for questions about claims based on the culture of various countries and regions.
Questions tagged [culture]
26 questions
51
votes
1 answer
Are cadavers normally embalmed with "butt plugs" before burial?
According to this graphic, from the DarkestHumor page
That one time I went to a mortuary and some cute mortician girls gave me a butt plug. Seriously. This is to prevent post mortem [anal] leakage.
Is it a widely held practice for morticians to…
Evan Carroll
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48
votes
1 answer
Did the Smithsonian publish this infographic about 'whiteness'?
The American Conservative ascribes some claims to Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC):
Look at this stunning exhibition from the website of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and…
pinegulf
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38
votes
2 answers
Does a pair of trainers (shoes) hanging on a telephone wire mean the house nearby is a crack den?
I've been told this many times (in the UK). It's even mentioned in a wikipedia article:
Some also say that shoes hanging from the wires advertise a local
crack house where crack cocaine is used and sold
Is there any evidence that this is true?…
user14708
34
votes
1 answer
Is slime mold eaten in Mexico as a dish called "feces of the moon"?
Various web sites make the claim that slime mold is eaten as a dish called "caca de luna" -- feces of the moon -- in Mexico. Sometimes the claim is attached to Fuligo septica, "dog vomit slime mold", as in this representative example:
Fuligo…
jwezorek
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33
votes
4 answers
Did the single motherhood rate among black Americans jump from 20% to 70% since the 1960s?
In conservative responses to racial disparities involving wealth and other things a lack of fatherhood figures within the black community is often cited as causative. For example, Ben Shapiro said about 4 years ago:
[If racial disparities are not…
user11643
26
votes
2 answers
Did the French Revolution cause people to give the Ace (in a deck of cards) rank above a King?
Wikipedia says
After the French Revolution some games started to use the ace or 1 as
the highest card which symbolized the lowest in society rising above
the King.
A discussion forum recently indicated that this reference is unverified, and…
New Alexandria
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23
votes
1 answer
Did WW2 pilots lead a swinger's lifestyle to ensure that their friends would take care of their family if they died?
Cracked.com referenced this interview where author Christopher Ryan claims that:
“World War II fighter pilots had the highest fatality rates of any
division of the military. When they were back on base, they had these
key parties where they…
Twilight Sparkle
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22
votes
2 answers
Do any people in South Africa traditionally spend two days together praising wrong-doers to help them?
I have seen variations on the following meme posted by many of my friends on Facebook:
https://me.me/i/ubuntu-in-certain-regions-of-south-africa-when-someone-does-4931579
In certain regions of South Africa, when someone does something wrong, he is…
Steven Gubkin
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21
votes
1 answer
Is prostitution uncommon among geishas?
Many news stories and plenty of ensuing comments about geishas have people making a strong point that geishas are not prostitutes.
However, the wikipedia article makes a meal out of the topic and makes various claims.
From the past:
The highest…
going
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13
votes
1 answer
Do babies from the United States cry more then babies in other parts of the world?
In the Cracked article 5 Universal Experiences That Are Different In Other Cultures the third claim made is that
American Babies Cry Way More Than Other Babies
I would like to know if the claim is literally true, that American (United States to…
dsollen
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11
votes
0 answers
Was Picasso chased out of town after unveiling Guernica?
In multiple interviews, Lana Wachowski has told this story:
Picasso, when he revealed Guernica, was actually chased to the train station by an angry mob.
—The Wachowskis | DePaul VAS
But we knew, we knew just as the way Picasso was hunted and…
Subatomic Tripod
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10
votes
0 answers
Is there any historical basis to the four Toltec agreements?
Mexican author Miguel Ruiz published a best-selling self-help book called The Four Agreements, claiming to be based on ancient Toltec wisdom. The four agreements are as follows:
Be Impeccable With Your Word
Don't Take Anything Personally
Don't Make…
Capi Etheriel
- 201
- 3
10
votes
0 answers
Were Japanese authorities cracking down on adult themed entertainment in preparation for the 2020 Olympics?
From a Reddit post:
Getting quite a few news about Tokyo cracking down on Lolis, hentai, hentai games, boob sizes, cosplay conventions and recently have their eyes set on an Imouto theme cafe...
What's going on? There are rumors that all this is…
Sad CRUD Developer
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9
votes
2 answers
Is it common that North Americans who call themselves 'vegetarian' eat fish?
There's an article titled Vegetarians Who Eat Fish Are Actually Onto Something which says,
I’m out besmirching Malibu’s pristine sands to decide if pescetarianism—a vegetarian diet supplemented only by fish—has more to it than guilt-free sushi.…
cnst
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8
votes
0 answers
Does "dressing for the job you want" help promotion?
There is a saying:
Dress for the job you want, not the one you have.
I have always understood this as implying that this is a way to help attain "the job you want".
This article references a fairly recent poll from executives, but I'm not sure how…
zr00
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