Only but a matter of choice

Are urban legends true or not? David Mikkelson, creator of Snopes, an investigative internet community about urban legends would say that they are possible but unlikely. They are sensationalized, distorted and often exaggerated versions of reality. Urban legends often have a basis for their stories but its how people react and use this knowledge after the story is told that gives them much interest. Most urban legends though detailed, do not have sufficient evidence to prove that they are indeed believable. Amidst all these facts, people tend to believe these stories as absolute truths.
Why do people believe these tales? The answer lies on the nature of man to need retribution from those who abuse their power or rights. Be it in the form of an unfaithful husband who finds himself in a tub of ice with his kidneys removed, after he flirts with a beautiful girl from his business trip or the girl who drives with her boyfriend to a park and then encounters a lunatic holding her boyfriend's head, man has always needed to instill fear to those who do wrong. Believing in these stories would make one act accordingly with one's encounters with others, with himself and the things around him.
The choice to believe in the accuracy of these urban legends depends on the person who hears them. It is an amazing thought how these stories can evoke with such strong emotions and reactions from people. They scare, amuse, and draw people together by the tradition of storytelling. In the end, the question lies not on the validity of the stories told but on how it affects the people and how it reflects the society who makes these tales. Be it one is an avid listener of urban legends or a skeptic, the spread of various forms of these legends proves that it has successfully accomplished its main which is to entertain.