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Don't look stupid • child in danger
We've all seen them, the desparate pleas to spread the important message about
a child in danger. It seems such a simple equation; effort = almost none,
reward = immense. It takes only a couple mouse clicks and a few seconds to
share the story and we might save a child's life. So, why not do it? Because
it's not true.
This one has all the classic earmarks of the prankster trying to trick you into doing his will. Of course we want to help; it's our nature. Some poor little girl in at risk of imminent danger, we know how to identify the assailant, the command to share it, the indication of urgency, the chiding of those who might not share, and the heart string plucker at the end. And of course all of it is bunk, carefully calculated to make you be the stooge. OK, but you think might there be a chance that this one, out of the thousands, actually is true this time? Well, there is that chance, but it's very rare. Check it out for yourself. Use your brain for good rather than letting someone else use it for stupidity. Here are some great places you can go for validation:
• http://www.snopes.com/ Always, always, always check out these stories at one of these sites first before sharing them. It only takes a few seconds and it will not kill you. If it were your friends sharing these stories wouldn't you want them to verify it before wasting your time? And above all, it will help you to not look stupid! And of course, remember that the more these fake stories are spread around, the less people will pay attention to real reports, which ends up increasing the danger rather than helping. |