Do you believe in the Flat Earth theory?

[Castle]

It's a generally good idea to question everything. That is science after all. Well, one half of science. The other half is verifying unproved theories. So if you're not sure yourself, go see for yourself! If you're so certain the earth is flat... prove it.

Above all, just never act on ignorance. If you don't have all the information, then it's best to abstain from any course action that depends on it.

Obviously a lot of what people are capable of would be impossible if everyone was still operating under the basis that the world is flat. Which nobody ever has. Anyone who has ever observed the curvature of the earth or has had to navigate based on the fact that the earth is spherical knows better.

Oh, and to back up Kylo Ken's point. Scientists are human. Humans lie. Therefore, scientists can lie for the same reasons anyone else can act dishonestly. They can also simply be mistaken, as well. But calling something a fact just because you proclaim "SCIENCE!" is no more valid than proclaiming something true just because you proclaim "GOD!"

 

[Misty]

Then how can you get through to them?

Well, that's a tricky thing to do, isn't it? How do you get through to anyone entrenched in an ideology which rejects evidence based on conspiracy or dogmatism and does not feel the shame or mockery you're attempting to weaponize against them?

I've got a few answers for you, but I gotta admit none of them will be fun for your ego and take a real investment of time.

1. You've gotta be open hearted and humble with them and that means not being above them. Think of any time you were an absolute ****** rejecting wisdom of the ancients and all available evidence. Don't tell me it didn't happen. You've been young, maybe you've been in love with the wrong person, maybe you've been down some troubled paths. Be humbled by that. They aren't idiots beneath your notice or beneath dignity. You have been just like them and you aren't out of the woods on being an idiot until you're dead. Treat them better than you would treat yourself in that instance. Appealing to good will and good faith does more than harsh words and clever snipes ever could with this.

2. This is not going to change overnight. I think a lot of us (at least me) dream of this world where we can just say one or two lines that are so witty, caustic and filled with the truth of fact and science and common sense that all of the idiots of the world will grab their heads and scream before changing entirely. This thought is ridiculous and a wet dream of any person who has ever argued with someone entrenched. They are not going to grab their heads and terror at the majesty of your intelligent donkey image. You're going to have to drag them inch by inch, topic by topic over months or even years before you see any real change.

3. You're going to have to think like them and embrace that a little bit. This is how communication works. You want to talk to a five year old about something, you must put it in their terms. You want to talk to a teenager, you put it to them based on what they value. Same for old people, same for adults. If you try to communicate with your values, you're not going to get very far. It'd be like trying to train a dog to shake hands by explaining to him that shaking hands is a traditional manner of greeting and expected in any polite society. I'm all for you trying, but when that fails maybe, just maybe a bit of repetitive treat giving and pats on the head will achieve what your very intelligent and well-based facts could not.

You don't. Evidence means nothing to someone who lives in their own flat world.

That's everyone. Your world just happens to be populated by different things than theirs. But as I've stated, a humble person who cares matters to all of us no matter what wonky ideas we're into.

No longer thinking outside the box. We have come out of the blue to prove that the Earth is not flat, but is in fact Spherical. It is not thinking outside the box anymore to recycle old dead theories.

That presumes the new theory is correct. Like I said, you're never going to make any headway with these people if you cannot embrace their worldview.

 

[Misty]

No. Images from space should make it obvious to anyone. For some reason disagreeing with consensus has become a virtue to some people.

Those images from space are composites, have some pretty startling irregularities when you look into it, and only come from governments which have never in the history of this earth round or flat been known to lie to people? Come on, dude. It isn't a consensus if only the most elite get to tell us what is or is not. You need people asking these questions no matter how ridiculous because otherwise it means the few get to decide what a consensus is. There is a virtue there even if you don't like how it is being applied.

Even if we can't get through to them. Making them the subject of ridicule seems like a good thing.

You're only saying this because you believe the ridicule beam will never be pointed at you. But do you really believe that these people deserve to have their humanity ignored, their jobs lost, their relationships dissolved, their entire intellect discounted, etc?

And if you believe they deserve that, do you believe you deserve it on the topics you're a dunder head about? You're deciding how you will be treated when you are wrong. Call me weak, but I'd like to think there will be a lot of mercy and benevolence for when I'm the stupid head.

If it is supposedly intelligent people that can be affected do we want these getting in positions of power?

People with stupid ideas will always be in positions of power. That's not going to change until we're out of democracy. All you will accomplish at best, is silencing them to harboring these feelings internally. That's all shaming and ridicule does. It makes the ones who want power secretive.

I know America already have climate change deniers in government and greedy men that claim to be so they can burn more coal and get richer.

Dude, you're like two steps off of saying you don't think people with the wrong opinions should be allowed to breed or educate their own children. A diversity of opinions wrong and right can only lead to strength in the long run.

