A Flat Earth - Thoughts?

[Xprimentyl]

Two years ago, my best friend of over 15 years became a flat-earther. I thought he was kidding me as we?re notoriously messing with each other with trickery and lies, but he soon inundated me with ?proof? videos and articles, and every time I tried to get him to break character and that I knew he was joking, we got into very heated debates, mostly about my unwillingness to question ?the lies I?d been told.? I was eventually convinced he was serious, and I told him, for the sake of our friendship, to stop talking to me about it, stop sending me videos that I wouldn?t watch, that a flat earth in a dome was a ludicrous idea and that gravity is very much a real fucking thing. I came to terms with the fact that he?s is an idiot, and we?re still friends, but it made me sad because prior to his ?enlightenment,? we used to have great conversations about space, space travel, the possibility of aliens, just the entire incomprehensible marvel that is our universe; now, according to him, the sun revolves around, sorry, ABOVE us? J-effin?-C?

Have any of you had any first-hand experience with flat earthers? Has anyone entertained their ?proofs? and claims? If not, I suggest you do; the absolute authority with which that state shit that is patently wrong is mind blowing. For most rational people, it?s easy to dismiss them, but for curious, rational individuals, it is fascinating to witness the fervor with which they believe what they do and astounding how ironically closed-minded they are to everything that suggests anything other than what they?ve convinced themselves is true. I am by no means an expert in the maths, sciences and theories involved, but those aside, I find it impossible to believe that all of the countries with space programs, and each of the individuals involved in them, could collectively perpetuate a decades-old lie about the shape of the earth.

 

[bluegate]

Wow, sounds like your friend became one of those conspiracy nut jobs, my condolences.

I have no first-hand experience with "flat earthers" as I live in a country where the department of education tries to do a good job and make citizens smarter.

It's a pity that with all the information at peoples' fingertips through the internet, there are still dumb people that don't know how to handle it and start drawing obscenely idiotic conclusions.

 

[CaitSeith]

No, sorry. I don't deal with flat-earthers because I deal with enough absurdly delusional crap in the alt-right discussions to willingly add more real world absurdity to my life.

 

[Chimpzy_v1legacy]

One guy at work was going on about it for a while. Also doesn't believe that we've gone into space at all, let alone to the Moon. Big believer in how a non-specific 'they' are lacing airplane exhaust with deadly amounts of lithium and aluminum. Says he learned that from Youtube[footnote]Cue that clip of J.K. Simmons laughing from Spider-Man 3[/footnote]. Asked why once. Told me he didn't know why, but that I "should think about it". I decided I had better things to do. Honestly, none of us can be bothered anymore. Occasionally, a new guy will engage him, but they learn quickly.

Not sure whether he actually believes it all, or he's just trolling. I'm kinda guessing the latter cuz he's the kind of guy who thinks himself way smarter than he actually is.

 

[Xprimentyl]

I have no first-hand experience with "flat earthers" as I live in a country where the department of education tries to do a good job and make citizens smarter.

Lol, room for one more??

It's a pity that with all the information at peoples' fingertips through the internet, there are still dumb people that don't know how to handle it and start drawing obscenely idiotic conclusions.

Therein lies the rub; most of their proofs COME from the Internet!! More accurately, some of them do ?science? that ?proves? their bullshit, then they put it on the internet where the rest of them eat it up and send sane people like us the ?evidence.? It?s so mind-boggling asinine, I half believe the entire flat earth conspiracy might be some sort of long-running performance art installment or some intellectual experiment being performed by some clandestine order of shadowy and influential people.

 

[Hawki]

But, we DO know that the Earth is flat - why are you being so unreasonable with your friend? 0_0

 

[Xprimentyl]

No, sorry. I don't deal with flat-earthers because I deal with enough absurdly delusional crap in the alt-right discussions to willingly add more real world absurdity to my life.

C?mon, you?ve never had a cut or burn that hurts so much, you find yourself constantly touching it just to marvel at how much it hurts? That?s kinda my take with flat earthers. My YouTube algorithm keeps suggesting their proof (and subsequent debunk) videos and I keep watching in dumfounded amazement at how much ?dumb? found them.

