Disproved 2000s School Myths and Teaching Kids Optimism

The Retro Codex is a website that highlights commonly held beliefs or facts taught in school that have since been disproven. Users can select their high school graduation year to see what they learned that is now considered incorrect.

Disproven "Facts" from the 2000s

For those who graduated in the 2000s, some examples of disproven facts include:

• Lightning never strikes the same place twice. This is false; lightning frequently strikes the same locations multiple times, with the Empire State Building being hit approximately 25 times a year.
• Wearing red near a bull will cause it to charge. Bulls may not distinguish red from other colors. Their aggression is triggered by movement and physical provocation, not color. The red cape used in bullfighting serves to conceal bloodstains.
• Goldfish have a 3-second memory. Goldfish can retain memories for weeks, months, and potentially years.
• George Washington had wooden teeth. While he did wear dentures, they were made from materials like tin, gold, lead, and even human teeth from enslaved individuals, not wood.
• You need to wait 20-30 minutes after eating to swim to avoid stomach cramps and drowning. There is no clinical evidence to support this claim.
• If you roll your eyes, they'll get stuck. This is a folk wisdom with no basis in reality.
• If you pee in the pool, everyone will know because the water will turn green. This is a myth; there's no chemical in pools that reacts with urine to change its color.
• Washing hands with hot water is more effective than cold water. Water temperature has not been found to significantly impact the antibacterial efficacy of handwashing.
• After a person dies, their hair or fingernails can keep growing. This is an illusion caused by the skin receding after death, making hair and nails appear longer.
• Brown sugar is healthier than white sugar. Nutritionally, the differences are negligible.
• The food pyramid. The traditional food pyramid has been largely overturned and replaced with updated dietary guidelines.

The Evolution of Education and "Simple Wrong Stories"

The discussion then shifted to the way children are educated, particularly regarding complex or sensitive topics. It was suggested that schools often teach a "simple wrong story" first to introduce concepts, and then later build upon that with nuance and the more complicated truth.

Examples given include:

• Thanksgiving: Initially taught as a harmonious feast between pilgrims and Native Americans, later revealed to be a more complex and often darker historical event.
• Christopher Columbus: Taught as the discoverer of the New World, when in reality, indigenous populations were already present.

The argument is that this approach allows basic concepts to sink in before introducing the "gnarly" or more challenging aspects of history.

The Dangers of "Front-Loading the Gnarly Version"

A concern was raised that current educational trends, possibly due to political reasons, are "front-loading the gnarly version" of history and complex issues to very young children. This means presenting the harsh realities and criticisms too early.

The counter-argument is that children, particularly American children, should first be taught the positive aspects of their country, fostering patriotism and pride. Just as one would teach a child that their father is a good person before revealing his past mistakes, the initial narrative should be positive and build a foundation of appreciation. The more nuanced and critical perspectives can be introduced later in life when the individual is mature enough to process them.

Optimism vs. Existential Threat

This approach aligns with the idea of teaching children to be optimists. Optimism is seen as a driver of action and agency. Conversely, constantly exposing young children to existential threats, such as climate change, can lead to apathy and a feeling of hopelessness. If children are "waterboarded with existential threat all day," it's understandable that they might become apathetic.

The concept of a "reflexive system" was introduced: if a news report predicts a bank run, it can actually cause one. Similarly, if children are taught from a young age that their country is terrible, it can become a self-fulfilling prophecy, impacting their entire youth and potentially leading to a lack of patriotism.

British Self-Criticism

A humorous observation was made about Americans discussing a lack of patriotism, especially when two Britons were present. The British, it was noted, are often highly self-critical internally, despite being well-regarded externally in many parts of the world. This internal criticism can be self-defeating.

The Difficulty of Unlearning

The discussion concluded with the idea that "unlearning is 100 times harder than learning." Therefore, it's crucial to lay down a foundation of "generalized optimism" in young children, rather than "generalized scrutiny" or pessimism. Specific criticisms and nuanced perspectives can be introduced later, in middle school or elementary school, when children are better equipped to understand them.