Dear lemmy, someone very close to my heart is starting to fall into conspiracy theories. It’s heartbreaking. Among other things, he has now told me that soy beans are not supposed to be consumed by human beings and is convinced that despite the literal centuries of human soy bean cultivation and consumption, we shouldn’t eat it or anything derived from it for this reason (ie tofu, soy sauce, etc…evidence that soy is present in other common foods doesn’t seem to register with him).

I don’t even know where he got this information from and can’t find a single source to back it up (even disingenuously). I’ve tried explaining to him that sure, in its original state it’s not edible, but undergoes processing (LIKE MANY OTHER FOODS) to become edible. And that this has gone on since at least the 11th century, so it’s not like Big Soy is trying to poison the little people.

He’s normally a very reasonable and intelligent person, and I don’t know how to reach him. I thought it might be helpful to show him where these myths have come from with hard data sources to prove it. He seems open to the possibility, so I don’t think he’s a lost cause yet!

Help?

  • @ThePac
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    218 months ago

    I wonder if soy taking over as farmable crop has anything to do with it. Pissed some conservative farmers off and they started rumors.

    • @AA5B@lemmy.world
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      148 months ago

      Sure, like that KFC rumor in Korea. Apparently KFC can no longer use “Chicken” in the name because they use genetically modified birds with no feathers to make processing easier.

      Apparently started by Korean chicken farmers hurt by competition with commercial farming and somehow believed.by certain people

      • @A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        Thats a new one.

        The one I’ve always heard is that KFC using genetically engineered chickens with multiple legs and wings (and thus more breasts and thighs) to get more meat per chicken to satisfy demands.

        • @Corkyskog@sh.itjust.works
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          38 months ago

          That’s harder to believe. With the other example all you have to do is take a video of a plucked chicken and say “found one”

          • @A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.world
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            28 months ago

            Never underestimate idiots who will believe anything that aligns with their preconceived notions.

            Just gotta look at right wing politics and their supporters for enough proof of that.