Have you ever noticed how we, as a society, tend to treat some things like they’re way scarier than they actually are? Like, we’ve collectively decided to give certain stuff a bad rap for no good reason?
One Redditor asked, “What’s actually pretty safe, but everyone treats it like it’s way more dangerous than it is?” Now, this thread has received thousands of comments, but we have selected the top 20 ones for you!
1. Trick or Treat
Halloween is all about getting dressed up like a goofball and asking strangers for candy. Seems like a recipe for disaster, right? But in reality, it’s not as dangerous as we make it out to be.
A discerning Reddit user commented, “Going trick or treating.”
Another replied, “Yeah, I realized a couple of days ago that the only time I hear about poisoned Halloween candy is around Halloween when a bunch of YT videos debunking it pop up.”
2. Solar Radiation
One said, “Radiation. People will panic about wifi, microwaves, etc., and then will go out in the sun without sunscreen.”
Someone else added, “Oh man, this one is classic. People want to get tan but won’t microwave their food. People don’t know the difference between ionizing and non-ionizing radiation and treat it all the same way.”
Sunscreen and shades are actually pretty essential!
3. MSG
MSG has gotten a bad rap for decades. People talk about it like it’s some kind of secret poison lurking in their Chinese takeout. But, here’s the scoop: the vast majority of us can gobble down MSG-laden dishes with no ill effects.
A Reddit user wrote, “MSG. It’s full of flavor. Anthony Bourdain would sneak it into soups during culinary school and get praised by his teachers.”
Another added, “It’s also naturally occurring in almost all food. It’s naturally produced by the pineal grand during REM sleep. It’s the DMT of cooking.”
4. Swimming After Eating
Someone commented, “Swimming after eating. Because of this myth, my dad used to make me wait 30 mins after eating dinner before I could take a shower. What could happen in a shower???”
Another replied, “This is it. Just like peeing in the pool turns purple (to stop kids from peeing in the pool). An entire generation’s parents told white lies, and enough of them believed it so it became “truth.”
But let’s get real here- our bodies are pretty efficient. You won’t instantly cramp up and drown in the shallow end just because you snacked a little!
5. Airplane Travel
One said, “Traveling…by plane. Obviously, everyone doesn’t think so, but trust me when I say there are so many individuals who don’t want to fly! More than we know, it’s shocking.”
Someone else added, “I think it’s the lack of control people feel. Like, if a plane is going down, there is literally nothing they can do to save themselves. They think they have more options in a car/bus/train.”
People freak out over turbulence like they’re on a one-way ticket to the Bermuda Triangle. But guess what? Turbulence is just Mother Nature’s way of giving you a little rollercoaster experience at 30,000 feet. It’s annoying, sure, but not life-threatening.
6. Nuclear Power
People hear the word “nuclear,” and they go bananas. But here’s the deal- nuclear power, when handled responsibly, is pretty safe.
A Reddit user wrote, “Nuclear power. So much to be learned from this. The sheer lack of education and arrogance/ignorance of those who know absolutely nothing about it. Yet they will talk like they minored it in college. So much of that going around cough cough politics.”
Another added, “I had a college course that discussed different forms of energy, and I’ll never forget how the professor phrased it. “With nuclear, there’s an incredibly small chance of a big problem occurring. With coal, there is a certainty of a slow and steady problem happening every day. Logically, the former is preferable, but people are generally more comfortable with the latter for some reason.”
7. Hammerhead Sharks
Hammerhead sharks look like they’re straight out of a sci-fi movie, but they’re not lurking in the waves, waiting to turn you into a snack!
A discerning Reddit user commented, “Hammerhead sharks. They were blamed for a lot of shark attacks. But the reality is they are not built for chomping people. They are aggressively territorial, though, and that can freak people out.”
Someone else added, “Sharks, in general, are not that dangerous. If they ate people intentionally, the ocean would be very dangerous. Attacks happen because we disguise ourselves as their food when we swim on the surface above them (tiger sharks or whites) or when we wiggle our toes in the water they are hunting in (bull sharks).
Bites are fatal because we bleed out in the water so easily. If we anthropomorphized them, most of the time, sharks would apologize for the inconvenience they caused and assist us to the shore (except bull sharks- they are jerks). The other exception is cookie-cutter sharks; they are absolutely terrifying.”
8. Warts
Remember the old tale about getting warts from touching toads? Total hogwash! Toads might look a bit bumpy, but they’re not out to ruin your complexion.
One said, “Toads. They don’t give you warts.”
Another replied, “I’m from Miami. As a teen, I had 2 lab-chows mixes. They were brothers. Of course, with a big yard near a canal, there’s bound to be toads. I remember freaking out the first time I saw them both licking the poison froth from their faces. Took em to the vet. They were fine.”
9. Stepping on a Crack
You know that childhood rhyme, “Step on a crack, break your momma’s back”? It’s a load of nonsense.
A Reddit user wrote, “Stepping on a crack. In the past, cracks were where structures (either natural or manmade) were about to break, so it made a lot more sense back then, but it’s useless now.”
Another added, “Funny coincidental story…. in 1st grade, we were playing that game while walking down the hall, and some kid pushed me and made me step on a Crack. I was panicking, and the teacher was like it’s not real!”
10. Australia
Okay, Australia is a whole continent that some people treat like it’s a death trap. Yes, they’ve got venomous critters and some wild weather, but they’ve also got beautiful landscapes, amazing wildlife, and super-friendly people.
Someone commented, “Yeah, exactly. I live ‘in the Australian Bush’ and have made it to my mid-40s. I used to spend a lot of time in the wilds and oceans. No spider bite. Not eaten by a shark. Not bit by a snake.”
