The earth is flat?

[retslock]

Absolutely!

For as long as humans have existed, they have excelled at doing two things:

1. Making up stuff
2. Convincing themselves that the stuff they made up in step #1 is actually real!!!

(It's that step #2 that I find most bizarre and puzzling.)

But hey, we are talking about humans. It's a very strange species with a very odd need to do those two things.

I suppose one possible reason some humans do those two things is due to having an inner need to have an explanation for everything. So when they have no clue about something, they make stuff up and then convince themselves (and even sometimes convince others) that what they made up is real. And unfortunately, too many humans are weak-minded enough to allow others to talk them into believing the made up stuff.

I like George Carlin's quote:

"I have this real moron thing I do called *THINKING* and I don't make a very good follower because I like to form my own opinion of things."

My version of that is, "my mind is not for rent."

Didn’t Einstein say that only two things were infinite: the universe and human stupidity. Only he wasn’t sure about the universe.

 

[Munjibunga]

My neighbour and I have had a few conversations similar to this one. He believes that the earth is 5000 years old. We're still talking about that... I am waiting for the right time to let him know that the earth is flat.
On another note... "No matter how you flip it, a flap jack has two sides". Dr Phil
Fishheadjoe
PS... i have been waiting for someone to say Magma... I really like that word.

I knew an actual geologist who believes the earth is 6,000 years old. I interviewed him for a job. This belief presents a serious problem in California seismology. The state says that any earthquake fault that has moved in the last 11,000 years (holocene) is considered active. That means every fault in the state is active since they've all moved in the last 6,000 years. Bummer for me - my house sits directly between two faults. My neighbors' houses sit directly on them (the faults are inactive).

Anyway, I asked the guy how he could write geologic reports discussing the ages of the various geologic formations in such a way that the public agencies would accept his report. I forgot his answer, most likely because it was easily forgettable. No, I didn't hire him, but one of my competitors did. From what I know, he spent most of his time behind a drill rig taking samples.

So which is better, magma or smegma?

 

[Downunderwonder]

I knew an actual geologist who believes the earth is 6,000 years old. I interviewed him for a job. This belief presents a serious problem in California seismology. The state says that any earthquake fault that has moved in the last 11,000 years (holocene) is considered active. That means every fault in the state is active since they've all moved in the last 6,000 years. Bummer for me - my house sits directly between two faults. My neighbors' houses sit directly on them (the faults are inactive).

Anyway, I asked the guy how he could write geologic reports discussing the ages of the various geologic formations in such a way that the public agencies would accept his report. I forgot his answer, most likely because it was easily forgettable. No, I didn't hire him, but one of my competitors did. From what I know, he spent most of his time behind a drill rig taking samples.

So which is better, magma or smegma?

I know which I would rather have in my shorts

 

[sigterm]

I know which I would rather have in my shorts

 

[Mark Reccord]

Biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig +1

As Neil deGrasse Tyson so eloquently said:

“The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it.”

Yup.

Absolutely!

For as long as humans have existed, they have excelled at doing two things:

1. Making up stuff
2. Convincing themselves that the stuff they made up in step #1 is actually real!!!

(It's that step #2 that I find most bizarre and puzzling.)

But hey, we are talking about humans. It's a very strange species with a very odd need to do those two things.

I suppose one possible reason some humans do those two things is due to having an inner need to have an explanation for everything. So when they have no clue about something, they make stuff up and then convince themselves (and even sometimes convince others) that what they made up is real. And unfortunately, too many humans are weak-minded enough to allow others to talk them into believing the made up stuff.

I like George Carlin's quote:

"I have this real moron thing I do called *THINKING* and I don't make a very good follower because I like to form my own opinion of things."

My version of that is, "my mind is not for rent."

Well, in that case I won't put you down as arrogant.

Funnily enough, the flerthers will claim that anyone who accepts a spherical earth and the mainstream concept of the solar system etc is an indoctrinated fool who only repeats what they are told and that they are the thinkers despite the entire body of flat earth "research" being youtube videos.

Is that sorta like extreme death or extreme pregnancy? I kinda like the idea of a “mild” vacuum.

