Why we all need to do more fact-checking 

In preparing for this week's episode of Office Hours on music venues, everyone told me the same thing.  
 
Bands start their tours in Luxembourg to take advantage of our lower tax rate. 
 
As it turns out, the old maxim is right: if you repeat a lie often enough, people will believe it.

Bands and artists do not start their tours in Luxembourg for tax reasons. It’s a zombie myth. It is believed by so many people that you can't kill it. 
 
It is also an example of what psychologists call it the illusory truth effect: repetition makes a statement feel more believable, regardless of whether it’s true. The more familiar it sounds, the more our brains nod along in agreement. 
 
Your head is probably filled with them. "Shaving makes your hair grow back thicker." (It doesn't.) "Wear a hat outside or you will catch a cold." (Viruses don't get to your throat through your head and skull).  
 
We fall for this because our brains evolved to conserve energy, not to fact-check.  
 
The problem with the digital age is that we are bombarded by messages from so many feeds that we become familiar, and start to believe them, very quickly. 
 
Some of these zombie myths get weaponised. Did the myth that the EU banned curvy bananas play a role in the Brexit outcome? It is hard to say, but subconsciously it may have influenced a wavering voter to choose 'leave' because it reinforced their view that Brussels is over-bureaucratic. 
 
The consequence of many of the myths is less than Brexit, but few are consequence-free.  
 
Don't want to take the day off work when an important report is due to look after a sick child? Teach them to wash their hands, not wear a hat.  
 
But with so many zombie myths, where should you start your fact-checking?

 
You can try this week's episode of Office Hours. Not only will you find why bands really come to Luxembourg, you'll also find out why I won't be serving you drinks from behind the Den Atelier bar.

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