Are ‘Flat Earthers’ real? It’s all one big joke, right? Right?!

[Bezukhov]

In 2015, Umberto Eco gave a lecture in the University of Turin about Internet and social networks. He said, “Social media gives legions of idiots the right to speak when they once only spoke at a bar after a glass of wine, without harming the community. Then they were quickly silenced, but now they have the same right to speak as a Nobel Prize winner. It’s the invasion of the idiots”.

I remember being somewhat critical of this point of view, back then. But he was right when he, Eco, said that people need to be educated on the use of the Internet and social networks.

Regarding 'flat earthers', what strikes me the most is the media coverage they actually get. Of course most of the articles are located in the right column, which is where Italian newspapers usually stock click-bait stories and stuff, but still...

[Oniya]

In 2015, Umberto Eco gave a lecture in the University of Turin about Internet and social networks. He said, “Social media gives legions of idiots the right to speak when they once only spoke at a bar after a glass of wine, without harming the community. Then they were quickly silenced, but now they have the same right to speak as a Nobel Prize winner. It’s the invasion of the idiots”.

I remember being somewhat critical of this point of view, back then. But he was right when he, Eco, said that people need to be educated on the use of the Internet and social networks.

Regarding 'flat earthers', what strikes me the most is the media coverage they actually get. Of course most of the articles are located in the right column, which is where Italian newspapers usually stock click-bait stories and stuff, but still...

I'm now envisioning Foucault's Pendulum written with the inclusion of full social media instead of just the single desktop that they used.

[Bezukhov]

I'm now envisioning Foucault's Pendulum written with the inclusion of full social media instead of just the single desktop that they used.

Well, it's not quite what you're envisioning, but he did publish some sort of Foucault's Pendulum 2.0 before he passed away: Numero Zero.

[LostInTheMist]

The flat Earth idea is the same as the moon landing hoax idea. Both can be disproved through direct observation with a minimal level of science understanding needed. There are mirrors on the moon (retroreflectors) left by astronauts, and shining a light at them (a precise enough light) will cause them to reflect the light back. Though unless you have an insane amount of luck, you need someone standing where the reflection is returned to receive the return signal (which incidentally proves that the moon is a sphere, but as far as I'm aware, flat-Earthers don't deny that.)

Simple geometry proves the Earth is a sphere. It's been well known since well before Columbus. The idea that everyone else thought the Earth was flat and Columbus believed it was a globe was a myth that was taught as fact in a lot of classes, because it was easier to swallow than the truth that Columbus was both terrible at math and terrible at navigation.

Someone mentioned eclipses too. There's no way to explain eclipses with flat-earth beliefs. I think it involves a phantom planet known as "Nemesis" or something? I've never been entirely clear as to that.

[Skynet]

This is from the HBomberguy video linked earlier, but this is distilled into one powerful minute.

A Flat Earther belonging to Globebusters accidentally proved that the Earth is round with their own test. In spite of briefly registering this, the filmmaker pretended that this never happened and insisted that they had lost footage of a second attempt proving themselves right.

[JessicaHouse]

They are definitely real, and some of them are geniuses. The thing about conspiracy theories and alternative beliefs like this is that they are basically mental exercises which take surprisingly intelligent people to understand and/or wrap their heads around. Some people are just agreeing with the whole "Flat-Earth" conspiracy theory for silly reasons, but some are remarkably brilliant and very interesting to listen to. Someone I know is a Flat-Earther, and I would guess his I.Q. is off the charts.

[Skynet]

I referenced this in another thread, but the susceptibility in belief of conspiracy theories is not tied to intelligence or lack thereof but either the people being socially isolated or living in a society where a dominant cultural force is shutting out legitimate avenues of information on a certain subject. Copy-pasta below:

A lot of conspiracy theorists are often people who either

a.) are some form of societal outcast or felt society has failed them, so end up falling for alternative explanations of the world as a means of rejecting said society
b.) have a hard life and need an outlet to blame their problems
c.) have a personality type which lends itself to unconditional trust of an authority figure, which can being a conspiracy theorist
d.) are part of a society and culture where a government and/or religious institutions are propping up said conspiracy theory, and penalties for going against the grain can result in legal penalties and social alienation.

As a result, deprogramming these people requires finding out what's going on in their personal lives (economic, social, etc) and finding a fix to them. When they're not going through high levels of stress and alienation they may be able to see things more clearly.

In regards to D this requires different tactics beyond the scope of this thread, as even if they form doubts they cannot express such things publicly if doing so means they'll be thrown in jail without a trial or have their resulting friends and family cut off all contact with them.

[Twisted Crow]

Saw this and thought of this thread. Mainly thought to share for a smile and some laughs about this and other related things. Its stand-up comedy, but I feel that it is worth watching beyond just Flat Earth humor.

What makes me smile about this guy is his take on "Everyone is some kind of dumb." Which is something I have embraced for a long time. That people have this petty fear of being seen as an idiot... when, in reality, pretty much all of us are idiots about something in life.

FYI: Linking this because swears and drops a few F-Bombs here and there. So... mind how you view this if you are at work or something. 

Chris Porter on Flat Earth, People, Intelligence, Etc.

[Humble Scribe]

I realise this is a deadish thread, but I came across this video recently, and I thought it was very interesting. It's long, but rewards some patience - it takes a swerve around 37 minutes in that ties Flat Eartherism in to other conspiracy stuff like QAnon, which seems to have become the Grand Unified Conspiracy Theory, able to hold all other conspiracy theories within it, even completely contradictory ones. The maker makes some points that seemed quite reasonable to me, and go some way to explaining why this stuff is so pervasive and why you can't argue with it (or at least, can't persuade people out of it).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTfhYyTuT44

[Haibane]

Interesting video though I feel he could have made his point just as strongly in half the time. The video of lake Minnewanka was breathtaking, in particular the tourist boat.

[HannibalBarca]

I think the length of the video is necessary, and, in many ways, proves his point.  The world is more complex than the QAnon believers think, and laying it out takes some time.  Honestly, I haven't seen a more thorough deconstruction of the authoritarian mindset in a long time.  It moves past the symptoms to point out the disease very clearly.