Flat Earth and The Rise of Anti-Intellectualism
This may come off as a surprise but the Earth isn’t a sphere, this is a lie forged by the elites to keep us from our true selves, the reality is that our world takes the shape of great rhombicosidodecahedron! Our pathetic brains are incapable of understanding the ∞/0+-5i dimensions in our universe and as such we view the universe with limited capacity. Nature has put a limit on our ability to comprehend reality.
Jokes about impossible math and figures aside, it would seem humanity has a problem with reality. Throughout our history, blatant falsehoods and insanity have been and are still accepted as truth with examples too numerous to list. Even in modern society where information and truth are so readily accessible, you will still see those who cling to nonsense and carry on like they’re enlightened. Pseudo-science, false history, and impractical politics are taking over the globe. It is easy to dismiss these people as (someone nicer might say) ignorant or misinformed. At the top of the brainless belief pyramid is Flat Earth. The current Flat Earth movement is arguably the dumbest group to which anyone can ascribe themselves. Only “ancient astronauts theorists” can rival the dull-minded bastions of the Flat-Earthers. As flat-earth holds the crown of the king of pseudo-science, I believe we can determine why Anti-intellectualism is on the rise by breaking down the beliefs of Flat-Earth.
Flat-earthers believe that there are a thousand years of conspiracy to hide the shape of the Earth to trick the world into denying their true selves. Religious flat-earthers believe that this was in fact a conspiracy to keep men from God while atheist flat-earthers (Yes, they exist) see it as the system gaining complete control of one’s belief. The flat earth model also surmises the existence of infinite land and resources beyond Antarctica which no powerful person wants as they desire to keep the population miserable to control them. All of the governments, religious institutions, corporations, scientists, media organizations, and schools are conspiring to keep this “truth” from the people.
Just some syrup
The crux of the conspiracy is ridiculous, belief in spherical Earth hasn’t stopped anyone from believing in God or any other religion. When Religion dominated society in the Middle Ages, any educated person knew that the Earth was spherical and that belief didn’t stop them from praying or fasting. Some of the Flats would say that society is trying to force people to choose science or God but once again this holds no water. Nearly HALF of scientists believe in some type of higher power or hold some religious affiliation. No one joins or abandons their religion because of the shape of the Earth, looking at threads about those who’ve made their choices, they use their personal experiences, philosophy, and/or morals. In a hypothetical world where Flatties were right, it would still be a failed conspiracy since it failed to complete its mission after 2,000 years.
The top of society has never had such complete control of the populace to brainwash 99.9% of people into believing anything they want. This argument is saying that “they” can brainwash about the shape of the Earth but “they” can’t stop revolutions and protests over far simpler issues. No one in the shadows would gain anything by lying about the shape of the Earth, it fills no pockets and isn’t an effective way of getting power. It’s a thought that no regular person cares about for more than a few seconds. I find it funny that the supposed leader and chief deceiver of the modern push against Flat Earth is NASA. NASA is basically the devil and the most evil of the Government Organizations. Anyone who knows anything about the shady actions of the government knows that NASA ranks pretty low in threat level. Don’t ask the CIA about drugs or woods up north for reference.
Flat Earthers use their own methodology for scientific inquiry called Zeteticism.
Zeteticism is a system of scientific inquiry. The word is derived from the Greek verb ζητέω (zeteo), which means “I seek; I examine; I strive for”. A zeteticist is a person who practises zeteticism. Zeteticism differs from the usual scientific method in that using zeteticism one bases his conclusions on experimentation and observation rather than on an initial theory that is to be proved or disproved. A zetetic forms the question then immediately sets to work making observations and performing experiments to answer that question, rather than speculating on what the answer might be then testing that out, as is instructed by the scientific method.
For example, in questioning the shape of the Earth the zetetic does not make a hypothesis suggesting that the Earth is round or flat and then proceed to testing that hypothesis; he skips that step and devises an experiment that will determine the shape of the Earth, and bases his conclusion on the result of that experiment. Many feel this is a more reasonable method than the normal scientific method because it removes any preconceived notions and biases the formation of a hypothesis might cause, and leaves the conclusion up entirely to what is observed.
