Why lies beat the truth... and what to do about it

Here's one theory:

http://chronicle.com/blogs/percolator/why-lies-often-stick-better-than-truth/31048?cid=at&utm_source=at&utm_medium=en

Some great examples:

Vaccines cause autism.

http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2810%2960175-4/fulltext#

President Obama was born abroad.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0211/49554.html

There's no such thing as global warming.

http://chronicle.com/article/Social-Scientists-Seek-Ways/131780/

Here's a handbook for helping you debunk baloney:

http://www.skepticalscience.com/Debunking-Handbook-now-freely-available-download.html

"Chase after the truth like all hell and you'll free yourself, even though you never touch its coattails."

--- Clarence Darrow

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarence_Darrow