4 ms·

I wonder what a flat-earther would say about this backyard satellite photography example

• rdtsc 8y ago
  Flat-earthers are fascinating. As long as they are not dangerous to themselves and others they are a good subject to study on how brainwashing, paranoia, and reality bubbles work. Also I wonder if some of them are secretly trolls. They don't believe it, but they spread it around to try to get others to believe just for fun. Then they also got a nice "mark" that's ripe for other cons and possibly to profit from ("send me PayPal money to buy this super secret flat Earth detector for $500"). I imagine their community is a goldmine for con-artists...
  • brian-armstrong 8y ago
    I believe at this point the number of ironic/trolling flat earthers greatly outnumber the genuine ones. It has reached meme status.
  • guywhocodes 8y ago
    About nine years ago I found out a friend of mine was a "flat-earther" online. He was very much under the impression that it was mostly an insincere and sarcastic group of people mostly trying to trick people that they actually believe this. Today I'm not sure if 1. He was wrong about the movement. 2. They succeeded in convincing me and most of us they believe more than they do. 3. They convinced and attracted people and they actually on average do believe that the earth is flat.
    • rdtsc 8y ago
      > Today I'm not sure if 1...2 or 3... Yeah! That's exactly what's fascinating about it. I've met a contrails believer and, sadly, I was sure they actually believe it. But flat earthers are in a whole separate category where it is not clear if they are just trolling everyone. Your 3. is interesting at first they might take it up as a joke but then someone out there in the "community" is a better troll, and makes up a more convincing "evidence" and before they know some of the trolls start believing.