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26 Myths That Might Have Originated Because People With Poor Eyesight Had No Access To Glasses, As Shared On Twitter
Some argue that there are normal question, and then there are stupid questions. Others say there are no stupid questions at all. I say there are questions that need to be asked, and then there are questions that nobody asked, but it’s nice there are discussions around it.
TikToker @ShowerThoughtsWMike pointed out that people often forget that there was once a time when glasses weren’t a thing, which potentially explains many historical myths and legends.
And this raises a good question—what is a myth that ended up being a result of poor eyesight? While we can’t say for sure, the internet sure as hell tried to speculate on the question, giving rise to a pretty fun Twitter thread.
Image Credits: ShowerThoughtsWMike
Check out some of the best, weirdest, and most thought-provoking myths people pointed out in the curated list below, and while you’re at it, why not vote, comment, and suggest your own myths that could’ve been due to someone sucking at using their visual organs.
More Info: Twitter
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i- you have officially crushed my dreams 😃
A chatty redhead that just wants you to take your damn shoes off
Well he’s been a horse..so I guess a dragon’s not that difficult?
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I always just figured some ancient bloke found a pterodactyl skeleton and was like, “it’s a dragon!!!”
With the number of dinosaur fossils found in China it is quite likely that the dragon was an explanation for all those strange huge bones that turned up from time to time.
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There is pretty strong evidence that the Chinese dragon originated as Sauropod dinosaurs. Those are the gigantic ones with the really long necks, spines, and tails. The oldest archeological evidence of the Chinese dragons are found in the same part of China that is one of the best fossil beds for finding those dinosaurs now. A Huanghetitan (lpng necked dinosaur) was found after a flash flood revealed the bones literally within visual distance of an excavation of a Yangshao (~5000BC) village.
The Qilin as explained to me by my parents, aunties - all of Chinatown (yes. I'm Chinese.) - was essentially the Chinese equivalent of a Unicorn. (hence the hooves, you can even see it in the image for this entry). Head ended up being dragon-like probably because the mish-mash animal had some 'body parts' that were crossovers with Chinese Dragons. Where I am they usually call it "Kirin" instead of Qilin (same thing, different dialects/phonetic usage) I just think they liked mishmashing animals.
Kinda looks like those old illustrations of the Arthurian questing beast
Mountain lions scream like a woman when in heat. It is terrifying if you don't know what it is.
Prophets and such could have been people with awful eyesight seeing some things blend a little
Was at the dinosaur exhibit once at a museum in the city and they had recently added a pterodactyl to the collection. I was looking up at it and thinking to myself that I’d probably hide if I saw something that big coming towards me, when a woman next to me says “Imagine that thing flying over you and taking a dump..” I actually imagined that for a couple of seconds and then cracked up laughing. I think I said you’d probably want to make sure you could swim..
Stop ruINING ALL THR MAGICAL THINGS I BELIEVED IN, OKAY? Like, DON'T TELL ME DRAGONS WITH THE BIG WINGS AND FIRE BREATH NEVER EXISTED. Although in all honesty I would make these mistakes without my glasses.
I don't even need glasses and I've sometimes mistaken a coat hanging in a weird place for a shadow person when I was tired/distracted enough.
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The Cyclops was created from ancient fossilized mammoth skulls, where the nose is, looks like one huge eye socket
I'm expecting future scientists to think it was actually a mamoswine's skull
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If there is ever a zombie invasion I know I won’t make it long. I am blind AF and either my contacts will dry up and fall out eventually or if I luckily am wearing my glasses they will eventually fall off or break. At this point I can’t even see a wall or a tree in front of me so I am toast. I think about this. Insert any apocalyptic scenario of your liking.
This brings up a point to counter this "theory", in ancient times, unless their had family to help them, death at a young age was the most likely fate of those with poor eyesight. Such people would not be wandering around alone in dangerous environments where they might "see" and report on something strange. Besides, everyone who knew them would know they had bad eyes and be unlikely to believe them.
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Egyptian mythology is pretty easy to explain: They were way into furries
A fair number of people were stoned from time to time. Ergot in Rye bread can give people skookum halucinations. There is a fellow who was made a saint for constantly battling demons. He is now thought to have been stoned on bad rye.
This is the only logical explanation for the batshit nonsense in the Grimm tales!
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In ancient China, it was believed that years of doing intricate embroidery led to loss of vision. No, it was presbyopia.
Doing acid when you're short sighted with no glasses is like you have a wall in front of your face.
Stop ruINING ALL THR MAGICAL THINGS I BELIEVED IN, OKAY? Like, DON'T TELL ME DRAGONS WITH THE BIG WINGS AND FIRE BREATH NEVER EXISTED. Although in all honesty I would make these mistakes without my glasses.
I don't even need glasses and I've sometimes mistaken a coat hanging in a weird place for a shadow person when I was tired/distracted enough.
Load More Replies... The Cyclops was created from ancient fossilized mammoth skulls, where the nose is, looks like one huge eye socket
I'm expecting future scientists to think it was actually a mamoswine's skull
Load More Replies... If there is ever a zombie invasion I know I won’t make it long. I am blind AF and either my contacts will dry up and fall out eventually or if I luckily am wearing my glasses they will eventually fall off or break. At this point I can’t even see a wall or a tree in front of me so I am toast. I think about this. Insert any apocalyptic scenario of your liking.
This brings up a point to counter this "theory", in ancient times, unless their had family to help them, death at a young age was the most likely fate of those with poor eyesight. Such people would not be wandering around alone in dangerous environments where they might "see" and report on something strange. Besides, everyone who knew them would know they had bad eyes and be unlikely to believe them.
Load More Replies... Egyptian mythology is pretty easy to explain: They were way into furries
A fair number of people were stoned from time to time. Ergot in Rye bread can give people skookum halucinations. There is a fellow who was made a saint for constantly battling demons. He is now thought to have been stoned on bad rye.
This is the only logical explanation for the batshit nonsense in the Grimm tales!
Load More Replies... In ancient China, it was believed that years of doing intricate embroidery led to loss of vision. No, it was presbyopia.
Doing acid when you're short sighted with no glasses is like you have a wall in front of your face.
