A Flat Earth - Thoughts?

[Dirty Hipsters]

Spoiler

Holy crap, I'm seeing 4 South-Americas and 4 Africas in there. Which of course begs the question: which is the evil one?

Obviously the one with the goatee.

 

[Xprimentyl]

Ok, after listening to several +1 hour-long hosted debates between Flat Earther?s and their logical debunkers on YouTube, I?ve come to a pretty shocking conclusion: I think there might be some truth to this whole Flat Earth idea.

Now, now, before you judge, I?m fucking kidding; my brain hurts. But I have decided there?s a dark and sordid side to it all, meaning beyond the mindlessly idiotic, I think there?s some genuine, intentional, cult-like manipulation and God complexes at work. Hearing some of the more ?prominent? flat earthers and their willingly ignoring, inability to refute and outright refusal to face stark facts and evidence put before them, it?s clear there?s some overt narcissism and clinical psychopathy at play; they literally having nothing save for the ability to prey upon the weak-minded. Flat Earth Hero, who sounds completely ignorant before even prescribing the flat earth aspect, posted a video (manifesto) stating his mission to ?bring forth heaven on earth? and ?become a leader.? He also went so far as to put forth a challenge to debunkers in which he promised to pay $100,000 dollars (he looks and sounds like he might have $38 to his name) to anyone who can ?prove? the spherical earth using flight charts. This challenge brought him near instant fame/infamy within the flat earth and debunking communities respectively; it was quickly accepted and beaten, and he?s since back-peddled doing the whole ?no, what I meant was? moving of the goal posts. A YouTuber named Jeran coyly says he just wants people to know ?the truth? and never intended to start a religious-like movement is spreading his truth via his moniker? Jeranism. With +128K followers. And he?s got a Patreon.

There?s a bunch more, and most fall somewhere between clear trolls like Delano (who couldn?t be taken seriously if he tried his hardest) and idiots simply repeating shit trolls, con artists and/or other idiots of have said before, but there are just enough that are honestly disturbing in their narcissistic, psychopathic delusion to be concerning. I?m a bit concerned for my friend (the reason for this thread I want to put him into the ?idiot-repeating-idiots? category, but I also know him to be passionate, stubborn and knee-jerky enough to do something stupid like donate to a Jeran or other ?truth-seeking,? flat earth cause. As he?s a new father to my goddaughter and not rich or influential by any stretch of the imagination, I feel like I need to do something before he does. I don?t know what that is, but ignoring it while he digs further and further in feels irresponsible?

 

[Gatx]

It was probably easier to have sent people to space than to do all the steps necessary over the course of centuries to cover up that the Earth is flat. Also, like, why? I understand 9/11 conspiracy theories about how it was done on purpose as an excuse to go to war, etc. there's a REASON for a conspiracy. What reason would there be to lie to you about the Earth being flat? Are they trying to trick you into sailing off the edge of the world by telling you the Earth is round? Is there some kind of treasure at the edge of the world that are being hidden?

 

[CaitSeith]

It was probably easier to have sent people to space than to do all the steps necessary over the course of centuries to cover up that the Earth is flat. Also, like, why? I understand 9/11 conspiracy theories about how it was done on purpose as an excuse to go to war, etc. there's a REASON for a conspiracy. What reason would there be to lie to you about the Earth being flat? Are they trying to trick you into sailing off the edge of the world by telling you the Earth is round? Is there some kind of treasure at the edge of the world that are being hidden?

They only thing I can think of is for the sake of feeling special (in the sense of "I'm different from all those sheep-people, and even better because I don't get dissuaded by conventional knowledge")

 

[Dalisclock]

It was probably easier to have sent people to space than to do all the steps necessary over the course of centuries to cover up that the Earth is flat. Also, like, why? I understand 9/11 conspiracy theories about how it was done on purpose as an excuse to go to war, etc. there's a REASON for a conspiracy. What reason would there be to lie to you about the Earth being flat? Are they trying to trick you into sailing off the edge of the world by telling you the Earth is round? Is there some kind of treasure at the edge of the world that are being hidden?

