brought up about 300 pounds of tools and spare hardware. Rather than carry the now unneeded tools and material down by hand, I decided to lower the items down in a small barrel by using the pulley attached to the gin pole at the top of the tower. Securing the rope at ground level, I went to the top of the tower and loaded the tools and material into the barrel. Then I went back to the ground and untied the rope, holding it tightly to ensure a slow decent of the 300 pounds of tools."

"You will note in block number 11 of the accident reporting form that I weigh only 155 pounds. Due to my surprise of being jerked off the
ground so suddenly, I lost my presence of mind and forgot to let go of the rope. Needless to say, I proceeded at a rather rapid rate of speed up the side of the tower. In the vicinity of the 40-foot level, I met the barrel coming down. This explains my fractured skull and broken collarbone. Slowed only slightly, I continued my rapid ascent, not stopping until the fingers of my right hand were two knuckles deep into the pulley. Fortunately, by this time, I had regained my presence of mind and was able to hold onto the rope in spite of my pain. At approximately the same time, however, the barrel of tools hit the ground and the bottom fell out of the barrel."
"Devoid of the weight of the tools, the barrel now weighed approximately 20 pounds. I refer you again to my weight in block number 11. As you might imagine, I began a rapid descent down the side of the tower. In the vicinity of the 40-foot level, I met the barrel coming up. This accounts for the two fractured ankles, and the lacerations of my legs and lower body. The encounter with the barrel slowed me enough to lessen my injuries when I fell onto the pile of tools and, fortunately, only three vertebrae were cracked. I am sorry to report, however, that as I lay there on the tools, in pain, unable to stand and watching the empty barrel 80 feet above me, I again lost my presence of mind.

going to the spirit of the questions.

I believe Urban Legends are false but in their history, there is a grain of truth.

Kinda like the size of the fish that got away gets bigger and bigger.

as for my favorite Urban Legends... well just go to Darwin Awards (http://www.darwinawards.com/)

and my favorite is...

I'm presuming this guy was left handed?

I like the one about a woman giving birth to snakes/fish/octopusses after accidentally swallowing snake/fish/octopus eggs. It's weird.
There's one where a woman masterbates by sticking the tail of a live crayfish/lobster into herself and puts a lighter to the head. causing the tail to move. while one time she did this, it was an Egg laden lobster. so the next day, she gave birth to thousands of lobster larva.

(Urban Legend... gross but definately untrue.)

There's one where a woman masterbates by sticking the tail of a live crayfish/lobster into herself and puts a lighter to the head. causing the tail to move. while one time she did this, it was an Egg laden lobster. so the next day, she gave birth to thousands of lobster larva.

(Urban Legend... gross but definately untrue.)

The first part really is true, however.

There's one where a woman masterbates by sticking the tail of a live crayfish/lobster into herself and puts a lighter to the head. causing the tail to move. while one time she did this, it was an Egg laden lobster. so the next day, she gave birth to thousands of lobster larva.

(Urban Legend... gross but definately untrue.)

First parts true....there was a video linked from ns forums last week i think, of something similar.

I'm presuming this guy was left handed?
Does it matter... I still can't read the whole thing without laughing like a maniac.




Manly because I can see myself doing that. :D

I think they're fascinating. However, sometimes they can lead to the incredibly frustrating situation where I *know* something isn't true (often the proof is freely available) and the person I'm talking to won't believe me because they 'heard it somewhere'. :headbang:

Agreed.

The first part really is true, however.
First parts true....there was a video linked from ns forums last week i think, of something similar.
No doubt, people do weird stuff to themselves... but the last part was proven false. Some Zoologists were saying that the PH balance of humans would kill the eggs or something like that. still looking for it in the Darwin site.

There's one where a woman masterbates by sticking the tail of a live crayfish/lobster into herself and puts a lighter to the head. causing the tail to move. while one time she did this, it was an Egg laden lobster. so the next day, she gave birth to thousands of lobster larva.

(Urban Legend... gross but definately untrue.)

Yep. That's a variation on the same meme.

Does it matter... I still can't read the whole thing without laughing like a maniac.




Manly because I can see myself doing that. :D

Yeah, because it either prooves or disprooves his claim you see....if he was right handed then how'd he fill in the form?

