It’s a weird thing to do but sometimes people hold on to fear simply because “everyone believes it.” Decades of such myths were allowed to shape people’s lives and decisions even though they were absolutely harmless.
Check out these 13 fears we had way longer than we should have, for no good reason.
Lunar eclipses bring bad luck
Anciently, lunar eclipses were dreaded. People believed they brought war and famine. During an eclipse, many would refuse to eat or work. They thought a great evil was imminent.
A lunar eclipse is simply the Moon passing through the shadow of the Earth. Science has proven it has no impact on human life whatsoever.
Vaccines causing death or madness
Years ago, parents were scared to their cores to get their children’s vaccines. Horrifying stories of death and lifelong damage circulated and it led to late shots.
Actually, vaccines are actually one of the safest interventions in medicine, and the old smallpox and polio records reflect just how widespread the fear was.
Eating eggs or butter causing heart attacks
Eggs and butter were widely considered dangerous for most of the past century. Many people feared they might cause heart attacks and skipped them at meals.
Actually, eggs and butter have little risk if eaten in moderation, later science found. And warnings against them turned out to be mostly groundless.
Fear of going outside without a hat in cold weather
Cold weather used to be much feared. People thought one was in danger of death if the head wasn’t covered. At one time it was considered important to bundle up indoors, so that cold should not bring disease.
Experience and research have shown that disease is not directly caused by cold weather. Germs are the direct cause of disease.
Fear of going to the dentist
The idea of going to the dentist used to be one of great fear. With no pain killers and limited hygiene, just a routine visit might feel like a horror story.
Thanks to safer and more comfortable treatment options, those fears have become largely outdated now.
Automobiles causing immediate death
Generations of people felt their streets were deadly when cars arrived. Families limited where kids could play and walk, seeing cars as rampaging hazards.
In fact, the reality was that most streets were much safer than people thought.
Electric appliances starting fires
When electricity was new, common appliances seemed menacing. Some avoided everyday machinery, believing a spark might be catastrophic. Fortunately, history proved that such fears were largely unreal, with precautions taken.
Fear of public speaking ruining careers
When we were young, there was a fear that public speaking would ruin our lives. Everyone imagined that a single mistake in a meeting or presentation was like the end of the world. As time went by, we all realized that most people bounce back, and a little anxiety rarely does long term damage.
Fear of raw milk causing death
For generations, it felt risky to drink unpasteurized milk. Parents avoided raw milk, imagining a healthy child suddenly falling ill.
Historical public health campaigns against milk-borne diseases reveal that much of this fear was based on real outbreaks, but new science shows that properly handled raw milk is quite safe.
Fear of going up in elevators
When the first elevators came into use, there was mass panic. Tales of horrific plunges spread through cities. Families and office workers rode the stairs for years, fearing elevators.
Elevators today are equipped with advanced safety features, and major accidents are extremely rare.
Flying leading to instant death
In the beginning, air travel generated paralyzing fear. At every takeoff, passengers anticipated the plane crashing in a ball of fire.
Although there have been accidents, engineering, regulation, and training of pilots make air travel very safe today. History has proven that the actual risk of a plane crash is much lower than was once thought.
Spiders are tiny assassins
The sight of a spider sends a lot of people hunting for a broom. Homes are cleaned out, ridding basements of all damp corners and crevices. The fear of a deadly bite is real to most. However, the reality is most spiders are harmless while incidents of severe reactions are extremely rare.
Fear of using microwave ovens
When microwaves were first being widely used in the ’70s and ’80s, some people believed that they were unsafe or might even make food toxic.
For years some households would not have them, believing that microwave cooking destroyed the “essence” of the food. In fact, microwave cooking is quite safe, and these fears were all based on false rumors.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
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