For me—being the cynical, skeptical, life-long learner that I am—discovering Adam Conover and his show, "Adam Ruins Everything" was basically a blessing. Not only have I learned about things I've never considered before, I also learned that there are many myths I've believed to be "factual" my whole life without ever doing any research, or even wondering why I had faith in them in the first place. If you're reading this article, you've taken the first step in accepting that you've been wrong about some things, and that's okay! After all, you're only human (presumably) and it's in our nature to make mistakes.
1. Start your day off with a healthy breakfast, minus that glass of orange juice
This might not come as news to some people—there seems to be a growing awareness of processed foods as of late—but I had no idea the process of transferring orange juice from inside the fruit to inside a bottle was this complicated or unnatural. I would have assumed orange juice was one of the healthier processed drinks: after all, on the carton, "there's a straw right in the orange."
2. For a slightly healthier drink option, try some curdled milk
Though I wouldn't personally recommend consuming dairy products, if that's what you do, you should know that the expiration dates on some of your food items are more of a scam than a scientific calculation. While the sell-by date shouldn't be completely ignored, make sure to double check your expired foods rather than immediately running to the store for more.
3. If you're working an unpaid summer internship, don't: it's illegal
While the promise of real-life work experience and an eventual job offer may be intriguing, keep in mind that unpaid work is illegal under the guidelines of the Department of Labor. Some good points made by Adam and Robert Reich (the former Secretary of Labor) are that any "experience" gained by interns doesn't make them any more desirable to potential employers, and that if you're working for free, you're likely still financially dependent on someone else.
4. If you are working a paying job, remember that communicating your wages with coworkers is legal and ENCOURAGED
By spreading the false idea that it's illegal to discuss what you make with other employees, employers have put you in a position where they can pay you whatever they want, regardless of whether or not it's an accurate compensation for your labor. Because we feel so uncomfortable discussing our salaries with our peers, companies are free to arbitrarily discriminate against their employees, and if we're not sure how much others in our same position are making, we're less likely to ask for a raise (even when we deserve it).
5. If you work in the food industry, you might be appalled to learn that you shouldn't receive tips
It isn't because you don't deserve them: it's because it's a way for restaurants to avoid paying you what you should actually be making. People from other countries are astounded when they come to America only to be forced to come up with a weird, arbitrary tip percentage in their head. Once I learned that tipping is a greedy tradition best left in the past, I felt the same way.
6. Looking to tie the knot with your partner soon? Don't bother with an engagement ring
As most of us have probably speculated when perusing a jewelry store, the prices of engagement, wedding, and sometimes even promise rings are unusually high. There's a reason for that, and surprise surprise, it originated when a company looking to make some extra cash from couples convinced everyone that their engagement rings were a necessary part of marriage.
7. On that note, you should probably skip the entire ceremony
Basically, it's safe to assume that most of our time-honored and sacred traditions actually got their start from greedy companies. This applies to white dresses, wedding catering, decorations, and practically everything else. If you're looking to thrive—or even survive—in today's economy, it's important to reconsider the question, "do we really need floral centerpieces on every table?"
8. Don't be upset if your wedding guests don't get you anything: the practice of gift-giving benefits no one
It can be a welcome surprise to unwrap a household item or an appliance on your birthday. But when it comes to buying frivolous stocking stuffers or miscellaneous trinkets, it makes the most sense to leave them on the store shelf. When you give your friend something you expect them to love and it turns out not to be a big hit, you've basically flushed your hard-earned money down the toilet.
9. Unless you're deficient in certain vitamins or minerals, taking supplements can make you less healthy
While some vitamins and minerals are healthy in low doses, giving your body too much can make you sick or leave you with long-lasting health issues. Even multivitamins are a scam.
10. If you do need supplements, please don't wash them down with eight cups of water
I'm ashamed to admit that I've believed this lie for years and never once questioned it. I even spent money on my own huge jug to track my daily water intake! But the myth that science has proven you should drink eight cups of water per day was actually created by drinking water manufacturers. It's healthier to drink only when you're thirsty, especially if you play sports regularly. Don't believe me? Watch the video.
11. Don't worry if you have a low IQ score, because IQ tests don't measure intelligence
The IQ test was originally used to test the proficiency of French kindergardeners and was later (inaccurately) re-purposed as a test that to measure someone's overall intelligence. However, intelligence is not easily measured, if at all. Do with this tidbit what you will.
12. Speaking of arbitrary tests, stop identifying yourself as an INTJ, an ENFP, or an ISTP
While it can be fun to let an online, scientific-sounding test tell you about your personality, the Myers-Briggs test has no scientific or psychological basis. This test was finalized by two novelists in 1944, but its original creator eventually explained that the whole test is basically an arbitrary game.
13. We do know where our soul goes when we die
In my all-time favorite "Adam Ruins Everything" episode, Adam explains why so many cultures believe in life after death. Our brain can't comprehend the idea of eternal unconsciousness and its own decay, so it concludes that there must be something else waiting for us on the other side. There are different spiritual reasons to believe in an afterlife—after all, many find it to be more of a depressing thought than a comforting idea—and we have many reasons to have faith in those ideas (some might say, we don't have a choice). As for me, I take solace in the first law of thermodynamics: matter can neither be created nor destroyed, only transformed.
14. Most importantly, trying to persuade someone to understand a different perspective doesn't work
Considering the fact that "Adam Ruins Everything" exists with the sole purpose of disproving commonly-held beliefs with facts, the stars of the truTV show know best that attempting to get people to see a different perspective often backfires. If someone isn't open to new perspectives or facts, being proven wrong acts as a blow to their ego. This is an unfortunate reality, but it's evident within the growing divide we currently face. We as a population must either overcome this fear of being wrong, or who knows what state we'll be in in the near future.
These are just a few of my favorite Adam Conover videos, with takeaways that I essentially think about on a daily basis. I hope some of these videos have given you a new perspective on a few things—be they the biology of death, or the processing of orange juice—and if you liked these videos, please feel free to indulge in a couple more.