Yeah, because it either prooves or disprooves his claim you see....if he was right handed then how'd he fill in the form?


With his left??

No doubt, people do weird stuff to themselves... but the last part was proven false. Some Zoologists were saying that the PH balance of humans would kill the eggs or something like that. still looking for it in the Darwin site.
http://www.snopes.com/risque/juvenile/lobster.htm

'They also won't hatch out in anything less than extremely salty water, a substance not found in a woman's vagina. It also takes more than salty water and eggs to bring about hatching — exposure to light within the first few hours of incubation is key. Brine shrimp growers recommend the eggs be exposed to a light source throughout incubation. Constant aeration (bubbling) is also necessary to provide sufficient oxygen levels for the eggs to hatch, this is also not a condition found in a woman's vagina. '

With his left??
But youve just said he was right handed.....that means his writing would be pretty much impossible to read.

But youve just said he was right handed.....that means his writing would be pretty much impossible to read.

Next option:

see that big beige box in front of you? It writes stuff too.

But youve just said he was right handed.....that means his writing would be pretty much impossible to read.

Unless, of course, he were left-handed or ambidextrous.

I believe that many urban legends have their origins in truth -- someone somewhere did something, which mutated into "my brother's friend did...." and gets embellished a few hundred times until everyone on the 'Net knows about it.

Next option:

see that big beige box in front of you? It writes stuff too.

My computer isn't beige and it isn't a box....it has style and it is white (it's a mac)....I admit, I neglected to think of that option.....but if he's got an 80 foot radio mast...wouldn't it be in the time before computers became as competent as they are now?

My computer isn't beige and it isn't a box....it has style and it is white (it's a mac)....I admit, I neglected to think of that option.....but if he's got an 80 foot radio mast...wouldn't it be in the time before computers became as competent as they are now?

Oh, a MAC. No comment.....

And the story was submitted in 1998. So no, the computer could do it.

Oh, a MAC. No comment.....

And the story was submitted in 1998. So no, the computer could do it.

Computers weren't very good back then...lol plus, It was only SUBMITTED in 1998...as previously said in this thread, "something happens, it gets turned into my brother, then my brothers friend then urban legend"...that takes a while.

Yeah, because it either prooves or disprooves his claim you see....if he was right handed then how'd he fill in the form?
well, as a right hander, I would most likey use my right hand to undo the slip knot, so it would be my left hand holding the rope. then at the jerk, my right hand will then be at the rope and Possibly, it would be under the left (being jerked up by the weight.) thus it would be the Left finger in the pully. However, Even if it was with my right hand, I can still write (albet slowly) with my first two fingers in a cast.

also even if there were no computers, there was a device call a Typewriter. which does the same thing as a computer and printer. except without the spell check.

well, as a right hander, I would most likey use my right hand to undo the slip knot, so it would be my left hand holding the rope. then at the jerk, my right hand will then be at the rope and Possibly, it would be under the left (being jerked up by the weight.) thus it would be the Left finger in the pully. However, Even if it was with my right hand, I can still write (albet slowly) with my first two fingers in a cast.

also even if there were no computers, there was a device call a Typewriter. which does the same thing as a computer and printer. except without the spell check.

iTake my hat off to you.

I used to watch this show on TLC about Urban Legends. They explained some of the legends that were completely fabricated and others that had some truth behind them. Of course the ones that had truth behind them were kind of exaggerated also.

I used to watch this show on TLC about Urban Legends. They explained some of the legends that were completely fabricated and others that had some truth behind them. Of course the ones that had truth behind them were kind of exaggerated also.

Which is YOUR fave and why?

Which is YOUR fave and why?
Hmm..

I don't know. These things don't stay in my mind. I liked one about a baby seat with a baby in it that was strapped to a hood of a car. And then during the ride, it fell off somewhere and the parents didn't notice until they got home. They found the seat but they weren't able to find the baby afterwards.

Hmm..

I don't know. These things don't stay in my mind. I liked one about a baby seat with a baby in it that was strapped to a hood of a car. And then during the ride, it fell off somewhere and the parents didn't notice until they got home. They found the seat but they weren't able to find the baby afterwards.

Why was it strapped to the bonnet?? that's sick!!

Not the hood, the roof. My bad.

that's still sick though!!