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Making the unbelievable plausible is a quite a challenge, especially when it is our innate nature as human beings to be skeptical of one another. In order to meet this task with success, it is necessary to have relevant historical … Continue reading →

While people are often ridiculed for creating hoaxes and humbugs, the cooperation from the general public, often allowing these hoaxes to become so well known, must not go unnoticed. The human species tends to be a curious one, searching for … Continue reading →

When it comes to convincing the general public that a hoax is real, con-men would go through anything to ensure a profit that kept the people coming back. Many people would create anything that looks even remotely real to persuade … Continue reading →

Hoaxes, like any other lies, rely predominately on the amount of confidence, detail, and an counter arguements in preparation for scepticism. With regard to hoaxes, which tend to be more far fetched imaginative schemes of deception, certainty of the execusion … Continue reading →

The recipe to a successful hoax requires several important elements, as exemplified by Barnum’s short story, The Life of Joice Heth, the Nurse of George Washington. Although the line between a believable hoax and an unreasonable tale can be ambiguous, … Continue reading →

There are many different tactics that are used to convince the general public of a hoax, however it is how these tactics are carried out that dictate their level of persuasion. In the case of Barnum’s ‘The Life of Joice … Continue reading →

People commonly rely on a myriad of ways to convince people of their hoax being true. Often, these attempts of persuasion attack one’s uncertainty, opening up an entire realm of possibilities. For example, the ocean has not been entirely explored … Continue reading →

Successful hoaxes manage to convince the audience that, despite all of their doubts, the story is believable and true. This is often accomplished by a stretching facts and making comparisons to real events and creatures, using supposed eye-witness testimonies, and … Continue reading →

People try to persuade others that hoaxes are real and among us by relating them to objects or creatures in our world that we know exist. The first strategy they us is to bring up the many different times where … Continue reading →

Barnum’s use of mass media advertising attracted people from all kinds of backgrounds. He got people talking about his newest spectacle and as we would say today Barnum’s spectacles went viral. James Cook quotes Barnum in an interview: “[…] for … Continue reading →