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I Do Not Eat Spiders

Written by Col Ovik | September 21, 2022 at 12:30 PM

We live in the historical period known as the information age. Everyone has information right at their fingertip, however, are they receiving the correct information? How do we know the information we are reading online is the best, and most current information. Consider the source of the information: is the information coming from someone’s blog or an academic paper, and cross-reference the sources. It can be an arduous task to complete a thorough search on a topic, but likely necessary if you want the entire truth. 

We have all heard the story that we swallow eight spiders a year in our sleep. And it is a fun anecdote and nice to laugh about at parties, but is it true? If you really start to think about this weird statistic it unravels rather quickly. First, why would a spider seek out a large, and loud animal, like ourselves? Most spiders simply want to avoid us. Second, I have had insects crawl across my face while I am sleeping and I notice. The sensation of tiny legs scurrying across my face creeps me out and wakes me up. And third, if one of the small number of spiders that live in our homes, that generally prefer dark quiet corners, decided to randomly crawl into a person’s mouth, I suspect they would choke. 

This cute, but false statistic about spiders originated in a 1993 magazine article where the author was using the fictional statistic about spiders as an example of how eagerly people believe information they read online despite how unusual the information. 

False information spreads just like a disease and even after the false information has been debunked it can be years before the generally public accepts the original information was untrue. 

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When reading information online, even though you may agree with the information and it seems legitimate, read it with a modicum of skepticism. Consider where you are getting the information from: do you know the source of the information, are they professionals in that field, what are their credentials and training, and is there corroborating evidence for their claims? Contact the attorneys at LifeBackLaw and see us at www.LifeBackLaw.com and let us help you get your life back.