I am embarrassed to tell this, both for the belief I had and for the situation, but I think it is important.
Several years ago I read in an article on the internet that the eccentricity and ailments of Pugs (the dogs) are due to them having an extra copy of a chromosome that is equivalent to chromosome 21 in humans, the cause of Down Syndrome[1].
I kept that belief, but not only that, I told it as a curious fact. One day I met a friend who likes to learn a lot, one of those who doesn’t just stick with what you tell him but gets interested and investigates more. The next day he told me I was wrong. Although there are several articles on the internet that claim this, there is not a single scientific study that supports it (search Pug Down Syndrome and you will see that you find many articles about it). I was embarrassed because I had spread this ill-founded belief 😓.
In my defense I must say that at least this is not a dangerous fact, or well, maybe it is because it could affect prejudice towards people with Down Syndrome, but lately, and more with COVID, I have seen many articles (including Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, etc.) that are also not backed by scientific data but are divulged as facts when they are mere opinions or beliefs. The problem is that there are people who, unlike my friend, believe them and put them into practice without investigating further. Things like taking a home remedy for an ailment, or the tea prescribed by the neighbor. And not only in health, I have seen other equally dangerous things related to finance like “The rich are rich because they risk their money” source? my wishes 😂, or psychology like “If you are messy it is because you are intelligent”, things that are published without citing a single source. I am not saying that all claims are false, I am just saying that if they are true why not cite the study where they got them from? two examples:
Photo by Pixabay: https://www.pexels.com/photo/1-us-bank-note-47344/
Who the hell is Mike Todd? Where is the study that backs it? Actually, according to the Center for Research in Public Policy of Mexico, there are studies that state that 49 out of every 100 people born in the poorest households stay there all their lives. Of the remaining 51 who ascend, 25 fail to overcome the poverty line. So the statement in the image that “not having money is a temporary condition” is false[2] <- And for this there is a source 😉
What research? Link?
Why are these types of statements dangerous? Because they can lead you to make decisions that endanger your finances, your health, misinform you or make you have prejudices about something or someone.
What I do is verify that everything I read or listen to is accompanied by a source, check that that source leads to a serious place like a scientific study or a certified page (lest it be another article by themselves) and even so look in other media to verify that they match. Finally, it is in very bad taste to spread things that you are not even sure about, like I did with the Pug thing, if I am not sure better not to share it.
[1] https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/spanish/birthdefects/downsyndrome.html
[2] https://imco.org.mx/informe-movilidad-social-mexico-2019-via-ceey