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What is Zohnerism Parody | How Not To Be a Victim Of Zohnerism Parody

Why do we require to avoid viewing too much of breaking news & panel debates on Indian TV news channels nowadays!?
Breaking news and panel debates have been dominating Indian TV for the last few days. All of them are supporters of Zohnerism Parody!
The tone of voice on Indian TV news channels has changed a lot lately. This is largely due to Zohnerism’s supporters gaining more and more power in the media industry as they take over most panel discussions, which seem like an easy way to promote their agenda without taking any responsibility for it.
When you turn your television set onto one of these channels, all you will hear are negative reactions from people who blindly support whatever this stands for.
What Is This Infamous Theory Of Zohnerism?
Zohnerism is all about the spinning of simple facts to mislead people! It’s no wonder that these tactics are quickly spreading.
The internet has made it easier than ever for anyone, regardless of skill and knowledge base, to create their own Zohnerisms because they’re often based on soundbites from popular media figures or celebrities who have a lot in common with them.
It is important to know more about this if you want to be successful.
A 14-Year-Old Convinces People to Ban Dihydrogen Monoxide

A high school science fair project from 1997 argued that dihydrogen monoxide should be banned. Nathan Zohner, a junior high student in Idaho had 50 students read his report about DHMO and they all agreed that it is dangerous enough to be banned.
The Washington Post picked up this story and more people became aware of how harmful Dihydrogen Monoxide can be if not dealt with properly
Which is this highly toxic and dangerous chemical substance in question? Dihydrogen monoxide.
Zohner’s presentation was a whirlwind of scientifically accurate testimony and evidence that left his audience stunned.
He revealed that dihydrogen monoxide:
—–Causes critical burns while it’s in gas form.
—–Corrodes and oxidizes metal causing them to rust.
—–Kills innumerable numbers of people annually.
—–It is one of the biggest components in acid rain, cysts, it’s often found in tumors that are removed from cancer patients.
—–Causes excessive urination and bloating if consumed.
—–Zohner additionally noted that the chemical substance can kill you if you depend on it and then undergo an extensive withdrawal.
He then urged his classmates if they wanted to ban dihydrogen monoxide. So, 43 of the 50 children present voted to ban the toxic chemical with immediate effect. However… The truth is that this is a substance that we can’t live without!
In reality, dihydrogen monoxide is nothing but water or pani, which is H2O.
Rather than ban water, Nathan Zohner’s experiment presented how naive people can be instead of a true attempt to do so.
Also, all of the features that Zohner applied to communicate his point were 100% factually correct; he just skewed all of the information in his favor by excluding specific facts.
If being right is difficult, there’s nothing wrong with being wrong. Ignorance is an expensive decision.
When people make the choice to refuse knowledge, they often end up regretting it quickly and paying dearly for their ignorance later on.
In a world where it’s so easy to google, question everything. When you’re faced with an answer that doesn’t seem right or believable, do the research yourself to make sure your belief is based on truth – not just opinion.

