Seven Major Hoaxes That Fooled People Around the World
1. A Well-Written History
In 1917, H. L. Mencken published an article titled “A Neglected Anniversary” in the Evening Mail.
Mencken expressed his regret that Americans had missed the 75th anniversary of the modern bathtub’s invention.
The article provided many ostensible facts about the bathtub, such as it being invented in Cincinnati and baths were once outlawed due to doctors’ erroneous beliefs about their possibly hazardous nature.
Mencken had entirely fabricated the bathtub’s history in an attempt to highlight the American public’s naivety.
Unfortunately, his practical lesson was a bit too effective.
Even after admitting he had lied, Mencken’s history of the bathtub continued to persist, being featured in newspapers and multiple references.
Now it seems Menckel’s premonition about the American public was correct after all.
