simplyeric comments on Rationality Quotes: January 2011 - Less Wrong

2 Post author: wedrifid 03 January 2011 05:24AM

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Comment author: simplyeric 05 January 2011 05:41:49PM 1 point [-]

Technically off-topic...but I've never understood why people think turkeys can't fly. I've even seen an ornithologist quoted in the NYTimes saying it (when a live turkey was found on an upper level balcony). Maybe it's just domesticated turkeys...but I've definitely seen wild turkeys fly (and no, it's got nothing to do with the whiskey).

Which brings me to an interesting (to me) question: why do people base a piece of "wisdom" on a reference that is untrue to begin with?

[and in closing: You don't win friends with salad.]

Comment author: MichaelGR 05 January 2011 07:21:04PM 1 point [-]

That's a good question. If I had to guess, I would say that most people used to be familiar with the domestic turkey that is being fattened for thanksgiving dinner (or whatever), and those probably can't fly very well, if at all.