If you read ancient folklore - fairy tales, fables and legends... no, not carefully edited versions for children in the 19th or 20th centuries, but the original texts - you can be surprised and even amazed at how scary and bloodthirsty they sound. Almost any old fairy tale is quite capable of causing some kind of phobia in a modern person.

But the good thing about the modern world is that today we are trying to understand the true essence of things and people, without always succumbing to their mass perception. And it turns out that certain things, phenomena or groups of people are not as scary as they have been portrayed as being for many years. And then we go to this dedicated thread in the AskReddit community... or read this collection that Bored Panda prepared for you.

More info: Reddit

#1

Vaccines

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#2

In terms of how much we thought it would affect us, probably quicksand.

Image credits: mossadspydolphin

#3

The Bermuda Triangle, particularly with modern navigation equipment.

Image credits: Chairchucker

No, we in no way want to claim that, for example, absolutely all snakes are completely safe, or that you will never become the victim of a plane crash. But the contemporary world is full of data, and on its basis we can conclude that certain species of snakes that live, let's say, in an area where we are planning to travel to are, in fact, not venomous.

Or that the likelihood of getting into a plane crash today is really extremely low. “If you take one flight a day, you would on average need to fly every day for 55,000 years before being involved in a fatal crash,” Executive Flyers quotes Arnold Barnett, who has calculated the chances of a plane crashing, and is an expert in the field of aviation safety and risk and Professor of Statistics at MIT. And now all that remains is to believe in the truth of the statistical data.

#4

Strangers. Most of the violent crimes you hear happen between acquaintances.

Image credits: el_monstruo

#5

People who have no/few friends

Most of the time they're either weird, shy, socially awkward, quiet, or simply just prefer to be alone

Image credits: RadiantHC

#6

Drag Queens

Image credits: Daffneigh

“Our belief in scary stories actually comes from ancient times, when fear was the most important driver of survival for people,” says Volodymyr Nemertsalov, a teacher and school principal from Odessa, Ukraine, whom Bored Panda asked for a comment here. “Ancient people could hardly be convinced by logical arguments, but the classic 'The night is dark and full of horrors!' worked perfectly. Especially in cases where the listeners were small children - by default, more impressionable and gullible.”

“Hence all the numerous horrors of ancient fairy tales. Because, having told the tale of Little Red Riding Hood, the narrator then always added that it is unlikely that the kids would be as lucky to have people passing near their grandma’s hut... and therefore, it is better not to walk through the forest wilderness at all. This worked quite successfully for many centuries, but today it plays a cruel joke on us, because we are accustomed to believing in scary stories - even if they are actually not scary at all," Volodymyr concludes.

#7

Immigrants wanting a better life…

Image credits: Rabid_Stormtroopers

#8

Snakes. People get so freaked out, but come on. It's a noodle with a face. Almost all snakes are non-venomous, and even the ones that are are NOT coming to hunt you down. No snake is coming to get you. If they attack, it's only out of defense - imagine if some gargantuan creature the size of a skyscraper was coming after you! Just leave them to live their lives in peace and they'll do the same to you. They're a huge part of a delicate ecosystem... plus they're cute as hell! Look at a hognose's upturned snoot or a ball python's little puppy dog face and tell me they're not.

Image credits: TenaciousBe

#9

Swimming after eating - I used to fully believe I would drown in seconds if I didn’t wait a full hour before getting back in the water.

Image credits: Kind_Lettuce580

In addition, many myths are often supported at the corporate or even state level - for example, about the risks of nuclear energy. At one time, large oil and gas exporters skillfully took advantage of the accidents at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant, and especially in Chernobyl, so that, for example, many European countries closed their nuclear power plants altogether.

At the same time, the impact of fossil fuels on the environment, as we can now see, turned out to be almost worse than from major accidents at nuclear power plants. Moreover, modern nuclear power plants are built with unambiguous consideration of the negative experience of their predecessors. But fears - fears have not gone away...

#10

Trick or treating on Halloween. Kids are not getting poisoned by candy from strangers.

Image credits: Fishercat5000

#11

Leaving your foot hanging out of the bed covers.

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#12

MSG

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Well, in any case, we expect you to read this selection to its very end, and always remember that any concern should ideally have a rational basis. And be based on facts. Otherwise, it will be like sticking your foot out from under the blanket at night with childhood fears. Although... who knows, maybe it’s better to buy a bigger blanket. Well, you'd just better read and discuss everything in the comments, but as for the blanket - it’s better to just play it safe, isn’t it?

#13

Critical thinking.

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#14

Trans people

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#15

Opossums

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#16

Sharks

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#17

Travelling alone as a woman. So many people looked at me in shock when I told them about my solo trips. Sure, it's not without a risk, but nothing in life is and I'm not gonna miss seeing the world and living life just because I haven't got someone to go with me. And so far I haven't made a single negative experience. The world isn't always as evil as some make it out to be.

Image credits: Ml17W

#18

Flying

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#19

GMOs

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#20

Nuclear power

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#21

Flashing your high beams at someone who doesn't have their headlights on at night. I've done it hundreds of times and I've never been gang-style assassinated

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#22

Hiking. I’ve been shocked at the amount of people who think a bear is about to get them. This even happens in places where bears don’t exist.

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#23

Public transportation. It’s insanely safe by number of miles traveled and most of the security issues come with too few people using it.

Image credits: DeLaRey

#24

Turning the light on in the car.

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#25

Piranha

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#26

Alligators.

Yes, people do get eaten sometimes but as someone who grew up in Florida, they are everywhere and if they were that dangerous there would be an attack every day.

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#27

Foreigners

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#28

I'll throw in beekeeping! Super fulfilling!

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#29

Swallowing gum

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#30

Chicago. They’re barely even in the top 100 most dangerous cities anymore (98th). And yet they’re still the default example of a dangerous city in a lot of people’s minds.

Image credits: PoorCorrelation