Connection: An example of this would be the schools we choose to enroll ourselves in. Many people who live in the same area as their family probably all went to the same school at one point in their life and in doing so they brought up a belief that this is the school they must attend since they believe it is the best school. They tend to look away at the red flags that might come with attending that school because it might not have happened to them and are unwilling to believe proven facts and problems about the school. They would rather turn a blind towards these facts and cherish their beliefs.

Sources: https://www.ourkids.net/school/choosing-schools-red-flags

Example: An example of this would be when people see two things that correlate, in this case we have rats. Since the beginning people have blamed rats for everything, calling them dirty creatures that are only found in the deepest sewers. They believe that because rats are correlated with being dirty in the media, they believe that all rats are dirty and carry diseases. In truth rats are actually very cleanly creatures, grooming themselves more than cats. This leads to those who have rats often getting questionable looks since people associate rats with being unhygienic and a danger to health.

Sources: https://now.tufts.edu/2020/01/13/five-things-know-about-rats#:~:text=Rats%20are%20very%20clean.,frequently%20and%20thoroughly%20than%20cats.%E2%80%9D

Connection: An example of this being used is when political parties argue different topics based on their own Ideological Support. This can be seen when heated arguments will arise since other parties do not follow the ideals of others. For example one party could argue that tax's need to be raised to help fight back against economic issue since their entire party follows this ideal that higher taxes means better economy. On the other hand the other party might heavily disagree with that ideal that more tax's equals better economy and wish to lower taxes to make it easier for people. They would use their group ideals to push this forward in the argument.

Sources: https://www.investopedia.com/articles/07/tax_cuts.asp

A Red Herring is when information is brought up with the intention of misleading the reader, and bringing attention away from the actual issue at hand.

M&M's are a chocolates line affiliated with Nestle. Last year, M&M's announced that they would be changing the appearances of their mascots, citing political reasons. This sparked mass outrage in some corners of the internet. This hullabaloo happened to occur at the same time that Nestle was facing criticism for child slave labor crimes. All of the attention was put on to the topic of the mascots, and the labor crimes we're promptly forgotten about.

Sources:

https://harvardpolitics.com/sweet-chocolate-bitter-truth-internet-distraction-and-the-reality-of-mars-inc-s-child-slavery-practices/

Use of Scientific sounding language that is meaningless describes a topic that is advertised and presented with terms that sound scientific on the surface, but are ultimately meaningless and only included to create a sense of safety.

Koko the gorilla was a gorilla presented to the public by researchers as having learned sign language. The articles that they published would overwhelm the reader with scientific "facts" of study, that were nothing but smokescreens to make their case sound more believable. The researchers jump through hoops to support their own biases with minimal, if any, evidence. In reality, Koko was signing gibberish, and the researchers would make excuses for what she meant. The went as far as to claim her signing "nipple" was her saying the word "people", because the words rhyme.

Sources:

https://bigthink.com/life/ape-sign-language/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIOQgY1tqrU&t=5773s&ab_channel=Stanford

Deliberately Creates Mystery is when a source makes a claim that inherently appeals to an individuals sense of excitement. It usually includes spiritual agents at work that fill a viewer/reader with mystery and wonder.

An apparent whistle blower of the American government made the claim that not only had the government uncovered aliens, they had possession of ten alien bodies. He claimed that the government possessed proof of UFO's and was keeping it a secret. His story appeals to the general publics sense of wonder and hope that alien life is not only out there, but has visited us.

Sources:

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/world/us-has-found-at-least-ten-alien-bodies-in-crashed-ufos-says-whistleblower/ar-AA1ksOfr

https://metro.co.uk/2023/07/26/ufo-whistleblower-claims-people-harmed-and-injured-in-cover-up-19197076/

Does Not Progress describes a pseudoscience theme where a topic of discussion dates back many years and does not adjust to the times. There is no growth in the methods of learning.

The Liver King was a very popular fitness influencer in the online sphere. He claimed that men needed to return to how they lived as cavemen in order for them to reach their full potential. He advertised the need to eat raw meat and sleep on rocks as a vital role in reaching top physique. In reality, he was taking steroids to gain his muscle mass. He sold packages of raw meat to his followers and encouraged them to eat it, just as early humans did, before he was revealed as a fraud.

Sources:

https://www.fastcompany.com/90839190/liver-kings-fall-ancestral-living-need-a-new-dad

Connection: Think link above shows an example of a brand that was boosted through a popular streamer named Pokimane. Using her influence and many followers she was able to promote a new snack brand named Myna. She claimed that these new snacks would offer an alternative to other snacks, making this one more "healthier" than other snacks. Not only was this a lie about it being healthier, it was also much more expensive than regular snacks coming in at 28$ for a 400 gram bag rather than other snacks being only 10$ per bag. The other issue was that these cookies had almost identical nutritional value to other snacks making her cookies pretty much obsolete when compared to other gluten free snacks.

Sources:

https://uproxx.com/life/pokimane-cookie-drama-explained-reviewed/

Something we do not understand yet, or otherwise known as "the unknown". We believe in it because it is interesting to us despite being unexplainable.

Connection:

UFO sightings, such as the one in the article above, are often noted as Unexplained. They require Skepticism since there is no certain answer to who or what they really are. some things remain unanswered with the lack of Evidence one person is able to produce, this is why the article above connects to being Unexplained. As an example, if you're surrounded by people who believe in aliens and UFO's. then you might find yourself inclined to believe in it as well, even if there's no scientific proof.

Sources:

https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/11/politics/norad-additional-object-northern-canada/index.html

Similar to Patternicity, Agenticity is the act of applying some meaning or agency behind patterns we see in every day life.

Connection:

In the article above, the author explains how some people will refuse to wear a sweater that once belonged to someone who committed crimes, stating that the "evil energy" would cause negative effects on their being. Humans have created this agency about the supernatural. another good example brought up are government-like powers such as the Illuminati. We believe in them because of the power they have. We as humans gave them meaning, and therefore they have the power to make us believe.

Sources:

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/skeptic-agenticity/

Something that is easy to understand or take part in. In pseudoscience, it may refer to statements being made that use simple language to make you believe in them.

Connection:

The article posted above discusses the simplicity in believing in nothing. Take what you know in your mind and forget about it. living the simple life is the right life to live. It talks about how much more zen your life would be if you stopped worrying. This leads into Simplicity because it makes the reader want to believe that the easy way out is the correct way, because it is simply explained and uses few scientific sounding words. It's easy to believe because it works for so many people.

Sources:

https://zenhabits.net/belief/

Ideology is a set of thoughts or opinions made by one person or a group of people.

Connection:

The article above, unsurprisingly based on the title, gives a bunch of reasons why to believe in god. It talks about faith, heart, evidence of miracles, etc. The author(s) idealizes God, and what the grand being "stands for". They create a system of beliefs based on what their god says is right and wrong. This is a clear example of Ideology, as it shows how people opinions and beliefs can be formed around one agent.

Sources:

https://kingdomway.ca/the-top-10-reasons-to-believe-in-god/