While we are suspicious of these stories, we proceed to pass them on to our friends and family. The reason is because telling stories is so fun. When you recount a modern myth, especially a cool or gory one, everyone is listening to you, waiting on your every word. I mean, you can pull one of these babies out at the bar, at a slumber party or in a classroom waiting for class to start. A modern myth never fails to impress, especially if you make it sound extra convincing.
Modern myths are also great pieces of American folklore.
They let us fantasize that someday we could meet Eddie Murphy in an elevator, or that Donald Trump would pay our debts. As for the scary myths, they let us shiver just a little more than the average ghost story because they sound real. Then when you tell the story to someone else, don't feel guilty. It's not a lie. Erin Walter is a senior in journalism and mass communication from Urbandale.