They only thing I can think of is for the sake of feeling special (in the sense of "I'm different from all those sheep-people, and even better because I don't get dissuaded by conventional knowledge")

Which is wierd because there are plenty of ways of feeling special. Such as....
-Create something new and interesting.
-Discover something that has never been seen before.
-Solve a mystery that has baffled people for years/centuries. Like, actually solve it, with evidence, not just make up a bizarre theory about space aliens and such.
-Build meaningful relationships with people.
-Find a hobby you enjoy.
-Get a job that makes you feel useful and fulfilled.
-Join a religion and achieve some kind of spiritual satisfaction.
-Join a cult where only you are heir to Cthulhu's secret knowledge(I ain't judging).
-Have an over-inflated sense of your own self worth in the face of overwhelming evidence to Contrary(AKA Donald Trump Syndrome).
-ETC

Seriously, Feeling special ain't hard. Why choose the most possibly idiotic way to accomplish this goal?

 

[The Rogue Wolf]

Seriously, Feeling special ain't hard. Why choose the most possibly idiotic way to accomplish this goal?

Because most of those take actual effort, and the rest are really just variations on the theme.

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

Ok, after listening to several +1 hour-long hosted debates between Flat Earther?s and their logical debunkers on YouTube, I?ve come to a pretty shocking conclusion: I think there might be some truth to this whole Flat Earth idea.

Now, now, before you judge, I?m fucking kidding; my brain hurts. But I have decided there?s a dark and sordid side to it all, meaning beyond the mindlessly idiotic, I think there?s some genuine, intentional, cult-like manipulation and God complexes at work. Hearing some of the more ?prominent? flat earthers and their willingly ignoring, inability to refute and outright refusal to face stark facts and evidence put before them, it?s clear there?s some overt narcissism and clinical psychopathy at play; they literally having nothing save for the ability to prey upon the weak-minded. Flat Earth Hero, who sounds completely ignorant before even prescribing the flat earth aspect, posted a video (manifesto) stating his mission to ?bring forth heaven on earth? and ?become a leader.? He also went so far as to put forth a challenge to debunkers in which he promised to pay $100,000 dollars (he looks and sounds like he might have $38 to his name) to anyone who can ?prove? the spherical earth using flight charts. This challenge brought him near instant fame/infamy within the flat earth and debunking communities respectively; it was quickly accepted and beaten, and he?s since back-peddled doing the whole ?no, what I meant was? moving of the goal posts. A YouTuber named Jeran coyly says he just wants people to know ?the truth? and never intended to start a religious-like movement is spreading his truth via his moniker? Jeranism. With +128K followers. And he?s got a Patreon.

There?s a bunch more, and most fall somewhere between clear trolls like Delano (who couldn?t be taken seriously if he tried his hardest) and idiots simply repeating shit trolls, con artists and/or other idiots of have said before, but there are just enough that are honestly disturbing in their narcissistic, psychopathic delusion to be concerning. I?m a bit concerned for my friend (the reason for this thread I want to put him into the ?idiot-repeating-idiots? category, but I also know him to be passionate, stubborn and knee-jerky enough to do something stupid like donate to a Jeran or other ?truth-seeking,? flat earth cause. As he?s a new father to my goddaughter and not rich or influential by any stretch of the imagination, I feel like I need to do something before he does. I don?t know what that is, but ignoring it while he digs further and further in feels irresponsible?

You gotta get rid of that child. Flat earthers can't be allowed to breed.

 

[Nuuu]

I think there's some genuine, intentional, cult-like manipulation and God complexes at work.

As someone living with a mother who believes in almost every conspiracy under the sun; including the Romaine Lettuce contamination being a conspiracy to irradiate all of the lettuce to remove the nutrients(???) and that Marijuana is illegal because it's actually a cure for cancer (I don't know if Flat-earth is included, but no way am I asking)...

