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> because it's too absurd on its face I'd suggest its absurdness is exactly what appeals to the people who like to 'argue the case'. I'm not a big Terry Pratch

by oska 4y ago

> because it's too absurd on its face I'd suggest its absurdness is exactly what appeals to the people who like to 'argue the case'. I'm not a big Terry Pratchett fan, but my understanding is that his books are set on a flat earth and he has some fun in the books in 'explaining' how this flat earth 'works' (explanations which are of course, playfully absurd). I'm not calling Pratchett a flat earther here but simply suggesting the same 'fun in nonsense' motivation is in operation with flat earthers, while they go further with their nonsense by maintaining that they are being 'absolutely serious'. Re Scientology and Mormonism - both have are an ideology and have an agenda. (Stating this neutrally; I'm personally not interested in or sympathetic to either religion but some ppl find value in those two ideologies and the values/aims they seek to promote.) Flat Earthism doesn't have any ideology or agenda, as far as I am aware. So the absurd narrative explanation they concoct is harmless (and indeed, I think this is partly why they chose it - it's not harming anyone to 'promote' the idea of a flat earth).

hotpotamus 4y ago
I actually am a big Pratchett fan and have read all the novels in his Discworld universe, some several times. It is a comedic fantasy world, yes, but it's mainly a setting in which he can build a parodic analog of the modern world. The geography of the world doesn't come up much in the stories. Much of my thinking on the subject comes from Steven Novella and his blog https://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/behind-the-curve-flat-earth-exposed/ https://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/behind-the-cur... > Another powerful aspect of the film has a similar (but much smaller, in my opinion) climactic moment, but runs in the background throughout the film – the echochamber effect of being in such a movement. The subjects of the film are overwhelmed with confirmation bias, from themselves and each other. They also have the mentality of being in a small beleaguered group, and trying to change the world. > The underlying motivations for any particular belief are also varied. This film did do a good job of showing a variety of people who have come to the Flat Earth community from different places, for different reasons, and have varying roles to play. The result is a complex mix with no single or simple solution. He also goes into some of the lengths and surprising expense they go to and rationalizations used to maintain their beliefs. They did not seem like sophists to me, but perhaps it's all just an ever more elaborate joke.

by oska 4y ago

hotpotamus 4y ago

I actually am a big Pratchett fan and have read all the novels in his Discworld universe, some several times. It is a comedic fantasy world, yes, but it's mainly a setting in which he can build a parodic analog of the modern world. The geography of the world doesn't come up much in the stories. Much of my thinking on the subject comes from Steven Novella and his blog https://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/behind-the-curve-flat-earth-exposed/ https://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/behind-the-cur... > Another powerful aspect of the film has a similar (but much smaller, in my opinion) climactic moment, but runs in the background throughout the film – the echochamber effect of being in such a movement. The subjects of the film are overwhelmed with confirmation bias, from themselves and each other. They also have the mentality of being in a small beleaguered group, and trying to change the world. > The underlying motivations for any particular belief are also varied. This film did do a good job of showing a variety of people who have come to the Flat Earth community from different places, for different reasons, and have varying roles to play. The result is a complex mix with no single or simple solution. He also goes into some of the lengths and surprising expense they go to and rationalizations used to maintain their beliefs. They did not seem like sophists to me, but perhaps it's all just an ever more elaborate joke.