Flat Earth Society
The zetetic method is primitive and only useful for the simplest of exercises. First off, no scientifically minded person will form a hypothesis without doing research first. Research always comes first before forming a hypothesis. The grievance that the Zetetic method is supposed to solve is nonexistent. I will rewind time to 2019 and use the Zetetic method for Chiles-Cerro Negro. My question then was why was the volcano having an earthquake swarm? I find that there 2 other volcanoes experiencing unrest in conjunction with the volcano but no evidence of magma ascent. After seismic and deformation fluctuations in 2013-2015, it became stable in 2016. What am I to experiment on? As I have not formed any hypotheses or predictions, shall I test the Hydrothermal systems, Any one of the many faults in the region, or the Magma system as I know any one of them could cause a seismic swarm? As I denied myself the ability to use my own research fully, I would have to fly in blindly testing multiple solutions before I am allowed to conclude anything. A massive waste of time and resources. In reality, I used the scientific method. Looking at the size of the deformation, the region’s history of caldera-forming eruptions, and the characteristics of the earthquakes. I formed my hypothesis that the swarm was the result of a large magma chamber pressurizing. New studies and developments would validate parts of my hypothesis. Two years after the swarm ended in 2020, the volcano went through a dike expansion event and 2 studies came out confirming the existence of a large magma body beneath the volcano.
Science has grown too complicated for the Zetetic method as it is only useful for simple issues like the shape of the Earth. We can use the Zetetic method to prove the Earth is round! Why do the constellations change with longitude? Perform any number of experiments and you’ll find the Earth is round! Flat Earth makes so little sense on a fundamental level that there is no angle where it makes a semblance of sense. Flat Earthers reject gravity and the existence of space to preserve their delusions. The Coriolis effect, plate tectonics, seasons, trade winds, sea currents, solar storms, Ice ages, asteroid impacts, satellites, flight paths, weather patterns, lunar phases, and the consistent shape of the sun makes no sense on a flat Earth. Just for simplicity’s sake, the fact that the two hemispheres see completely different stars disproves the existence of Flat Earth.
Some more syrup
I am not going to waste my time doing a detailed debunk on Flat Earth without a monetary incentive. No amount of arguing or evidence is going to convince the majority of the Flat Earthers of the truth. Is it because they’re stupid though? I’ve been exposed to pseudoscience and pseudohistory for years. I’ve been friends with a lady who is college-educated, she was part of the military as a computer expert. She’s a pretty intelligent woman but she is also an anti-vaxxer. I know a dude who is a skilled nurse who managed to take himself off the streets, he’s helped save numerous lives with his quick thinking and is often considered to be among the best nurses wherever he works. He also believes that primates came into existence 4,000 years ago. This is just a taste of the absurdities that they believe in and despite being competent, and rational in certain areas, they are incredibly ignorant of others and refuse to acknowledge my counters. An idiot could be a nurse but not a successful one like the gentleman and the same goes for the lady who used to do calculus when she was bored. (Couldn’t be me). The problem doesn’t lie in intellect, it lies in disposition.
Contrary to what you might think, The Flat Earth movement does offer something to it’s followers. Just pretend that we’re wrong about the shape of the Earth and it’s actually flat. Then these Flat-Earthers would stand at the top of humanity. The only ones who were able to push past years of programming, whose intellect and sense are so vast that they can easily see through a 2,000-year-long conspiracy, and will lead a movement to challenge the establishment and bring truth to the world. It’s not about truth, Flat-Earth is fiction that puts its tenets as the protagonists without them needing to do anything. Pseudo-science exists to fill voids, voids that are not satisfied with truth. My parents are big users of alternative medicine whose roots lie with desperation. My family suffers from many chronic illnesses, mental issues, Asthma, auto-immune disorders, and epilepsy. In conjunction with our lack of money and the terrible healthcare system, my family has gone into alternative medicine with mixed results. It makes everyone feel less helpless as we live with these issues. I got to the point where my parents thought they could effectively cure my severe to extreme Crohn’s with supplements and diet.
Before I go into a political or misanthropic rant, I’ll conclude. Voids by created anxiety, desire for power, ego, or desperation will give way to false realities built by grifters, idiots, or just plainly evil people. The modern body of knowledge while being nowhere near perfect or infallible has been the greatest defense against these spaces but as reality becomes more grim and the future inspires less hope, the more people will not only reject truth but also the people and systems that message it.
Tallis, November 2024
