Budrys Reflex

The protective response that erases the knowledge of a truth that contradicts a Widely Believed Fact to prevent the painful effects of Cognitive Dissonance. Simply put, the way people will immediately forget the truth about something if they prefer to believe the more popular theory or idea - Most commonly seen in conspiracy theorists, the Tinfoil Hat Brigade and in political discussions. Derived fromt he name Algis Budrys, SF writer, who wrote a story about mental and physical supermen who were ignored by the public for their acheivements by a similar effect in the story 'Nobody Bothers Gus'.