A cult is definitely an apt thing to call conspiracy theories.
At their core, these larger conspiracies are religions. They believe this big invisible bad entity is causing all of their grief, and if they just BELIEVE hard enough, they'll defeat it and everything will be wonderful. There is very little you can do to change their mind, because they've not only had their entire worldview shifted, but they've invested so much into it that admitting they were wrong could be devastating. Imagine you spent 8 years of your adult life leaving everyone else behind to isolate yourself into a small community, and then having someone tell you those past 8 years were embarrassingly bad and your new friends are too (and would drop you like a hat the second you stopped believing).

And yes, they most definitely pick followers up from both the desperate and the gullible. When you feel like the world has kicked you down, there's always a cult to say "You're not bad, you're special, and if you believe in what I say, you're better than the rest of the world. It's not your fault, X did it. Here, look at all these people that will be your new friends, all you have to do is believe in the same thing as us."

Funnily enough, as strong as my mother would say her beliefs are, she clearly wavers when she feels in danger. She's all for "Natural cure-alls", but when they don't work and she starts feeling really bad, that's when she caves and goes to a real doctor. She never learns from it.

 

[BrawlMan]

I think there's some genuine, intentional, cult-like manipulation and God complexes at work.

As someone living with a mother who believes in almost every conspiracy under the sun; including the Romaine Lettuce contamination being a conspiracy to irradiate all of the lettuce to remove the nutrients(???) and that Marijuana is illegal because it's actually a cure for cancer (I don't know if Flat-earth is included, but no way am I asking)...

A cult is definitely an apt thing to call conspiracy theories.
At their core, these larger conspiracies are religions. They believe this big invisible bad entity is causing all of their grief, and if they just BELIEVE hard enough, they'll defeat it and everything will be wonderful. There is very little you can do to change their mind, because they've not only had their entire worldview shifted, but they've invested so much into it that admitting they were wrong could be devastating. Imagine you spent 8 years of your adult life leaving everyone else behind to isolate yourself into a small community, and then having someone tell you those past 8 years were embarrassingly bad and your new friends are too (and would drop you like a hat the second you stopped believing).

And yes, they most definitely pick followers up from both the desperate and the gullible. When you feel like the world has kicked you down, there's always a cult to say "You're not bad, you're special, and if you believe in what I say, you're better than the rest of the world. It's not your fault, X did it. Here, look at all these people that will be your new friends, all you have to do is believe in the same thing as us."

Funnily enough, as strong as my mother would say her beliefs are, she clearly wavers when she feels in danger. She's all for "Natural cure-alls", but when they don't work and she starts feeling really bad, that's when she caves and goes to a real doctor. She never learns from it.

What's worse is that is just another form of conformity. Making them no better than the "sheeple" they mock or despise.

As for your mom's case, you should show her the clip from Far Cry 3. You know the one. That will help her learn.

 

[Xprimentyl]

If you find yourself alone and feeling down on yourself this weekend, the documentary Behind The Curve is on Netflix; watch it, and you?ll instantly feel better about yourself.

It?s an earnest documentary shot by a non-flat earther that simply gives flat earthers a platform to say their piece. No mocking or jabs at their intelligence, just flat earthers explaining themselves, and from time to time a voice of reason like a scientist or doctor will weigh in; it?s ?The Office,? but ten times the cringe because it?s not scripted. They speak to several of the more prominent figureheads from the flat earth community, and egomania runs rampant (i.e.: each claiming to be the reason for the flat earth movement while discrediting the others.) It?s sad, scary, perplexing, but it?s mostly pathetic, particularly the awkward implied romance between Mark Sargent and Patricia Steer, ugh, it?s physically painful to see him get ?friend zoned? by her each time they?re on screen together. Worth the watch, I guess, nonfiction about staunch believers of fiction.