Interesting hypothesis, proof of which would come with data.

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It doesn't really matter what Phil is saying, the music of his voice is the appropriate soundtrack for a bicycle race. HTupolev

The aliens have a contract where they pick them up, wipe their memory and then drop them off in Alabama.

He also believes there are question marks over the existence of gravity, the Moon landings, the assassination of JFK and what really happened on 9/11. I ask him what he thinks about the anti-vaxxer conspiracy theory: the idea that vaccines cause harmful effects such as autism which are being covered up. This is another belief that has been increasingly hitting the headlines in recent years, with a raft of celebrities coming out in support of the movement. Similar to many anti-vaxxers, Heather expresses a distrust of the people who make these vaccines. “Pharmaceutical companies are out to make, for want of a better word, a fast buck,” he says. When I tell him I think it’s far more dangerous not to vaccinate your children, he tells me, “I would totally disagree.”

https://www.sciencefocus.com/...f-the-flat-earthers/

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Still, most adherents demonstrate plenty of anti-scientific tendencies. It's hard to find a flat Earther who doesn't believe most other conspiracies under the sun; a flat-Earth conference is invariably also a gathering of anti-vaxxers, 9/11 truthers and Illuminati subscribers, to name a few.
It's that hyper-skeptical mindset that helps flat earthers answer the big questions -- like who's hiding the true shape of the planet from us?
https://www.cnn.com/...scli-intl/index.html

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Proof? No, I don't have a study shows that there is a correlation but this stuff is all over the place.
It's the same mindset. Science is wrong. They're trying to control our thoughts, control our minds, control our bodies.

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How does Danny Hart sit down with balls that big?

Yeah, otherwise there would be a wall at each end and the earth would be a cylinder. Geez, what a moran.

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I'm beginning to think that we are much more fucked than I thought.

This is the view of flat earth for the crazies.

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How does Danny Hart sit down with balls that big?

Meanwhile in Ohio students are now officially allowed to give scientifically wrong answers due to religion.
Oh the joys of being a teacher in Ohio...

Some of them probably even believe Socialism could work which is even more far-fetched

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Strava

They will be graded on "substance and relevance", weird way to put it given the religious reasons are wrong because they lack substance :)

I've actually studied flat Earthers and their like for about 20 years (long story). I've even engaged with them on forums to understand their thinking, and they're just like every other conspiracy theorist:

• They have come to believe they understand more than nearly anyone else, which makes them feel special.
• They enjoy the camaraderie of similar, oppressed, like-minded people.
• There is an explanation for any single piece of evidence that contradicts their beliefs.
• There is no cohesive explanation for all the contradictory evidence in aggregate, which is why they will always focus on evidence piecemeal.
• They don't just think they're right; they know they're right.
• They misunderstand science, but believe they understand it better than scientists. The Dunning-Kruger Effect is stunningly large with this group.

They're not particularly unintelligent people or even gullible people. They are having certain psychological needs met by believing they understand the underpinnings of reality that others can't perceive.

How do they reconcile the sun rising in the east and setting in the west with that model? How do they even reconcile it getting dark at night?

Teacher - "Describe the steps necessary to produce methane gas (CH4) from coal."

Student - "All you need is water and you can make methane, similar to Jesus turning water into wine."

Teacher - "That wouldn't work."

Student - "But my reasoning is in accordance with my religious beliefs. You must give me credit for my answer!"

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"Human existence is based upon two pillars: Compassion and knowledge. Compassion without knowledge is ineffective; Knowledge without compassion is inhuman." Victor Weisskopf.

...what's on the other side, and how 'thick' is the earth?

Tide goes in, tide goes out. You can't explain it.

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How does Danny Hart sit down with balls that big?

C'mon, Kay. You're smarter than that. The other side is Tales.

Sheesh.

Greg

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If you are a Canuck that engages in gratuitous bashing of the US, you are probably on my Iggy List. So, save your self a bunch of typing a response unless you also feel the need to gratuitously bash me. If so, have fun.
"Don't underestimate Joe's ability to f___ things up" - Barack Obama, 2020

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." -- Bertrand Russell

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"100% of the people who confuse correlation and causation end up dying."

Your first point is the one that touches on what I think when I hear people with their conspiracy theories on certain topics. They want to think that they are smarter than everyone else who isn't intelligent enough to see the evidence and come to the same conclusion that they have. I may be wrong, but many of them seem to be below average intelligence, but that could be my bias poking through.

I have managed to avoid interacting with flat Earthers, anti-vaxers and most others, but I see it with the people who think that Sandy Hook and Los Vegas never happened, and beleive that 9/11 was an inside job. As you said, they grasp one piece of evidence that can be used to support their views and ignore everything else. "Why won't they release photos of xyz...?"

The example of increasing cases of measles is good evidence of some harm (accepting the correlation of anti-vaccers with flat earthers).

The articles you referenced (thank you) provided some reference to studies showing an increase in conspiracy theories, but I'm curious as to the numbers of flat-earthers. In my life (over 50 years), I've never met anyone who professed to be a flat-earther, though some may have been in the closet.

And further, whatever their numbers, as to harm caused by flat-earthers, we'd need to know their cumulative net effect on society. (E.g., does Robert F. Kennedy's environmental activism outweigh his anti-vaccer behavior.)

Lastly, we'd need to compare the subset of humans who are happy believing crazy flat-earther theories with other subsets like those that have no erroneous scientific beliefs but find happiness engaging in activities like motorcycling, bicycling on roads, rock climbing, etc.

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It doesn't really matter what Phil is saying, the music of his voice is the appropriate soundtrack for a bicycle race. HTupolev

https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Last_Thursdayism

That is awesome.

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________
It doesn't really matter what Phil is saying, the music of his voice is the appropriate soundtrack for a bicycle race. HTupolev

https://en.wikipedia.org/...imulation_hypothesis

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"100% of the people who confuse correlation and causation end up dying."

Let me just say as I sit here typing from a left-handed dominate position, fuck those guys.

"that left-handedness is a sinful temptation."

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The secret of a long life is you try not to shorten it.
-Nobody

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Take a short break from ST and read my blog:
http://tri-banter.blogspot.com/

How is a ship supposed to go over the ice wall?


A ship wouldn't have to go over the ice wall if the dragons melt it first.

I think they would argue you just went around in a big circle.


Well, they would be kind of right.

Maybe they're right about other things too?

I am beginning to believe that we are in a computer simulation. The creators are throwing things like Trump and Anti-vaxxers/flat earthers at us to see how the "rational" thinkers react. Although if that were the case, the whole thing is pointless as they should know how the "rational" thinkers will react given that they created us.

Yes, I am claiming to be rational. YMMV.

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How does Danny Hart sit down with balls that big?