One guy at work was going on about it for a while. Also doesn't believe that we've gone into space at all, let alone to the Moon. Big believer in how a non-specific 'they' are lacing airplane exhaust with deadly amounts of lithium and aluminum. Says he learned that from Youtube[footnote]Cue that clip of J.K. Simmons laughing from Spider-Man 3[/footnote]. Asked why once. Told me he didn't know why, but that I "should think about it". I decided I had better things to do. Honestly, none of us can be bothered anymore. Occasionally, a new guy will engage him, but they learn quickly.

Not sure whether he actually believes it all, or he's just trolling. I'm kinda guessing the latter cuz he's the kind of guy who thinks himself way smarter than he actually is.

Conspiracy for the sake of conspiracy. Just as your coworker can?t rationalize why ?they? do what they do, my friend has some very vague generalities of his own about the ?lies I believe.? I aksed him pointedly: ?What difference would it make if the earth was flat?? It?s not like I can LEAVE it!? His response was simply to shake his head as if he was disappointed in ME, then said if I?d just watch the videos (yep, YouTube videos,) I?d understand.

Sheesh?

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

There are a couple of questions that I would ask them, one being what exactly was the first thing that made them seriously consider the theory for realsies...the initiator of change perhaps. And second; are they a form of fundamentalist Christian? Because it seems like an easy and efficient way of justification for keeping hold of that belief without the pesky worries of scientific research prodding those doubt glands all the time.

Then, a further tactic would be to out-crazy them by trying to convince them of less established conspiracy theories, such as TIME CUBE! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_Cube --- http://timecube.2enp.com/ (that second link is a literal migraine waiting to happen though. So be warned.

Or gang stalking; https://conspiracypsychology.com/2016/06/11/the-psychology-of-gang-stalking-and-the-difference-between-conspiracy-theory-and-delusion/
Which might not be as good an idea if you suspect they may harbour actual psychological issues that encourage such thinking. Time cube is safer. I think.

As for people I know into these things. Hm, not so much. Spent some time in a ward at one point for less than stable people, but even there hadn't talked to anyone who would fall into any of these types of conspiracy theorists.

 

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

I remember meeting a guy at a bar once, he was wasted, and made Fox Mulder look like a glass of water. His big thing was that its not possible to make the technological advancements we've made in the last 10,000 in only 10,000. He's convinced the real year is closer to 1,000,000AD and that the 'Government' had time machines that stopped time for the entire world while they worked on technology.
So while the calendar may be 2018 because that's just what we've accepted, humans have had advanced tech for millions of years and the 'Government' was keeping its citizens in the dark about just how advanced we really are.

Also something about underwater cities for the super rich.

To this day one of the best bar talks I've had with a complete stranger.

 

[Saelune]

I remember meeting a guy at a bar once, he was wasted, and made Fox Mulder look like a glass of water. His big thing was that its not possible to make the technological advancements we've made in the last 10,000 in only 10,000. He's convinced the real year is closer to 1,000,000AD and that the 'Government' had time machines that stopped time for the entire world while they worked on technology.
So while the calendar may be 2018 because that's just what we've accepted, humans have had advanced tech for millions of years and the 'Government' was keeping its citizens in the dark about just how advanced we really are.

Also something about underwater cities for the super rich.

To this day one of the best bar talks I've had with a complete stranger.

Cause time machines are such old tech.

 

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

I remember meeting a guy at a bar once, he was wasted, and made Fox Mulder look like a glass of water. His big thing was that its not possible to make the technological advancements we've made in the last 10,000 in only 10,000. He's convinced the real year is closer to 1,000,000AD and that the 'Government' had time machines that stopped time for the entire world while they worked on technology.
So while the calendar may be 2018 because that's just what we've accepted, humans have had advanced tech for millions of years and the 'Government' was keeping its citizens in the dark about just how advanced we really are.

Also something about underwater cities for the super rich.

To this day one of the best bar talks I've had with a complete stranger.

Cause time machines are such old tech.

I think what he meant is that these time-stopping machines have stopped time for hundreds of thousands of years at a time. So to you and me, the victims of time-stop, time machines were only invented in the last 60s for example. But to the scientist who made them it took them millions of years of stopped-time to perfect it.

