Flat Earth theory gaining converts???

[Altherion]

You make me uncomfortable with the use of the terms "check" and "non-conformist".  Once upon a time believing the Earth orbited the Sun was a "Non-Confirmist" attitude as was the belief in the existence of the atom and   the fact that microbes can cause disease.  Just because something is "non-conformist" doesn't make it wrong or bad.

Right -- there is always a balance between allowing for new ideas and rejecting what seems to be nonsense. Many cultures in history have held that, unlike everyone who came before them, their understanding of the universe is nearly complete and only minor revisions to fill in the gaps will happen in the future. The scientific method and its applied kin (which bring us medicine, smartphones, etc.) are so powerful that most people (even most scientists) either do not think about or do not even know about the limitations of science and the assumptions that underlie the entire edifice which cannot actually be proven from within it.

That said, the Flat Earth stuff is almost certainly harmless silliness. Too much of applied science depends on the Earth being an oblate spheroid for it to be anything else without massive changes to most laws of nature.

[Ser Arthur Hightower]

SAH,

You make me uncomfortable with the use of the terms "check" and "non-conformist".  Once upon a time believing the Earth orbited the Sun was a "Non-Confirmist" attitude as was the belief in the existence of the atom and   the fact that microbes can cause disease.  Just because something is "non-conformist" doesn't make it wrong or bad.  

I, personally, think the things you list as "non-conformist" are bad ideas but not because they don't "conform" and the idea of using some kind of force to demand people set those ideas aside, quite frankly, frightens me.  

When exactly did I advocate any kind of force? The only one of those groups I would advocate any kind of "force" (though I would not use that term) against are the anti-vaxxers since their children have the right to protection from disease regardless of their parents nutty views.

When I use the term "non-conformist" or "anti-conformist", the latter of which being the more appropriate term,  I am talking about people that largely chose positions that they perceive to be uncommon. I am outside the majority view on many issues, from religion, to economics and social policy, however I wouldn't describe myself as a non-conformist because I don't hold these positions in because of what I perceive to be the norm, nor do I take any sort of pride in having unusual views in many regards.

My point is that there is an anti-conformist subculture that believes in opposing prevailing views whenever possible regardless of how much evidence there is for said views, the products of this subculture are the aforementioned flat Earthers and all the other conspiracy theorists that litter the dark recesses of the internet.

[Magnar of Skagos]

The lizard-folk don't want you to know the earth is flat

[Ser Arthur Hightower]

The lizard-folk don't want you to know the earth is flat

Neither do the Jews secretly controlling the Mossad!

[Bonesy]

What is secret about Jews controlling Mossad?

[Magnar of Skagos]

What is secret about Jews controlling Mossad?

Shhh. Shhh. Saying Jews control anything is anti-semitic.

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

Shhh. Shhh. Saying Jews control anything is anti-semitic.

What else, besides the Israeli CIA, do you want to claim that "Jews" control?

[Magnar of Skagos]

What else, besides the Israeli CIA, do you want to claim that "Jews" control?

You mistake me. I did not state that I wanted to claim Jews control anything. Besides the lizard folk, who do their bidding.

[DireWolfSpirit]

But does the turtle shell shaped earth still rotate or is it a fixed point? The FAA will need to know for trans Pacific flights......wait how do flat earthers envision something like going from America to Asia to Europe from the West coast, while you can go East to London out of JFK? What happens when they get to the edge of their flat/shell shape thingy?

[Darzin]

The think the earth looks like this, and that Antarctica is the edge of the dome.

 

[Lordsteve666]

If you read their piffling website it says that essentially the earth is a disk pretty much with a wall of ice around the circumference that is Antarctica. 

Basically they says there's a massive ice wall 700 foot tall blocking off the edge of the world. It's like someone read ASOIAF whilst drawing an atlas whilst smoking pot and the end result is what they all believe. 

Apparently the trans-Pacific flights don't go straight out and across the sea to Asia like we think, they go in a curved path round the circumference until they get to the landing point. Lord knows how they think that makes any sense but there you go?!? 