Exactly. Their word not mine. I watched a video in which Mark Sargent (I think) was talking about the vacuum of space and Mythbusters imploding a tanker car by sucking the air out of it (and having to severely dent it before it actually imploded). He seemed to think that negative exponents meant the numbers were negative and that the vacuum of space was somehow this extreme thing, when really it's only 14.7psi less than the pressure at the surface of the earth. Or that the tires on that Tesla they launched would explode because of the extreme pressure differential between them and space. Vacuum is simply the lack of pressure. FEs don't understand math. If they did, they wouldn't be FEs. Just another reason for me to think that it's a big piss take, really.

 

[TOOL460002]

What Is Gravity?


Gravity as a theory is false. Objects simply fall.

In the flat earth community there are several theories as to why this happens. Some attempt to explain this with use of mechanics like electromagnetism, density, or pressure. Others make use of traditional mathematics, such as the infinite plane model, and others a new look at the problem - such as the non-euclidean model.

What is certain is sphere earth gravity is not tenable in any way shape or form.


In the first sentence they use the word theory correctly in scientific terms. Gravitational theory is false. In the next sentence they use it in the colloquial sense like I have a theory about who stole the cookies. I'm starting to think these folks might not know what they're talking about.

Ya, the first sentence would make you think they understand what a theory is, wouldn't it? But it's typically a whole lot of poking a little hole in a well supported theory and using that little whole to flood in massive amounts of garbage. It's like, "your theory has one problem so all of my ideas are correct." Or some variation thereof.

If someone hasn't already quoted ICP or the SNL parody it could go anywhere in any arguement like this. Now I'm starting to question magnets... hmm...

 

[Chris76]

What Is Gravity?


Gravity as a theory is false. Objects simply fall.

In the flat earth community there are several theories as to why this happens. Some attempt to explain this with use of mechanics like electromagnetism, density, or pressure. Others make use of traditional mathematics, such as the infinite plane model, and others a new look at the problem - such as the non-euclidean model.

What is certain is sphere earth gravity is not tenable in any way shape or form.


In the first sentence they use the word theory correctly in scientific terms. Gravitational theory is false. In the next sentence they use it in the colloquial sense like I have a theory about who stole the cookies. I'm starting to think these folks might not know what they're talking about.

I had to giggle when I read that first line. I really wish I could talk to one of these people so I can have them explain to me why objects, like in space, don't "simply" float. Mass and the mathematics behind it stipulate that the more the mass, the quicker the object, "simply falls". In that theory, the sun should be speeding away from us at an alarming rate given that its mass is 1.3 million times that of the Earth.

There can always be a rebuttal depending on the willingness of the participants in the conversation.

 

[SactoBass]

Well, in that case I won't put you down as arrogant.

Thank you! Because I am quite the opposite!

...is an indoctrinated fool who only repeats what they are told

Big +1. That fits with so many scenarios that pop into my mind. But I won't mention any of them!

 

[Element Zero]

I had to giggle when I read that first line. I really wish I could talk to one of these people so I can have them explain to me why objects, like in space, don't "simply" float.

You can’t even get that far with them. They simply claim that NASA and the US Government fakes all “space” and that no one has ever been to space and that we’ve never launched a rocket into space...

I’ve tried to rebuttal with the fact that there are other space agencies and governments in the world besides NASA and the US. I then get told I’m just brainwashed and are afraid of the truth.

It’s a waste of time to argue.

 

[mellowinman]

You can’t even get that far with them. They simply claim that NASA and the US Government fakes all “space” and that no one has ever been to space and that we’ve never launched a rocket into space...

I’ve tried to rebuttal with the fact that there are other space agencies and governments in the world besides NASA and the US. I then get told I’m just brainwashed and are afraid of the truth.

It’s a waste of time to argue.

I have to repeat that it's a waste of time to interact with them at all.

 

[Gorn]

Flat Earth - RationalWiki
As such, to believe in a flat Earth is to assume that NASA, the government and the entire scientific community are part of a major conspiracy to delude everyone, that the Moon landings never happened, and that NASA spends most of its budget on fabricating evidence of other celestial objects rather than actually exploring space. The Big Bang theory, along with most of physics, would go out the window as well. And that's not even half of it.

