Each one of these myths can lead to entire businesses, can lead to happiness if you are aware of them, can lead to less stress if you understand how the myth manipulates its way through our society.
Owning a home will give us “roots”
Owning a home is better than “flushing money down the toilet with rent”
Going to college is a pretty safe guarantee of a job
Going to college leads to more money and happiness than if you don’t go to college.
Marriage means you won’t be alone
Having kids is the purpose of life
Having a purpose in life is important to having a fulfilling life
My family is my “family”.
You have to be dishonest to be successful.
Giving to a “a charity” is the same as being charitable
Voting is important if you want to change the world.
Procrastination is bad
Needing little sleep is good and allows for greater productivity
There is no connection between the mind and the body.
One religion is correct
One diet will lead to health
Everyone should either be pro-choice or pro-life. (and for many “issues” like this, there is no in-between)
You can change the world without first changing yourself
The US is capitalist and China is communist
It’s important to be informed with the news
If you work hard, you can succeed
Success has something to do with money
I’ll never die (didn’t learn that was wrong until my 30s actually)
I can do X later. Where “X” is the thing you love doing the most.
I can’t “X”. 1% of the time this is true. But 99% of the time it’s false. But 99% of the time people believe it.
Stop signs save lives. Not only this is a myth for “stop signs” but all times when people say “stop”.
You need to know what you are going to do with your life by age X. Where “X” is some arbitrary age. Usually people think it’s in their 20s.
Self-interest is the opposite of being and doing good in the world.
Humans are smarter now than they were 40,000 years ago.
Sometimes wars can be justified
Happiness is better than tranquility
If you “be yourself” people might not like you.
Coffee gives you energy, low calories keep you thin, whole wheat is “wheat”.
A job brings stability or wealth
Love is when two people make each other feel better a lot of the time.
Money solves all of your money problems
In any situation there is a “right” way of doing things
The one thing that is not a myth: nothing is as it seems.
Source: James Altucher
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