No, Edison alone did not invent the light bulb. No, Benjamin Franklin did not discover electricity flying a kite. No, DNA was not "seen in a dream." Why do we do this stuff? What benefit do we get from rewriting history other than self-aggrandizement or false comfort?

Comfort is a huge part of it for sure. Starts as distilling complex things down for kids, which is good as long as it's expanded on later. Except it's never expanded on, unless you're seeking it out. And therefore... here we are.