When Nathan conducted his experiment “How Gullible Are We?” in 1997, people didn’t have smartphones. They did, however, go to chemistry class, had chemistry books, and had parents with jobs who all studied chemistry from books! They could have even asked their teachers or looked it up on Google, but none of them ever did that and became easy targets.
In his final report, Nathan recorded he was appalled that so many of his friends were so easily fooled.
“I don’t feel comfortable with the current level of understanding,” he said.
In acknowledgment of his experiment, journalist James K. Glassman wrote about the incident in the Washington Post, and even coined the term “Zohnerism” to refer to “the use of a true fact to drive a scientifically and mathematically ignorant society to a misleading conclusion”.
It is amazing that today, we have smartphones, a library larger than Alexandria’s in our pocket, and can find any page or information regarding anything so easily with just a tap of a finger.
Yet, people still get (and allow themselves to be) zohnered on a daily basis when they could have prevented themselves by simply being smarter about their devices
And this transpires a lot more frequently than you believe, particularly when politicians, conspiracy theorists, etc., use proven facts to convince people into accepting false claims. The fact that people can mislead, and be misled so smoothly, is extremely unsettling.
Take for example what is happening in India during the second wave. Media is focussing and feeding on our fear by concentrating their news only on how many have died, instead of focussing on how many have survived. It is highlighting on how many have fallen to covid-19 many have been cured.
Politicians are making mayhem about the lack of medicines but in fact, they are hoarding them and creating panic and releasing the medicines only out of fear when the center orders an audit.
Irresponsible media people like Barkha Dutt, Rajdeep Sardesai, and others like them are all indulging in cheap media tactics to garner higher TRPs for their news channels.
What Should You Do To Not Fall A Victim To Zohnerism’s Parody
“Too much fat is bad for you. Don’t eat any fats.” Yes, too much fat is bad, but the consequence isn’t to stop consuming it altogether. Eating fats provide the body with an excellent source of energy and they can also be used for quick fuel while exercising.
Fats are composed mainly of triglycerides and provide 9 calories per gram compared to carbohydrates that only have 4 calories per gram; this means that those who exercise to lose weight should consume more fat than carbohydrates without overdoing it.
Adding fat to your diet is essential for energy, vitamin absorption, protecting your heart and brain health, and protecting your heart and brain. Just as protein and carbohydrates, fat is a nutrient you need.
Plus, each body has its nuances, so cutting out fats totally from your diet without more research could actually be bad for you. But if I’m selling a no-fat diet, who cares, right?
You care. You should. And that’s why it’s your job to check and verify such claims. It’s easy to spin a correct fact in a way that propels you in whatever direction the manipulator wants to send you. The only answer is to work hard in order not to allow yourself to be manipulated:
- Admit to yourself that you don’t know. You’ll abstain on some occasions to say “I don’t know.” That’s okay; you can, however, educate yourself in private later. Your sensitivity to your ignorance is as necessary as fighting it.
- Respond with “I don’t know” when you don’t know. I understand it’s difficult, but it’s the most liberating phrase in the world which will set you loose from restraint or constraint. If you’re uncertain, practice. “I don’t know, I’ll look it up.”
- Google everything. When you’re not 100% certain what a word signifies, google it. When you require to know where a word arrives from, google it. When you recognize you used to know but are unclear on the details, google it. Seriously. Googling takes ten seconds. Google everything.
- Learn about your prejudices. Hundreds of cognitive prejudices influence our thinking and judgments every conscious second. Reading about them occasionally and brushing up on that information will go a long way.
- When someone debates for one side of a conflict, investigate both. Whether it’s a political issue, a story in the news, or even the matter of where to get lunch, don’t let yourself get pummeled into one corner. Yes, McDonald’s is cheap. Yes, you like their fries. But what about Burger King? What do you prefer and not fancy about both of them?
- When someone rumors in absolutes, add a question mark to every sentence. James Altucher often does this with his thoughts, but it’s uniformly effective in questioning the authority of others. Don’t think in absolutes (a value or principle that is regarded as universally valid or viewed without relation to other things). Think in questions.
Your Takeaway From This Article In The Current Scenario
Zohner’s experiment highlighted how easily gullible masses could be taken in by misleading, fear-mongering scientific information. This rings true in the current scenario where there are different theories being circulated regarding COVID-19 vaccines.
But scientific ignorance isn’t just an issue with kids. The widespread inability and laziness to Google basic facts have kept similar hoaxes and conspiracy theories alive and helped them in taking root in the public imagination today.
The dihydrogen monoxide play has been used many times to point people at their own ignorance. A 1994 version created by Craig Jackson petitions people to “act now” before ending on a truthful yet tongue-in-cheek note: “What you don’t know can hurt you and others throughout the world.”
The following note by Richard Feynman (Nobel prize in physics) still rings true today: “The first principle is that you must not fool yourself — and you are the easiest person to fool.”
We all can learn to differentiate between true and false facts with skepticism and a few basic research skills.
It’s important to never believe everything you hear and keep an open mind when it comes to new information. This way, we can all be sure that our facts are true before spreading them around or believing what someone else says about a topic!
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Thanks for sharing this post as I was totally unaware about this. Your post is really amazing and helpful. I’ll definitely keep the points in mind and take care of it.
Thank you so much for your feedback. I’m glad you liked it.
Oh lord, i was completely unaware about this parody only. The news channels in india turning out to be worst in the world because of the kind of information and way of adding other masala elements. This article opened my eyes and see the adverse effect of it. We should stop immediately. 🤗
Zohnerism Parody is precisely what our media is doing with us. They are making mountains out of molehills and selling us fear. Creating COVID panic post-2021 throughout 2022 and 2023 is a fine example of it.
As someone who left her home country a decade ago, I can totally agree with what you’re saying but in somewhat a similar way. For me, it’s about watching the news in my home country which makes me so paranoid and stressed out about how my family is doing. If I were to believe every piece of news that was out, I’d totally go crazy with fear for my family. Doing your own research, reaching out to the people really involve on whatever scenario it is is important so as not to put too much pressure on something that doesn’t need.
You are on the right path. Always do your research and communicate before believing all that is flashed in the news. 40 % of it is all trash.
The word is completely new to me. It’s true that reporters are trained to just scream and shout on channels these days. I personally don’t watch these discussions. Thank you for sharing.
Zohnerism Parody is precisely what our media is doing with us. They are making mountains out of molehills and selling us fear. Creating COVID panic post-2021 throughout 2022 and 2023 is a fine example of it.
Great article! Zohnerism is a real problem in today’s society, and it’s important to be aware of how to avoid falling victim to it. Your tips on fact-checking, being cautious of sensational headlines, and avoiding sources with a history of spreading misinformation are all excellent. Keep up the good work in educating people about critical thinking.
Thanks, I’m glad you found it helpful.
This is so true and the worst part is you don’t even realise how it is influencing you
All the facts are twisted and turned and manipulated
This post opened my eyes
Thanks, I’m glad you found it helpful.