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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

The world is flat

323 replies

BrightOranges · 12/06/2017 11:07

I learnt today that there are 'flat earthers' who seriously believe the conspiracy theories of a flat planet rather than a spherical one.
AIBU to think you can't fix stupid? Or is that too harsh?

OP posts:
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teapotter · 12/06/2017 14:41

A large proportion of the world's population probably believe the earth is flat. Not due to conspiracy theories but just lack of education. I remember trying to explain to a colleague in rural Africa that the moon was bigger than a country. He believed the world was flat because it seemed obvious. Only education can cure ignorance but you have to be willing to learn.

This postmodern age when everyone can have valid views on science, history, medicine or theology is just scary. What happened to respecting the views of experts?

Lancelottie · 12/06/2017 14:47

Lana, 'The suns rises and sets - then rises and sets on the other side of the world - where do you think it goes if it doesn't go round the earth?'

The earth goes round the sun, not the other way round. I know you know that, but you could be nuking your own argument with that sentence.

LanaKanesLeftNippleTassle · 12/06/2017 14:51
Blush

Yeah I could have phrased that better!

I meant, rather clumsily, that if its set here, and is now shining on New Zealand say, how does that happen if the earth is flat?

It would be shining on all of us, all of the time otherwise!

Lancelottie · 12/06/2017 14:52

Ah, yes, but if New Zealand doesn't exist, that's that sorted.

I think Being Thick for a while could be quite fun. Maybe it'll stop people from different time zones emailing me at 4:30 in the morning for a start.

VestalVirgin · 12/06/2017 14:55

I thought everyone knew?
The world is flat. It sits on the back of four giant elephants which ride through space on the back of an even more gigantic turtle.
How do you not know this?!

Grin

True. I agree with flat earthers. But only if they do not question the elephants and the turtle.

The turtle moves!

This postmodern age when everyone can have valid views on science, history, medicine or theology is just scary. What happened to respecting the views of experts?

I am not much in favour of "respecting the views of experts" over your own rational thinking. So-called experts can be completely wrong. It is always good to question what they say.

I'd not have anything against the flat earthers, if that was all they believed in.

The fact that many of them are in favour of destroying the environment (which is weird, as they don't believe in space or other planets, apparently, where do thy think we can flee to?) is what worries me.

There's a lack of critical thinking skills there.

The uneducated African who believes that the moon is just the size it appears to be, and the world is flat, because he can walk on it, has probably not thought much about the matter, as it doesn't affect his daily life. His not believing you without any proof because you allegedly are an expert is not the problem.

People who learnt in school all the reasons (which they can see themselves) why the round earth theory makes sense refusing to do any critical thinking, and instead just believing a so-called expert who tells them the earth is flat, are the problem.

Dawndonnaagain · 12/06/2017 14:56

user, neither quantum mechanics nor general relativity support a flat earth theory.
No, you're really not a scientist...

Dawndonnaagain · 12/06/2017 14:57

DD (scientist) has just stated that The flat earth society is a global organisation! Grin

Well, it made me laugh!

VestalVirgin · 12/06/2017 14:59

I think Being Thick for a while could be quite fun. Maybe it'll stop people from different time zones emailing me at 4:30 in the morning for a start.

Time zones exist because the sunlight is a bit like syrup and travels rather slowly, so it reaches some parts of the flat earth later. Grin

Bloodyweddings · 12/06/2017 15:01

Surely the earth IS a flat disk on the back of four elephants who in turn stand on the back of a giant turtle?

BluePancakes · 12/06/2017 15:03

There are two things that pisses me off with these type conversations:

  1. is the implication that all Christians believe this (so I'm either told I'm stupid for being a Christian even though I don't believe this, or I'm going to Hell because I call myself a Christian but don't believe this).

And 2, more than that, is when people start calling it a THEORY. A theory has a very specific meaning within science, so calling evolution a 'theory' does not mean it lacks evidence or is not proven, and similarly calling Flat Earth/YEC etc a 'theory' does not make it scientific fact, even if it is an idea...

And while I don't tend to have these arguments any more, I still seem to be surrounded by anti-vaxxers, anti-meds/surgery for cancer etc, which I agree with a PP is much more dangerous.

