Flat earth- what’s your opinion??

[GaaaaarlicBread]

Just catching up on This Mornings interview with a flat earther-can’t get my head around his debate but at the same time he makes some points that sound very realistic and he seems knowledgable . But I do believe our earth is round and not flat but very open to other people’s views , so just wondered what you think Mumsnetters?? Sorry if there’s been a thread like this before....
YANBU=our earth is round
YABU= it is flat

I watched a really fascinating documentary about flat earthers a while back, can't remember the name sorry, but they were doing all these tests in order to prove their theory and every test failed to prove that the earth is flat. Because it isn't, obvs. They looked pretty silly but just kept saying they'd need to come up with different tests. Was quite amusing in a scary way.

The earth isn't round/spherical.

It's an oblate spheroid. Bit flatter top and bottom than round the equator

It's slightly more satsuma than orange shaped basically.

But flat? Er, nope.

Oh and there was a man on the documentary who spent hours making these models of the flat earth, I felt sorry for him spending so much time and money on it.

@Whatsername177 maybe we watched the same one

Also as pointed out on behind the curve you will see that flat earthers formed a society basically because they are outcasts or failures in normal society so they banded together to form a society that rejects the biggest principle of life. Its pretty sad but the main guy in it loves being a celebrity and hero to people when he would have been a nobody otherwise. Its actually understandable how it grew as a society.

Flat earthers, because even creationists need someone to laugh at.

Where's the poll? Has it fallen off the edge?
Flat earth is total bollocks BUT there are some scientific beliefs (not the shape of the earth) that people in 300 years time will laugh at.

He reminds me of that guy who's a big deal in north Korea. He gets to wear a uniform with loads of medals, whereas at home he just looks like Alexi Sayle's less successful brother.

their main argument is 'you're all sheep

Ah, the good old sheeple rebuttal. They love that one. Until you point out to them that they didn't come up with the flat earth theory themselves. They didn't even come up with the word sheeple. They are just as much a sheep as you are. The difference is your shepherds are physicists, historians, mathematicians, astronomers, academics and sundry other geniuses whereas their shepherds of choice are a motley bunch of pot-heads, simpletons, underachievers and the clinically insane.

Look quite round

You can't have an opinion on a fact. Plus that once you get to a higher place you can actually see the curvature with your own eyes.

@custardbear that properly made me chuckle!

But you can see the ISS, with your actual eyes as it orbits earth. You can look up when its going over and sure enough it appears. Someone on a thread yesterday said that the UN was lying about climate change in order to bring down industrial civilisation. World seems to be actually crazy.

While we're meming...

@TooTrueToBeGood
Point well made!

I'll be amazed if there is a single yabu!

The. Earth. Is. Bloody. Round!

Op I saw the interview and I get what you mean. The guy they had on was actually very interesting, compared to some flat earthers they have had on before who were batshit. I really enjoyed hearing his opinion and he really seemed convinced of it. In saying that I don't believe it myself. But I find the subject of space fascinating, was he saying there is no space? Or that we haven't actually been there? Hes convinced it's all a conspiracy isn't he. He didn't convince me at all but still enjoyed it.

I'd rather believe in Great A'Tuin if it's all the same to you.

The logo of the Flat Earth Society contains the line "With members all around the globe"...

Own goal!

Flat earthers are obviously either trolls winding people up, or the easily led rejecting known facts.

Whenever I see them arguing I am reminded of the quote "You cannot reason people out of positions they didn’t reason themselves into."

@MiniMum97
We've been into space. We know the earth is round. There are pictures and everything.
None of that has happened if you believe the space travel deniers!!
That's the thing though all these conspiracy theorists are utterly convinced of their truth. Those who are convinced are very convincing.
When early explorers launched their boat from a land mass, they may have been unsure of the reality of a spherical Earth. None of them fell off.
If the Earth was flat the Americas would never have been visited or Australia, or China or India.

@firstimemamma It's actually an oblate spheroid. Either way it's not bloody well flat

These people believe that the earth is flat and that anything that shows it is round is fake. All trips into space are fake. The spacestation is fake. Probes sending pictures are fake. Presumably all other planets are also flat therefore all footage of them is also fake...

My question to them is

Why? To what end?

The governments of the world, or at least those participating in this 'fraud' all got together and said hey, you know what would be great? If we spent years and billions faking the shape of the planet...

Why?

Anyone who believes the earth is flat is a fool.

Well at least it's more believable than the idea that Phil came out completely on his own and with no "inspiration" at all...

Bezalelle
Yes, I'd forgotten that. Supporters all around the world.