Someone else added, “I’ve been living in remote NT Australia for the last 9 months, and I am enormously disappointed I haven’t seen a single snake, spider, or drop bear.”
11. Pumping Gas
One said, “In Oregon and New Jersey: pumping gas.”
Another replied, “Went there on vacation once. Dude walked up to pump my gas, and I just laughed and went with it. Made me feel like I was getting the VIP treatment. About as necessary as an employee at Chipotle refilling my drink, but it was like, “Huh, that’s kind of cool, I guess.””
Gas pumps are designed to handle fuel safely. So, no explosions are happening unless you’re on a movie set!
12. Vaccines
Oh boy, vaccines, the ultimate ‘not-so-scary.’ But in reality, vaccines boost your immune system and protect you from nasty diseases.
A Reddit user wrote, “Vaccines. Conspiracy theories people spread or read to not use a vaccine of any kind is mind-blowing.”
Another added, “I have a small scar on my upper left arm when I got a vaccine as a child. +40 years later, I’m still here. I received various vaccines when I was in the US Army, and I’m still alive. If there is a side effect from any vaccines I was ever given, I don’t know how to spell hypopatumas without using Google.”
13. Unsupervised Kids
Back in the day, kids were free-range. They roamed the neighborhood, explored the woods, and had a blast. Nowadays, some people treat unsupervised kids like they’re auditioning for “Survivor: Playground Edition.”
The parents think it’s so dangerous outside, so they stick them in front of a screen, online, where all the predators are actually hanging out.”
Someone else added, “If it really was that dangerous, most people people older than 20 should’ve been dead many years ago.”
14. GMO Foods
GMOs, or genetically modified organisms, sound like they came straight out of a sci-fi movie. But in reality, we’ve been selectively breeding crops for centuries. GMOs are the latest upgrade in the world of farming. They’re designed to resist pests, reduce pesticide use, and feed more people.
One said, “GMO foods… I can’t stand all the products in the stores yelling at me that they’re non-GMO. I’d prefer they use GMOs and be cheaper, thanks to that. GMOs haven’t been proven to be unsafe yet, but people are scared that their offspring will get 3 arms because genetically modified sounds scary. Similar situation to nuclear power really.”
Another person pitched in to say, “GMOs can also use less water and pesticides by being modified. People don’t want to admit that GMO is better for the environment and better for us. “SCIENCE SCARYYY!””
15. Spiders
Someone commented, “Spiders. 90%of spiders are not dangerous, and they also eat annoying bugs such as flies and mosquitoes. And yes, SOME spiders are dangerous, but unless you live in Brazil or Australia, your chances of finding dangerous spiders are so minuscule it’s silly to worry abt them. And me personally… I think all spiders are adorable.”
Another replied, “Phobias of snakes and spiders appear to be special. A scientist in the early 90s did a study and found that while with most things – including some absolutely lethal ones like electrical sockets or firearms – several negative exposures were needed to produce a temporary phobia, while with snakes and spiders, one negative exposure would produce a permanent phobia.”
Sure, there are some venomous ones out there, but the chances of encountering one in your living room are slim to none.
16. Raw Chicken
A Reddit user wrote, “Handling raw chicken. Don’t get me wrong, proper food prep is important for health and safety, but, just being in the vicinity of raw chicken isn’t going to instantly kill you. Some people act like if the chicken touches anything, you have to fumigate your house and wash your hands for 20 minutes.”
Someone else added, “My MIL is crazy about raw chicken. Buys into all the hype. I refuse to cook any on-the-bone chicken for her because it’s never fully cooked in her mind until it’s leather.”
So, if you’re not planning to throw a chicken sushi party, you’re good.
17. 5G
People are convinced that 5G is frying their brains or turning them into human popcorn. But here’s the deal: it’s just faster internet! Nobody’s secretly cooking your brain with radio waves. 5G won’t turn your smartphone into a death ray, so don’t stress about it. You’ll download cat videos quicker, that’s all.
Someone commented, “5G is a protocol, not some new type of RF. It mostly occupies reallocated TV spectrum. If you were alive in the 90s, you likely got more “radiation” from UHF broadcasts than from 5G cell networks today.”
Another added, “Honestly, the way that 5G layers multiple signals into a single channel is wizardry. It is some amazing maths and deserves being praised as a brilliant feat of engineering.”
18. Rock Climbing
Scaling a rock wall might seem like an extreme sport for daredevils. But with proper gear and training, it’s about as risky as a game of hopscotch.
One said, “Rock climbing. Climbing ropes are really strong. You need to physically cut it for it to break”
Another person pitched in to say, “Rock climbing is fairly safe, depending on what your taste for risk is. With proper equipment, it is much safer than most realize and super fun. I have a fear of heights and LOVE climbing.”
19. Cooking Pork
A Reddit user wrote, “Cooking pork, people think it can only served well done and dry as all fudge”
Another replied, “This. I used to think I didn’t like pork chops until later in life when I had one not cooked to shoe leather.”
How do you cook your pork?
20. Losing Small Ammunition
A discerning Reddit user commented, “Loose small arms ammunition. You can drop it, throw it across the room, and even toss it in a campfire – you’ll be just fine. You may hear a small pop/bang if you do the ol’ campfire disposal, though. But yeah, it doesn’t need to be babied. It really is only dangerous in a gun barrel.”
Someone else added, “A 25-minute video of whole pallets of ammo being set on fire for firefighter training. Basically really angry popcorn with little bits of brass shrapnel, but nothing with enough energy to leave a building or go through firefighter gear.”
Don’t start a DIY ammo experiment; you’ll be fine!
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