Like I said pretty great conversation.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

Spoiler: obligatory

The idea that 'everyone is in on a grand lie' can be intoxicating. Why the fact the Earth is actually flat turned into a popular conspiracy theory will always baffle me.

 

[BreakfastMan]

Spoiler: obligatory

The idea that 'everyone is in on a grand lie' can be intoxicating. Why the fact the Earth is actually flat turned into a popular conspiracy theory will always baffle me.

Redlin, you forget the Ice World theory. That one definitely makes sense and is totally true.

 

[Casual Shinji]

I doubt a lot of these people actually believe that shit -- they just WANT to rebel against the system so badly and not be part of the establishment. They want to feel special, thinking they're onto some big secret. I can assure if they did by some miracle manage to convince the world that the Earth actually is flat, they'd feel the need to try and debunk that and claim it's really a sphere just for the sake of rebeling against the establishment.


Never had any encounters with them myself, thank god. Probably because most of these conspiracy nuts live in America.

 

[The Rogue Wolf]

The idea that 'everyone is in on a grand lie' can be intoxicating.

It takes a lot of pressure off of a person. "My life isn't a failure because of my own stupidity and poor choices; it's because the government is using its massive power to keep me down so that I don't learn the truth!"

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

The idea that 'everyone is in on a grand lie' can be intoxicating.

It takes a lot of pressure off of a person. "My life isn't a failure because of my own stupidity and poor choices; it's because the government is using its massive power to keep me down so that I don't learn the truth!"

If everyone knew the Earth was flat, THEN I could actually afford that Camaro I want oh so bad.
[sub]Still not showering tho, that's how they GET you.[/sub]

 

[Wintermute_v1legacy]

I live quite close to the equator, and it's pretty obvious from here that the Earf is flat. The high murder rate you hear so much about in Brazil is a myth, it's just people falling off the edge.

 

[Marik2]

I remember meeting a guy at a bar once, he was wasted, and made Fox Mulder look like a glass of water. His big thing was that its not possible to make the technological advancements we've made in the last 10,000 in only 10,000. He's convinced the real year is closer to 1,000,000AD and that the 'Government' had time machines that stopped time for the entire world while they worked on technology.
So while the calendar may be 2018 because that's just what we've accepted, humans have had advanced tech for millions of years and the 'Government' was keeping its citizens in the dark about just how advanced we really are.

Also something about underwater cities for the super rich.

To this day one of the best bar talks I've had with a complete stranger.

Sounds like a mix of Bioshock and Deus Ex.

 

[Asita]

Never known a Flat-Earther. I've argued with Creationists, 9/11 "Truthers", and the occasional pro-lifer who went off the deep end and claimed that abortion was in fact nothing more than a stealthy form of ethnic cleansing[footnote]Logic being that African Americans and Latinos have more abortions per year than white people, therefore abortion providers must be deliberately targeting non-white ethnicities. It's...a weird train of thought.[/footnote]. I've been frustrated by more than a few would-be missionaries (of various faiths) who think they have somehow found some simple obvious proof that their religion is objectively true and that every theologian ever has overlooked. But I've never had the misfortune of knowing a Flat-Earther.

 

[EvilRoy]

Have any of you had any first-hand experience with flat earthers? Has anyone entertained their ?proofs? and claims? If not, I suggest you do; the absolute authority with which that state shit that is patently wrong is mind blowing.

If you spend a lot of time with a tripod looking at the sky then they will just sort of find their way to you. If you do long exposure night photography like myself, then you have no options for escape.

I have convinced a number of them that talking is enough to throw off my focus.

I dunno, I think they're all nuts, but what has always perplexed me - similar to the question you asked your friend - is what the hell difference it would even make. Some of them argue that its part of a larger system of control kind of on the Illuminati level, as in, they have lies to hide lies to hide lies all the way down and somehow that turns into "if we rose up and proved the world is flat it would all fall apart". But I find the concept of there being a single worldwide ruling elite even harder to believe than the planet being a pancake. We can't even get ten assholes on a town council to agree on a plan to rezone a landfill - no way anything approaching control could occur through the telephone game across an entire planet.

Beyond that, I've never had a satisfactory response to the pendulum problem, or an explanation as to why they can't just launch a camera in a weather balloon and demonstrate it (something I've done for a little less than $200).