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Comment by mkhpalm | Hacker News Reader

Somewhat related rant:

Has anybody ever really debated a "flat earther" let alone found one? As-in found somebody who actually believed it and wasn't just screwing with you to get a reaction?

I keep hearing about these people who believe the earth is flat but I've yet to ever come across anybody who actually believes that.

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I’m pretty sure I’m related to an honest-to-goodness flat earther. The first time he brought it up I countered by professing a belief in Last-Thursdayism[0] as a sort of absurdist ploy to get him arguing for the more rational position. I think I converted him to Last-Thursdayism instead.

[0] https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Last_Thursdayism

So you argued for a position you didn't actually believe just to see how he would counter? I suspect this is what most "flat-earthers" do. I know multiple people who independently joined a "flat earth" Facebook group for entertainment purposes. It is just trolls trolling trolls.

Also: Boltzmann brain

The universe was created last Friday you bloody heretic.

Here's a video of three flat-Earthers discussing (arguing) about it with three round-Earthers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7yvvq-9ytE. They appear genuine, and remind me quite a bit of the anti-evolutionists I sometimes argue with (and who are definitely genuine).

And then there's "Mad" Mike Hughes, who just managed to kill himself in a rocket he was hoping to fly high enough to see that the Earth wasn't curved... or something. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-51602655

Mike Hughes' PR rep stated that they made up the flat Earth angle to get more publicity:

“He did have some governmental conspiracy theories. But don’t confuse it with that flat Earth thing. That was a PR stunt we dreamed up.”

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22395528

This. The idea of actual flat-earth believers should be met with at least the same degree of scepticism as they supposedly demand of round-earth believers. Mind that merely having someone claim to be a flat-earther or arguing in favor of flat earth does not distinguish between them actually believing it and engaging in some sort of Socratic rhetoric (so as not to say trolling)

I've come across people who believe the earth is 5000 years old, even though they live right under a cliff where the exposed strata clearly show that can't be true. I didn't try arguing with them but they certainly exist.

A number of people genuinely believe in "young earth" creationism. But flat earth is at a different level since it is disproven by everyday phenomenons like people flying around the earth.

Well in my childhood I realised the religion my father was involved in, there was a common belief the moon was made of cheese, and that there were 'scientific evidence' for this in the scriptures. This also nicely corroborated the conspiracy theories that were commonly believed in, like NASA landing on the moon.

Make of that what you will!

I strongly recommend watching hbomberguy's video about flat earthers, "Flat Earth: A Measured Response"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gFsOoKAHZg

The short summary is that flat earthers are probably seen as a rejection of established institutions (like capitalism/neoliberalism) that the (correctly) see as a major source of the problems in their life. Unfortunately, lacking the social/political background required to actually understand these problem, they work with what they can understand.

"The government/etc has been consistently lying to us for decades while our jobs were shipped overseas and our quality of life keeps sliding lower and lower. If they are consistent liars, why should I believe anything they've said?"

My friend met the guy that organized this conference .. she said it was a real treat.

http://fe2018.com/canada/

This doesn't prove he actually believes in it, even the attendees could be said to have only attended for the spectacle.

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