Of course not only would NASA and the scientific community need to be in on the conspiracy. All shipping companies and airline companies along with most of their employees also need to be involved. In fact every transnational company whose goods were moved around the world would need to be involved. And of course you would need the telecommunications companies and odometer manufacturers to be deeply involved. For that matter every government on the planet along with large numbers of their employees and the military would have to be keeping quiet about it. Heck, all the world's amateur astronomers (who have no connection to NASA at all, we remind you) would need to be in on it as well - for some reason which never seems to be fully explained.

Further still, considering that even something as basic as gravity gets called into question when assuming a flat Earth, it really goes to show how big of a tinfoil hat you'd have to be wearing in order to block out that much of reality.

 

[Matthew_84]

Funnily enough, the flerthers will claim that anyone who accepts a spherical earth and the mainstream concept of the solar system etc is an indoctrinated fool who only repeats what they are told and that they are the thinkers despite the entire body of flat earth "research" being youtube videos.

This reminds me of the goth kids in the nineties, dressed in all black, usually with died black hair, and pale white skin (even sometimes had white makeup) that seemed to me (a non-goth kid) to be doing it to be unique and not follow the trends, yet they all looked the same, and put more effort into looking that way than anyone else.

 

[FrenchBassQC]

what the... when... when did this happen? People legitimately believe the earth is flat?

Nah, ask Donald he'll tell you it's a fake news...

 

[Chris76]

Nah, ask Donald he'll tell you it's a fake news...

With the way people are so quick to judge based on little information and/or resources, what is "real news"? Mob mentality rules and your job can be lost based on a social media post that gets taken out of context because someones panties got bunched while trying to correct their cranial/rectal invertitis.

 

[TOOL460002]

Sounds about right. I USED to have a friend who was pretty normal, eccentric, but normal, and then everything became conspiracies. Even down the bizarre path to believe that “time” was a man made construct and that one cannot truly measure time because it’s unquantifiable... He went so far off the deep end with some of this stuff, myself and 4 other people who had been long time friends of his, had to step away.

That sucks. I got one friend who I believe went mentally astray with lots of radio input (doesnt stream). It's unfortunate but you can know a person for years before they get strange. You're far from alone. It happens and it is awful but often necessary.

 

[TOOL460002]

I live in Colorado … we have lots of mountains … the earth is not flat

I dont know. Last time I was in CO was Estes Park and while the air was thinner up there, I just assumed the chem trails sprayed CO2 in copious amounts to trick me. Guess the magic gas bubble extends to Everest as well.

But TBOT is likely not friendly ground for stuff that goes against science. Any bassist that doesnt like basic science should chain a dozen 4ohm cabs together and see what happens (and keep a fire extinguisher handy!).

 

[metron]

what the... when... when did this happen? People legitimately believe the earth is flat?

Doesn't it make you want to learn more about why people think they way they do? I find it fascinating. Topics like this are sort of bait. Same goes with politics in general. I like to talk to people about politics to learn why people subscribe to belief/opinion teams and how their thoughts are formed. For me it's less about which team or what belief and it's associated merits.

 

[Ric5]

I dont know. Last time I was in CO was Estes Park and while the air was thinner up there, I just assumed the chem trails sprayed CO2 in copious amounts to trick me. Guess the magic gas bubble extends to Everest as well.

But TBOT is likely not friendly ground for stuff that goes against science. Any bassist that doesnt like basic science should chain a dozen 4ohm cabs together and see what happens (and keep a fire extinguisher handy!).

They tell us that heat rises … then how come when you go up in the mountains it gets cooler?

 

[TOOL460002]

They tell us that heat rises … then how come when you go up in the mountains it gets cooler?

Hehe... I like it! Heres a sarcastic link to the definition of diffusion:

Invalid Link Removed

But I'm no genius.

 

[Element Zero]

Doesn't it make you want to learn more about why people think they way they do? I find it fascinating. Topics like this are sort of bait. Same goes with politics in general. I like to talk to people about politics to learn why people subscribe to belief/opinion teams and how their thoughts are formed. For me it's less about which team or what belief and it's associated merits.

Specifically on this topic... no it does NOT interest me in the slightest to learn why they think the way they do. I do however find it fascinating how many vegans Vegans on social media (and a number that I know in real life) HAVE to shout it from the rooftops that they are vegan. As if their lives depended on it... but, I couldn’t be bothered to learn why people behave certain ways or have certain beliefs.