The Eclipse and Flat Earthers

[schmitt trigger]

Last night, I went to Youtube in the hope of catching some good eclipse videos.
There are quite a few, but my surprise was that it is also inundated with flat earthers which argue that the eclipse fully demonstrates that the earth is indeed flat. Some even maintain that this proves the geo-centric nature of the universe.

How can someone, in the XXI century, cannot be convinced that the earth not only is round, but that it circles around the sun, which in itself revolves around our galaxy? Who taught these people to think like that?

Out of curiosity, I googled Flat Earth, and noticed that there are literally dozens of groups and societies which believe the earth is flat.

 

[Mickster]

Ignorance knows no bounds for some.
You could take them into orbit and have them peek out of a window, but they would still claim something as stupid as "That's not a window, it is a display showing a film" or other equally dumb statements.

 

[atferrari]

I worry much more of people like you wasting a precious unrecoverable asset: time.

For what I have seen before, you do better than that. Sincerely.

 

[Ian Rogers]

Ignorance knows no bounds for some.
You could take them into orbit and have them peek out of a window, but they would still claim something as stupid as "That's not a window, it is a display showing a film" or other equally dumb statements.

I was actually think the same.... I have just shown this to my son... I said "If they were in an aeroplane, I bet they would say the windows are concave or something to explain the curvature they would see..."

The worrying thing is... These people are voters!!!!

 

[DerStrom8]

I'm still convinced that most of it is an act, and few people genuinely believe it. Others just want attention and they get it by opposing known facts and voicing unpopular opinions. Deep down they probably know they're wrong, they just don't want to believe it because they like the attention, whether positive or negative. This is a known phenomenon, though I cannot remember what it's called, where people feel better about themselves when they disagree with popular opinions:

Example:

Popular opinion - "This actor is excellent"
One person seeking attention - "I can't stand that actor"

Popular opinion - "This book is absolutely terrible and very poorly written"
One person seeking attention - "I actually think it's underrated and is a very good book"

I'm not saying the "one person seeking attention" is wrong, just that they enjoy voicing opinions that differ from the masses. In my mind it's equivalent to dying your hair hot pink or covering your entire face with piercings. They want to stand out because it makes them feel better for some reason. Do they look like idiots? Almost definitely. But it sure gets them the attention. That's how I feel about flat-earthers.

 

[jpanhalt]

DerStrom8

Don't forget the Pastafarians. Some put on a serious act and demand religious protection.

 

[tcmtech]

I'm still convinced that most of it is an act, and few people genuinely believe it. Others just want attention and they get it by opposing known facts and voicing unpopular opinions. Deep down they probably know they're wrong, they just don't want to believe it because they like the attention, whether positive or negative. This is a known phenomenon, though I cannot remember what it's called, where people feel better about themselves when they disagree with popular opinions:

Its called being a liberal.

 

[tcmtech]

I was actually think the same.... I have just shown this to my son... I said "If they were in an aeroplane, I bet they would say the windows are concave or something to explain the curvature they would see..."

A few years ago I was on a international flight between Minneapolis and Amsterdam where at one point according to the flight data screen on the entertainment display built in the seat in front of e we were up around 43,000 feet. At that altitude over the sea I could just make out the apparent curvature of the earth given the smooth even sea horizon!

Pretty cool sight for me any way.

 

[pfofit]

The flat earth society has chapters all around the globe.

 

[ClydeCrashKop]

Don't forget the Pastafarians.

Ha Ha I had forgotten about them.
https://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-Pastafarian
Pastafarianism is the world's fastest growing carbohydrate-based religion. Pastafarians worship the Flying Spaghetti Monster (FSM), an omnipotent deity that the church does not necessarily believe to actually exist. Outsiders call the church's members satirists, enemies call them heretics and landlubbers call them dirty pirates, but one thing's certain about Pastafarians. – They sure love beer!

 

[ronsimpson]

What can math do:
Here NASA found out when the sun, moon, space station and a spot on earth will line up. They put a man there and got this picture. There is also a video.
I do not worry about "flat earthers" but I do but heads with "no vaccines" and "6000 years" people. I don't really car what they think but some of them control education and government monies.

 

[GromTag]

Odd concept, those that do so for attention in term are as well difficult to determine if that in fact is the way it IS seen.

It can be sometimes difficult to tell if some one or many is making whatever up intentionally vs. actually seeing it that way, double edge sword?

Concept, some are actually be looking for an attempt to be called on the "views" in awaiting an confrontational argumentative opportunity regardless of the topic or conversation. Seen that near home often. (petitioners to make the farmers move their farms away, even going as far as causing issues with the farmers land/tax structure causing major issues) One declared (filed) old business new family to escape that mess.

Terms of late here *near my location) have been noted as acts of defiance by those seeking attention and that has resulted damaged to the towns infrastructure to the point of stores having near bare shelves and virtually no authoritative presence.

: Eclipse :

Wonder what the view of the Earth was like from the station (have not searched yet). A rare glimpse at the Earth with the sun eclipsed would be interesting with proper equipment to possibly see its own element of in clear weather areas, lights and possible Aura of the N/S poles. Full range spectrum, or land based Gravimetric changes during, if any.

1979 had some tech to see some things tho now one wonders if the new tech would have been used properly..... hehehe.

 

[ronsimpson]

Wonder what the view of the Earth was like from the station

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1703746966333143

 

[GromTag]

Yeah.. turned shades of grey at home, had others in the area running indoors.... And reports of people looking into the Eclipse.. sigh.. Ohh and their dear phones taking damage from photo attempts.

