Lies We Love to Tell

The article “Urban Legends: Lies We Love to Tell” by Martha Brockenbrough begins with a story of one of the author’s friends who spent so much time on the computer that her fingers turned black and fell off. The doctor discovered that the cable access emits deadly waves that can turn your fingers gangrenous if you are exposed long enough. Three other internet users have experienced this around the world. A college in England had already known this fact since 1982, but politicians ordered a major cover up. Of course, none of this story was true. The author made the whole thing up.
According to Brunvand, an urban legends expert whom Brockenbrough received her information, “we are eager to believe these stories because:
They seem like they may be true. Either someone we trust is telling it, or it happened to a FOAF (friend of a friend).
They’re good stories--scary or memorable or funny.
They carry a message, one that confirms a world view.”
All of the above apply to why we pass on urban legends as well, along with the addition of the “just in case” clause. People want to tell the story just in case it is true, so they can spare a friend of the unfortunate consequences of the story.

Brockenbrough, Martha. “Urban Legends: Lies We Love to Tell.” MSN Encarta Columns Web.30 Apr 2009 .