Grrr! Is it too early for Wine

winglesspegasus · 12/06/2017 15:07

user1492692527
those huge swathes of the us schools who teach creation rather than evolution are primarily religious extremests.\to ignorant to see the proof in front of their faces.1500 year old indian ruins,guess its all our imagination.
then you have the ones that have homosapiens living with dinosaurs.
but then i best hide my jackalope she may confuse everyone

Offherhead · 12/06/2017 15:08

The Turtle Moves.
Seriously though. Flat Earthers are always good for a giggle. So very passionate about it. Things suggested by flat earthers about what the globe would be like "were it real" are particularly amusing as they show such a complete misunderstanding of anything like physics or common sense. (Eg all the "bottom" of our earth would be under water as it would all collect there Grin Confused Grin). It's cruel to laugh at stupidity, but they often like to bang on about all their academic credentials.

SaskiaRembrandtWasFramed · 12/06/2017 15:10

I haven't read the full thread, just wanted to say Australia is real, but Finland isn't, apparently. www.reddit.com/r/finlandConspiracy/comments/2y0oog/the_finland_conspiracy_and_all_you_need_to_know/

BrightOranges · 12/06/2017 16:59

Oh no, this has truly just been said:

"When you see the sun and the moon in the sky together in the middle of the day, have you ever wondered what the folks in Australia can see??
If we have the sun and the moon, what the hell have they got in their sky when they are underneath us?"

I just can't...

OP posts:
BrightOranges · 12/06/2017 17:02

And this too:

"It's flat !! And we don't move !! Also we haven't been into space 🚀 it's all fake !! If the earth was moving you would not be able to go up in an air ballon and come down in the same place 💪🏼🌎 many other proven reasons why the earth is stationary and not globe shape... feel free to research for your selves"

It's frightening that someone thinks like that. I can't even argue with stupid, I just can't.

OP posts:
SweetChickadee · 12/06/2017 17:19

DH works with a flat earther. He also 'doesn't believe' in satellites Grin

SteamTrainsRealAleandOpenFires · 12/06/2017 17:29

I thought everyone knew?
The world is flat. It sits on the back of four giant elephants which ride through space on the back of an even more gigantic turtle.
How do you not know this?! Confused

The question is:- What is the Turtle standing on?

user1497253264 · 12/06/2017 17:32

I was referring to when she asked how do you explain gravity, so you are right that general relativity and quantum mechanics doesn't explain a flat earth theory, but when people ask how do you explain gravity then you will find the answer in those areas.

And that is true within science a theory is quite specific based on facts that have been observed and proved and have evidence. But generally a theory is a set of ideas wanting to explain something, or so I thought.

Yeah I also agree, I am not in favour of just accepting the experts view, why can't you make up your own mind with the information presented.

And in reply to why would they not just tell everyone the earth was flat and why lie? What is to gain? Well for that there is Google at your finger tips! If you care that much about the question then have a look and decide yourself.

There is also the hollow earth, concave and convex earth theories out there too if anyone cares to be enlightened.

steppemum · 12/06/2017 17:47

steam - turtles don't have feet, they have flippers, and the turtle is using them to swim through space.

I'm with Blue pancakes though, please don't dump all Christians in with theses lunatics.

user1497253264 · 12/06/2017 17:52

Christians are not lunatics? Although the bible does imply the earth is flat, I would be more inclined to think that these new age type flat earth people cause less problems in the name of a flat earth than the Christian faith in the name of Jesus.

coldcanary · 12/06/2017 17:53

Flat Earth is my favourite rabbit hole for a boring evening. Hollow Earth is quite fascinating as well, the explanations for that one remind me of a Jules Verne story!
I just wish they didn't use the word Sheeple so much, it's very annoying.

MarmJamalade · 12/06/2017 17:53

BartholinsSister Grin Love that!

7461Mary18 · 12/06/2017 17:57

Most Christians don't believe the earth is flat - we all know that. Some very silly people do. They have to imagine a very massive massive conspiracy involving vast numbers of people who it would be very strange if they were in league with each other to persist with the belief.

ErrolTheDragon · 12/06/2017 17:58

steam - turtles don't have feet, they have flippers, and the turtle is using them to swim through space

Alternatively, it's standing on another turtle, etc and 'its turtles all the way down'. And I'm a real dragon Dragon Grin

Lancelottie · 12/06/2017 18:05

Time zones exist because the sunlight is a bit like syrup and travels rather slowly Grin

Rather like my state of consciousness when being woken by emails from non-existent time zones at 4:30.

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