Ehh, just saying this out of talking to self out loud... (gestured) One endeavouring sitting at the art guild made a statement with surreal expression of possible future advertisements being displayed by hollowing out the moon and having the signs carved out to display the advert... or lit up.

People would pay good money for that.... is what was said......

Thanks for the video ronsimpson. Saw the same Giff version as well.

My only gesture here that got some vague laughs.
Some one forgot the light bill..slowly looks over across the room at people sitting in the corner of the cafe.. tilts head.... didn't they?

 

[GromTag]

Had some thought about this flat earther concept.. Comprehension is of the term Tomato, yeah that unusual thing that was once a Vegetable that is now a Fruit right? Well the most concepts would be in logic is to point out that the two argued terminologies of the phrases Tomato, TomAto to result in attentive reviews (arguments) and resulting change of the object from Vegetable to Fruit of in result its leading cause of inquire of change. Bantered into a Fruit! Then the followed eventual concept backed by science to sustain this and yet it's still just as the same Tomato, TomAto algorithm.

Things that get attention are at most things that tend to result in change all around us...

:Edit: I'm referring to a phrase analogy on the Tomato part.

 

[Reloadron]

Last night, I went to Youtube in the hope of catching some good eclipse videos.
There are quite a few, but my surprise was that it is also inundated with flat earthers which argue that the eclipse fully demonstrates that the earth is indeed flat. Some even maintain that this proves the geo-centric nature of the universe.

How can someone, in the XXI century, cannot be convinced that the earth not only is round, but that it circles around the sun, which in itself revolves around our galaxy? Who taught these people to think like that?

Out of curiosity, I googled Flat Earth, and noticed that there are literally dozens of groups and societies which believe the earth is flat.

My humble observation is really pretty simple. Every day begins with millions of people looking for something to believe in. The Peoples Temple Agricultural Project, better known by its informal name "Jonestown" is a good example. The list goes on and on of things to believe in and cults grow in size. Over my life I have actually learned a few things and among those things is you can't save people from themselves. Regardless of what people are told, some will in fact drink the Kool Aid. Eventually I gave up on trying to understand the rationale if in fact there even was any rationale to understand. If people wish to believe the earth is indeed flat then cool with me as it doesn't have any adverse effect on my life. How about the hale bopp cult? People looki9ng for something to believe in.

Ron

 

[tcmtech]

It can be sometimes difficult to tell if some one or many is making whatever up intentionally vs. actually seeing it that way, double edge sword?

Concept, some are actually be looking for an attempt to be called on the "views" in awaiting an confrontational argumentative opportunity regardless of the topic or conversation.

I see that every day now regarding the political issues that have become nothing but a battle between the rational minded and the ever increasingly insanely idiotic demands of their opposition.

As a largely independent but patriotic American I have done my best my whole life to try and see both sides views as fairly and rationally as possible but now I just don't get it anymore. One side is now totally nuts and can't even explain itself anymore and is getting worse day by day for what? Was losing a election they were sure they had sufficiently rigged in their favor really that devastating of psychological blow to them?

 

[GromTag]

The election? I think of it in the monetary way with that. How much again was spent in donations vs how many of those donations were under true and thoughtful pretense. (play on words) tbh, I just listen from afar about politics as it's either one view or the other.. Cant help but refer to South Park on that... Honestly one would at least clean things.....

In term.
The record that is scratched that plays for so long eventually becomes familiar even with once the whole song being known. Now how did that one part that's missing go again?

The most I've seen is in what I have seen and have best to try to rationalize or think of with what understanding, and at that moment was in reality I was unprepared at most of the irrational topics of conversation to even attempt standing on common ground.

So to not seem paranoid that I'm being played on because at times it's just seems that obvious. I just apply a return of the efforts in conversation by using the puzzle pieces provided and attempted to try and alter the conversation to provide some rationale with fading success. I do not go out often any more as is.

Could the conversations themselves often be key in any attempt to understand whats occurring in society? Disregarding news feeds and referring to local events. The people. I feel this is obvious to many far by now.

I had some other thoughts typed.. for now saved on a Txt file as it would not be proper to apply on this... or for any matter any other forum for a precautionary sense. Could start a blaze battle.

 

[GromTag]

However, regardless of the ideology I list this.

History even stored on a drive/server somewhere, one still needs to know how to enter the correct terminology to see the info unless explicitly told not to do so, or that's not what I wanted to see, hows that going to get me that such and such off of (insert shopping site here)..... One can't really speak on things without some other stating what is wanted in desire to be the existence of desired view.

Deca,

1995-

2012

And as but one form of ideology with the ease of information access with little or no regards to thought out, I share this as an example to possibly topple the house of cards as they are now, or at least shake them a little.
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazin...the-smartphone-destroyed-a-generation/534198/
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazin...the-smartphone-destroyed-a-generation/534198/
Apologies for the awkward rant. And for a bit of topic flex.

 

[JoeJester]

I thought the tomato being a fruit or vegetable was a recent (less than 30 years) argument. Sure it rears it's ugly head now and then.

But, now I read

from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nix_v._Hedden
Nix v. Hedden, 149 U.S. 304 (1893), was a decision by the Supreme Court of the United States that, under U.S. customs regulations, the tomato should be classified as a vegetable rather than a fruit. The Court's unanimous opinion held that the Tariff Act of 1883 used the ordinary meaning of the words "fruit" and "vegetable," instead of the technical botanical meaning.

Taxes. Of course when the FDA tried to re-designate the tomato, or at least less than a half-cup, pizza's would have been eliminated from government sponsored lunches in schools. Via the vehicle called "funding" Congress got it's way and pizza was back on the lunch list.

Politics is a business that knows no logic.