Beyond that, what you're implying and suggesting is unethical. Even if you could do it, you shouldn't.

If people lose faith in science then we are lost.

If people lose their humanity, we aren't just lost, we aren't worth finding.

 

[YIGAhim]

That presumes the new theory is correct. Like I said, you're never going to make any headway with these people if you cannot embrace their worldview.

If we had to think outside the box to get to our new theory that is backed 100% by solid evidence, then I think it is no longer needed to embrace heir theory based on shaky evidence at most

 

[Dio]

You're only saying this because you believe the ridicule beam will never be pointed at you. But do you really believe that these people deserve to have their humanity ignored, their jobs lost, their relationships dissolved, their entire intellect discounted, etc?

And if you believe they deserve that, do you believe you deserve it on the topics you're a dunder head about? You're deciding how you will be treated when you are wrong. Call me weak, but I'd like to think there will be a lot of mercy and benevolence for when I'm the stupid head.

When I am wrong I like to have the evidence presented to me to back up why. If I still disagree I need to find some that backs me up.

The flat earthers ignore evidence and have no credible evidence of their own. I wouldn't want to vote for someone like that because I'd like policies to be evidence based. And I mentioned the climate change deniers because now they are in prominent positions and the world will be harmed further by their policies that don't follow best evidence.

Dude, you're like two steps off of saying you don't think people with the wrong opinions should be allowed to breed or educate their own children. A diversity of opinions wrong and right can only lead to strength in the long run.
Beyond that, what you're implying and suggesting is unethical. Even if you could do it, you shouldn't.

I'm not implying anything unethical. I'm not forcing anyone to do anything. I am saying we should not vote for these people and let it be known that we want our science policies made based on good evidence.

 

[Castle]

This prevailing notion that reality is whatever we make of it and everyone's opinion matters and we're all free to just act on any belief we want is absurd and it needs to stop.

Go ahead, think whatever you want. Doesn't make you correct. And nothing alleviates anyone from the responses that your opinions will engender, especially when your beliefs stand in the face of established fact or challenge someone's personal wellbeing. Go ahead and challenge convention, especially when that convention truly is a matter of opinion or belief but be prepared to support whatever claims you are making and don't be surprised when someone rejects yours.

Above all, never push your perceived truths on one another. Ridicule is hardly an effective method of educating the masses. Although sometimes certain people simply are not capable of being reasoned with and especially if they continue to push their agendas on others, sometimes all you can do is brush them off and insist that they mind their own business.

A reasoned society will naturally gravitate towards those things reasoned individuals know to be true. Why? Because things work when they are done correctly, with an understanding of how they work. Planes chart a course across the oceans because navigators know how to circumnavigate a curved earth. Meteorologists can predict weather patterns because they know the earth is spherical. Bridges stand because their builders employ the principles of engineering. Medicine cures because pharmacists understand the basics of chemistry. Societies that don't understand these things remain primitive and destitute.

So it is as self destructive to permit people to entertain their delusions about flat earths and man made climate changes and genetically modified foods and harmful vaccines as it is to just blindly accept the unproven and untested as empirical truth. I would not trust such people to make decisions on my behalf.

 

[Stormageden747]

Ever heard of Magellan? He sailed around the world. Drops mic

 

[Alita the Pun]

Millions of people from all over the globe believe the Flat Earth Theory.

 

[M107]

Millions of people from all over the globe believe the Flat Earth Theory.

I think Deus already beat you to this >>

I absolutely believe in flat earth along with many others around the globe.

I give you a gold star for trying anyways though

Spoiler: Gold Star

 

[Terminus]

Are you kidding me? Flat-earthers don't think big enough! An endless expanse of ice keeping the seas from floating off into space? What if I told you, that there were hundreds of "Flat Earths" just beyond the ice?

 

[Spirit]

Are you kidding me? Flat-earthers don't think big enough! An endless expanse of ice keeping the seas from floating off into space? What if I told you, that there were hundreds of "Flat Earths" just beyond the ice?

Ha! Possibly Hollow.

 

[Alita the Pun]

I think Deus already beat you to this >>




I give you a gold star for trying anyways though

Spoiler: Gold Star

Darn I thought I had something original though...

Well thanks for the Star, that’s going on my list of good tings I own.

 

[Rubik]

Do you believe in the flat earth theory?

No.

---

This thread was too easy, I'd like something a little more challenging.

 

[A Link In Time]

I propose SpaceX shuttles a bunch of Flat Earthers into space to have their minds blown. They'll finally stop their "the moon landing is a government coverup/CGI" when they're amazed at the sight of the Earth from space.

 

[Dan]

I propose SpaceX shuttles a bunch of Flat Earthers into space to have their minds blown. They'll finally stop their "the moon landing is a government coverup/CGI" when they're amazed at the sight of the Earth from space.

They'll deny it still and say they were placed in a high budget version of one of these: