People don't change their minds because someone condescended them. At least, not in the way the condescending party was hoping for. Besides, anyone who's taken an introductory course that covers...
People don't change their minds because someone condescended them. At least, not in the way the condescending party was hoping for.
Besides, anyone who's taken an introductory course that covers Einstein's relativity should recall that everything is flat if you go past it fast enough, given relativistic space contraction and all.
Seriously, though... the amount of cognitive dissonance that you have to hold in your brain to assert the Earth is flat is beyond anything logic can deal with. The sheer amount of data you have to ignore and malevolence you have to assert on vast numbers of people is just absurd.
It's all just based on ignorance and lack of critical thinking (if they really believe it at all, which I think is probably a minority of FErs). "How does water not flow off of a globe Earth."...
It's all just based on ignorance and lack of critical thinking (if they really believe it at all, which I think is probably a minority of FErs). "How does water not flow off of a globe Earth." "People in Australia would fall off." "Why don't we feel the 'wind' of 'moving through space'." There are a ton of them, and they all show a basic misunderstanding and ignorance of the laws of physics.
I think the main question – the one aimed to deal with the causes of whatever's happening within any of the nuttier conspiracy theories – is "Why?". Why would someone want to believe a massive,...
I think the main question – the one aimed to deal with the causes of whatever's happening within any of the nuttier conspiracy theories – is "Why?". Why would someone want to believe a massive, worldwide conspiracy, with billions involved? What's the gain here?
The most common response I see written between the lines is "They're just nuts, leave 'em be", which benefits no one. I think this happens because, for any one person, the effort required to dissuade someone off their conspiracy-is-everywhere mentality is immense and not worth the time. I think there's a deeper issue in place here, and I've seen no one addressing it in a meaningful way.
There have been various studies and books on the subject and on the specific question of Flat Earth as well. And it's not even that the effort required is too big, it's that it's most likely not...
Oh, excellent. So there have been studies. The bigger issue here is addressing the concerns. Assuming we want to help the self-involved conspiracy theorists (to help them, for example, use their...
Oh, excellent. So there have been studies.
The bigger issue here is addressing the concerns. Assuming we want to help the self-involved conspiracy theorists (to help them, for example, use their minds for social good, rather than victimization groupthink), how would we go about it? Is there something in the education system that we should include to eradicate the root causes? Is there something in the post-school?
That's the thing that I think requires our attention as a society.
I think the problem is that in a lot of cases for everyday life... flat earth is kinda sufficiently right to work. Until you hit distances of about 5 kilometers (probably), assuming the earth is...
I think the problem is that in a lot of cases for everyday life... flat earth is kinda sufficiently right to work. Until you hit distances of about 5 kilometers (probably), assuming the earth is flat (minus terrain) doesn't generate that much of an error.
I bet for a lot of flat earthers, that's the main reason why they think the earth is flat; in their every day life, there is no difference. Possibly a lot of factors also play into it.
The best solution is likely a mandatory space station trip during high school so everyone can enjoy the overview effect.
A poor interpretation of the Equivalence Principle suggest similar, but only when you misunderstand the statement. The EP says inertial mass is the same as gravitational mass. That is, the mass...
A poor interpretation of the Equivalence Principle suggest similar, but only when you misunderstand the statement.
The EP says inertial mass is the same as gravitational mass. That is, the mass that causes gravity is the same as the mass that is accelerated by forces. Physically, these don't "have" to be the same, but it seems that in our universe, they are.
The interpretation, "In a closed room, no experiment can tell the difference between being stationary near the surface of Earth, or being accelerated by a "hand of God" at 9.8 m/s^2." is meant to help people not as hot on physics as Einstein to understand what the implications of the EP are.
However, you have to forget the "in a closed room" part for the EP to say the Earth is accelerating through spacetime. We're not in a closed room. We have satellites and know the difference between a closed room and a planet.
Why don't flat earthers all club together and charter a plane to fly to the edge of the earth? Surely not that expensive for all 50 of them and it would silence any critics.
Why don't flat earthers all club together and charter a plane to fly to the edge of the earth? Surely not that expensive for all 50 of them and it would silence any critics.
I honestly don't think Hbomb would reach them any better because he sort of has to wink-wink-nudge-nudge acknowledge that he's also making fun of them. What Collins says is kind of true: flat...
I honestly don't think Hbomb would reach them any better because he sort of has to wink-wink-nudge-nudge acknowledge that he's also making fun of them. What Collins says is kind of true: flat earth for some people is close to actual psychosis, it's not actually something you can reliably logic them out of because they weren't "logic'd" into it. Hbomb even says as much at the end of the video: it's not an alternative hypothesis grounded in reality, it's an expression of malaise and distrust in authority, much the same as most conspiracy theories are.
I don't doubt that Flat Earthers, if they look at this video at all, aren't going to be swayed by the argument. More likely they might be swayed by the deeper implications: that they're not in touch with reality. But there's no friendly way to make that case.
Plus that Hbomb video is 45 minutes long. I know flat earthers will spend hours on this shit, but they're not going to watch a 45 minute video that's trying to debunk their "beliefs."
Plus that Hbomb video is 45 minutes long. I know flat earthers will spend hours on this shit, but they're not going to watch a 45 minute video that's trying to debunk their "beliefs."
Well, when you are right you're right. I do think I prefer hbomberguy's version though. Its unlikely you'll be able to appeal to these people via logic though.
I think may actually be unhelpful in the cause of reaching at Earthers because he straight up calls them "psychotic" and "fucking idiots."
Well, when you are right you're right. I do think I prefer hbomberguy's version though. Its unlikely you'll be able to appeal to these people via logic though.
I've never met a flat earther but I'm not sure their is much debunking to do, they believe it because they are stubborn and any argument is just a reinforcement to their own belief - and that's...
I've never met a flat earther but I'm not sure their is much debunking to do, they believe it because they are stubborn and any argument is just a reinforcement to their own belief - and that's what it is, a belief, nothing logical to it. And really why should you care, it's their choice, doesn't impact you or anyone else. Let them be dumb, edgy or whatever their reason is to believe it.
All that to say this video is not about convincing flat earthers, but rather having a few laughs at their expense -at least that's my read on it.
The statements "Because you're not a fucking idiot." and "People who try to explain a flat Earth sound kind of pyschotic." strongly indicate that the audience for this video is clearly not...
I think may actually be unhelpful in the cause of reaching at Earthers because he straight up calls them "psychotic" and "fucking idiots."
The statements "Because you're not a fucking idiot." and "People who try to explain a flat Earth sound kind of pyschotic." strongly indicate that the audience for this video is clearly not flat-earthers. It seems more like it's directed at people who know the Earth is round but don't know why. It's not trying to convince flat-earthers, it's trying to support people who might be convinced by flat-earthers.
And, ironically, the "universal down" he refers to is one of the arguments put forward by flat-earthers. He dismisses it, but they embrace it.
People don't change their minds because someone condescended them. At least, not in the way the condescending party was hoping for.
Besides, anyone who's taken an introductory course that covers Einstein's relativity should recall that everything is flat if you go past it fast enough, given relativistic space contraction and all.
Seriously, though... the amount of cognitive dissonance that you have to hold in your brain to assert the Earth is flat is beyond anything logic can deal with. The sheer amount of data you have to ignore and malevolence you have to assert on vast numbers of people is just absurd.
It's all just based on ignorance and lack of critical thinking (if they really believe it at all, which I think is probably a minority of FErs). "How does water not flow off of a globe Earth." "People in Australia would fall off." "Why don't we feel the 'wind' of 'moving through space'." There are a ton of them, and they all show a basic misunderstanding and ignorance of the laws of physics.
I think the main question – the one aimed to deal with the causes of whatever's happening within any of the nuttier conspiracy theories – is "Why?". Why would someone want to believe a massive, worldwide conspiracy, with billions involved? What's the gain here?
The most common response I see written between the lines is "They're just nuts, leave 'em be", which benefits no one. I think this happens because, for any one person, the effort required to dissuade someone off their conspiracy-is-everywhere mentality is immense and not worth the time. I think there's a deeper issue in place here, and I've seen no one addressing it in a meaningful way.
There have been various studies and books on the subject and on the specific question of Flat Earth as well. And it's not even that the effort required is too big, it's that it's most likely not going to work no matter what.
Oh, excellent. So there have been studies.
The bigger issue here is addressing the concerns. Assuming we want to help the self-involved conspiracy theorists (to help them, for example, use their minds for social good, rather than victimization groupthink), how would we go about it? Is there something in the education system that we should include to eradicate the root causes? Is there something in the post-school?
That's the thing that I think requires our attention as a society.
I think the problem is that in a lot of cases for everyday life... flat earth is kinda sufficiently right to work. Until you hit distances of about 5 kilometers (probably), assuming the earth is flat (minus terrain) doesn't generate that much of an error.
I bet for a lot of flat earthers, that's the main reason why they think the earth is flat; in their every day life, there is no difference. Possibly a lot of factors also play into it.
The best solution is likely a mandatory space station trip during high school so everyone can enjoy the overview effect.
Years ago SG Collins did a great video on the possibility of the moon landing being faked.
I love his style.
A poor interpretation of the Equivalence Principle suggest similar, but only when you misunderstand the statement.
The EP says inertial mass is the same as gravitational mass. That is, the mass that causes gravity is the same as the mass that is accelerated by forces. Physically, these don't "have" to be the same, but it seems that in our universe, they are.
The interpretation, "In a closed room, no experiment can tell the difference between being stationary near the surface of Earth, or being accelerated by a "hand of God" at 9.8 m/s^2." is meant to help people not as hot on physics as Einstein to understand what the implications of the EP are.
However, you have to forget the "in a closed room" part for the EP to say the Earth is accelerating through spacetime. We're not in a closed room. We have satellites and know the difference between a closed room and a planet.
Why don't flat earthers all club together and charter a plane to fly to the edge of the earth? Surely not that expensive for all 50 of them and it would silence any critics.
I honestly don't think Hbomb would reach them any better because he sort of has to wink-wink-nudge-nudge acknowledge that he's also making fun of them. What Collins says is kind of true: flat earth for some people is close to actual psychosis, it's not actually something you can reliably logic them out of because they weren't "logic'd" into it. Hbomb even says as much at the end of the video: it's not an alternative hypothesis grounded in reality, it's an expression of malaise and distrust in authority, much the same as most conspiracy theories are.
I don't doubt that Flat Earthers, if they look at this video at all, aren't going to be swayed by the argument. More likely they might be swayed by the deeper implications: that they're not in touch with reality. But there's no friendly way to make that case.
Plus that Hbomb video is 45 minutes long. I know flat earthers will spend hours on this shit, but they're not going to watch a 45 minute video that's trying to debunk their "beliefs."
Well, when you are right you're right. I do think I prefer hbomberguy's version though. Its unlikely you'll be able to appeal to these people via logic though.
I've never met a flat earther but I'm not sure their is much debunking to do, they believe it because they are stubborn and any argument is just a reinforcement to their own belief - and that's what it is, a belief, nothing logical to it. And really why should you care, it's their choice, doesn't impact you or anyone else. Let them be dumb, edgy or whatever their reason is to believe it.
All that to say this video is not about convincing flat earthers, but rather having a few laughs at their expense -at least that's my read on it.
The statements "Because you're not a fucking idiot." and "People who try to explain a flat Earth sound kind of pyschotic." strongly indicate that the audience for this video is clearly not flat-earthers. It seems more like it's directed at people who know the Earth is round but don't know why. It's not trying to convince flat-earthers, it's trying to support people who might be convinced by flat-earthers.
And, ironically, the "universal down" he refers to is one of the arguments put forward by flat-earthers. He dismisses it, but they embrace it.