[Prue]

I find the expanding Earth hypothesis way cooler. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expanding_Earth

Basically, they say that there is no continental drift but that the continents separated when the Earth grew. Sort of like blowing up a mud-caked balloon. This was of course disproved as the Earth radius didn't actually grow in the last 600 million years, but still a fun idea.

Oh my, I found a video by a present-day supporter:

How irate he becomes in the comments when a scientist asks him to present evidence.

[Ser Arthur Hightower]

If you read their piffling website it says that essentially the earth is a disk pretty much with a wall of ice around the circumference that is Antarctica. 

Basically they says there's a massive ice wall 700 foot tall blocking off the edge of the world. It's like someone read ASOIAF whilst drawing an atlas whilst smoking pot and the end result is what they all believe. 

Apparently the trans-Pacific flights don't go straight out and across the sea to Asia like we think, they go in a curved path round the circumference until they get to the landing point. Lord knows how they think that makes any sense but there you go?!? 

They also can't answer how the travel time from South America to Australia is relatively low given the map they have provided, I suppose they could come up with something about planes intentionally travelling slower than they need to on certain routes to make the Earth seem round.

[Lordsteve666]

They also can't answer how the travel time from South America to Australia is relatively low given the map they have provided, I suppose they could come up with something about planes intentionally travelling slower than they need to on certain routes to make the Earth seem round.

Yes but remember that this is all some grand conspiracy by our evil hidden overlords and the airlines are in on it so they intentionally alter flight speeds to make it seem like you're travelling further!

And then the pilots and engineers are in on it too in case they notice the data from instruments is odd...

And the people building the planes are in on it too in case they question why they are making dodgy instruments for airliners...

Only those open minded saviours at the flat earth society have seen through the veil, the rest of us are just blind sheeple falling for the conspiracy  

Such is the nature of conspiracy nonsense that when you really look at it the list of people who must be in on it for various reasons actually outnumbers those who are not!

[TrueMetis]

Yes but remember that this is all some grand conspiracy by our evil hidden overlords and the airlines are in on it so they intentionally alter flight speeds to make it seem like you're travelling further!

And then the pilots and engineers are in on it too in case they notice the data from instruments is odd...

And the people building the planes are in on it too in case they question why they are making dodgy instruments for airliners...

Only those open minded saviours at the flat earth society have seen through the veil, the rest of us are just blind sheeple falling for the conspiracy  

Such is the nature of conspiracy nonsense that when you really look at it the list of people who must be in on it for various reasons actually outnumbers those who are not!

Don't forget all the various powers with rocket programs that seriously sabotaged their effectiveness to maintain the illusion. Why NASA and the Russian space program, would all be willing so handicap themselves to much is beyond me. Nazi Germany and North Korea too to some degree I think.

[Minstral]

HAH! This was good for a laugh.

One of the pictures here made it look like all Earth was just a spinning top moving through space.

[maarsen]

Actually if you believe that we live on the inside of a sphere, there is no way to disprove it. Pellucidar lives!

[Martini Sigil]

Anti-vaxers, climate change deniers, Truthers, Birthers, David Icke-ites and general conspiracy theorists and quacks. Essentially anyone who is likely to use the term "sheeple" who think that there is a negative correlation between general acceptance of something and likelihood of that thing being true.

It can be checked by proper use of critical thinking and a generally skeptical attitude that treats ideas based on merit rather than how the general population responds to said idea.

If ever you and I are in the same place at the same time.... beer..... I'm buyin'.

[mcbigski]

Sounds good to me, I've always understood the world to be the giant spread of a massive turtle's shell, which is basically a domed disk.  Thanks for confirming my suspicions.  

 

Now if people would only realize that the moon is really just the back of the sun, maybe you could convince me we're making some educational progress.

If someone wants to take a stab at convincing some of my coworkers that the moon's phases aren't a result of the Earth's shadow, I'd appreciate that too.

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

Mcbigski,

Do they not understand the differences between Moon phases and lunar eclipses?  Ask them what eclipses are if the phases of the moon are always caused by "Earth's shadow".