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Original poster

Things you assumed and were astonished to find out you were completely wrong

1000 replies

Cattery · 04/09/2024 21:27

For example: The Elgin Marbles. Heard these mentioned from time to time over the years. Always pictured marbles; kids’ marbles. Then I heard they were something to do with Greece and I’ve always thought Elgin was there. Got it all completely wrong

OP posts:
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19
TorroFerney · 05/09/2024 07:26

Stewandsocks · 04/09/2024 21:40

I wondered for years why Trotsky was killed with an ice pick in Mexico - why would the have ice picks, for mountain climbing in Mexico where it's hot, and figured a Russian assassin had brought it over from Russia.

Discovered a few years ago that it was a small icepick used to break up ice in a bar.

Just googled this, it’s a proper ice axe, it’s on display somewhere.

ItsTimeFor · 05/09/2024 07:27

IHaveNoMoreFucksToGive · 04/09/2024 23:18

I used to think that Oral Sex was when you sat around and talked about it in depth....

I eventually found out that wasn't the case

(Thankyou Steve of Whitby)

Favourite one so far!

ThePrologue · 05/09/2024 07:28

imforeverblowingbuttons · 05/09/2024 06:38

There's more than 1???

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Several!

silentassassin · 05/09/2024 07:29

I thought the duck billed platypus was extinct- like the Dodo, was amazed to find out its still alive.

Of course there's the obvious one which I believed for ages - the lyrics of "freed from desire" by Gala "my love has got no money, he's got his trombolyse" (which is clearly a musical instrument)

TorroFerney · 05/09/2024 07:30

napody · 04/09/2024 21:59

So did Adrian Mole!
Which is how I found out they aren't.

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wasnt it his dad? I think he comes rushing downstairs- I read that book a lot!!

imforeverblowingbuttons · 05/09/2024 07:31

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

She is stunning as well

TorroFerney · 05/09/2024 07:33

ISeriouslyDoubtIt · 05/09/2024 01:33

I certainly knew everything on this thread, many of which are absolutely basic general knowledge which I thought everyone would know, even children would know a lot of it, so it's surprising when adults don't.
If you read widely, both fiction and non-fiction, from childhood onwards, read newspapers, listen to an intelligent radio station eg radio 4 or world service, go to museums, art galleries etc, keep up with a bit of popular culture, have friends and family with wide-ranging interests which they talk about, and grow up in that type of environment, then you're highly likely to have excellent general knowledge.

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If you are a voracious reader have you never pronounced something in your head and when you’ve heard it said out loud it’s different? How do you pronounce moet for example as in the champagne?

Wilfrida1 · 05/09/2024 07:34

I always thought St Michael's Mount and Mont St Michel were the same thing, and depending on whether you accessed them from England or France, decided what it was called.

Perfectly logical!

Motnight · 05/09/2024 07:35

HanarCantWearSweaters · 04/09/2024 21:28

That Frank Sinatra was black.

🤣🤣🤣🤣

soupfiend · 05/09/2024 07:35

For those worrying about thinking about Carlisle being in Scotland, bear in mind the English/Scottish border has changed several times over many centuries and so at a couple of points it was part of Scotland, so you were right (in medieval times!)

QuirkyEagle · 05/09/2024 07:35

HeyPrestoAlakazam · 04/09/2024 22:57

Was anyone else, as a child, scared of the "Doomsday Book"?

I believed it was some sort of "Neverending Story" book that was cursed and if anyone found it and opened it, the world would end as it would set off the Doomsday Clock and we'd only have as many seconds left to live as the clock was currently pointing to.

When I'd try and talk about my fears of the "Doomsday Book" ever being found. My Mum, who had a very poor education and had no idea what I was going on about, told me that "it's all a superstitious load of nonsense".

The week we covered the Domesday Book in History in Year 8, I asked to be excused as I had "very bad anxiety about the end of the world". My Mum agreed I should be excused and called to discuss it with my form tutor. My Dad insisted I attend and "put these fears to rest". My History teacher, naturally, thought we were all batshit and, luckily, educated me.

I'm starting to realise I'm so much thicker than I ever realised.

Literally crying with laughter. Thank you.

YeahComeOnThen · 05/09/2024 07:35

Noshowlomo · 04/09/2024 22:49

I live in South Wales, I thought it was near me 😲😵‍💫

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@Noshowlomo

understandable my friend, understandable

TorroFerney · 05/09/2024 07:40

GingerLiberalFeminist · 05/09/2024 07:03

Sorry, why did everyone think Roy Orbison was blind?
I always thought Matisse was blind from birth and that's why his art was so blocky. Turns out he went blind as an old man.

Did he wear sunglasses in a video. I can remember someone telling me and I’m sure i wasn’t at the same school as the other poster.

Wilfrida1 · 05/09/2024 07:41

ISeriouslyDoubtIt · 04/09/2024 23:09

I just can't believe how people get through their lives not knowing the most simple basic general knowledge of Britain and the world. Thinking the Elgin marbles are actual marbles, the Falkland Islands are in Scotland, that Harrogate is coastal, that film scenes are filmed in the order they appear on screen and numerous other things have got to be a wind-up, how do people manage not knowing this very simple stuff.

Actually, a lot of misconceptions can arise because a very early and voracious reader may well be able to read the words, enjoy the story and get the gist of bits they are unsure about, but simply don't have the experience and maturity to fully comprehend the hard facts, and don't actually recognise that they have misunderstood.

The phrase 'you don't know what you don't know' is so true.

AnneKipankitoo · 05/09/2024 07:45

GingerLiberalFeminist · 05/09/2024 07:03

Sorry, why did everyone think Roy Orbison was blind?
I always thought Matisse was blind from birth and that's why his art was so blocky. Turns out he went blind as an old man.

I saw Roy wearing sunglasses on Top of the Pops. I had never seen people wear sunglasses indoors apart from blind people.
It was probably in the 1970s.

napody · 05/09/2024 07:45

TorroFerney · 05/09/2024 07:30

wasnt it his dad? I think he comes rushing downstairs- I read that book a lot!!

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I thought it was Adrian's geography homework to find and draw them? But you've given me an excellent excuse to reread- it's been a while! Funniest book of all time.

Idratherbepaddleboarding · 05/09/2024 07:46

Hazeby · 04/09/2024 22:01

There was a previous thread on this and someone said they thought the channel tunnel would run along the sea floor and you’d be able to see the fish. Still makes me laugh - sorry if you’re reading this!

As a child, I didn’t think it was see through, but I did think it sat on the sea floor!

I can never get my head round Glenridding being in the Lake District, not Scotland and I only live an hour away from it!

LuluBlakey1 · 05/09/2024 07:46

thereiscustardinthejamtart · 04/09/2024 21:39

Similarly, County Durham is not in Ireland.

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😂

LaMarschallin · 05/09/2024 07:49

AnneKipankitoo

I saw Roy wearing sunglasses on Top of the Pops. I had never seen people wear sunglasses indoors apart from blind people.

Yup, that's why I thought it too.

AnneKipankitoo · 05/09/2024 07:49

AnneKipankitoo · 05/09/2024 07:45

I saw Roy wearing sunglasses on Top of the Pops. I had never seen people wear sunglasses indoors apart from blind people.
It was probably in the 1970s.

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Also Peters and Lee… he wore dark glasses. I think he was blind.

SunnieShine · 05/09/2024 07:53

musicalfrog · 04/09/2024 22:11

That daylight savings is for 7 months of the year and not 6. I thought it was half the year for decades.

I only worked that out a couple of years ago.

susiedaisy1912 · 05/09/2024 07:54

That a Mule was a cross between a female horse and a male donkey and that they are sterile so can't reproduce.

ThatAgileLimeCat · 05/09/2024 07:54

Roy Orbison wasn't blind? 🤯. Guess I finally understand how he knew the woman walking down the street was pretty 🤣

LaMarschallin · 05/09/2024 07:54

Wilfrida1

Actually, a lot of misconceptions can arise because a very early and voracious reader may well be able to read the words, enjoy the story and get the gist of bits they are unsure about, but simply don't have the experience and maturity to fully comprehend the hard facts, and don't actually recognise that they have misunderstood.

Very true.
DH says his parents were asked a few searching questions about the reading material available at home after he used the word "ejaculated" for "exclaimed" on a couple of occasions in essays at school.
The "reading material available" turned out to be things like Sherlock Holmes stories and books by authors like Rider Haggard. "Ejaculated" was being used quite correctly for a mode of speech in them.

LaMarschallin · 05/09/2024 07:58

AnneKipankitoo

Also Peters and Lee… he wore dark glasses. I think he was blind.

Pretty sure he was. Had lost/didn't have sight in one eye, then had an accident and lost the sight of the other?
🎶 Welcome home, we-elcome, come on in and close the door 🎵
Oh dear.
Today's earworm.

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