I know what you're thinking... "Yeah right, there's no way there are any EX flat earthers out there..." I had the same thought when I first saw the Reddit thread I'm about to share with you. But it turns out, there are - and they're much more willing to speak than people might think.
Reddit user blc_abc asked:
Surprisingly, quite a few people spoke up and it was fascinating and kind of sad to get the inside scoop on why people were open to the ideas. What we found interesting were that there were a few common threads that kept popping up - a lack of education, the need to feel a connection to a community/part of something, and plain old ego really factored in for several folks.
Buckle up, we're about to go for a ride.
Maturity And Critical Thinking
I used to believe that earth was flat. Basically I was into other conspiracies like 9/11 and the Illuminati and I just went down the rabbit hole of conspiracies and became a flat earther. I watched a lot of Eric Dubay and Jeranism to confirm my beliefs. Most people thought it was a joke but I believed it and earned a reputation at my high school. Looking back I regret it pretty bad since it was really cringey. They even put me in the school year book for it so it's there forever.
I got out of it my just becoming more mature and thinking more critically. I also became close with my physics teacher since we have similar interests and that combined with maturity got me out of the mentality. The worst part was everyone thinks I was doing it for attention when I actually believed it. I basically destroyed my reputation in my hometown. It's not a big deal tho since I'm leaving and it's one of the reasons why I'm abandoning my childhood life.
Memes To The Rescue
First I saw the proofs. I believed them. Then these flat earth memes made me understand these proofs are sh*t. So I don't believe in that anymore. I'm thankful to memes for this.
- Fiveacii
School Failed Me
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I used to believe that the moon landing was a hoax and that 9/11 was an inside job. I was young and naive. School had pretty much failed me. It didn't help anyone build critical thinking skills. It just taught us "this is this. that is that" but didn't teach us why this is this and how we know that is that.
Anyway. I was (and am) a very curious person. I love learning. When things like wikipedia and youtube became popular and science related contents started becoming available, I consumed them voraciously. I started to understand the scientific method. I learned why evidence and data are important. I took online courses. In those courses I learned about the peer review system, I learned physics, statistics, economics, logic, behavioral psychology, and social psychology.
Basically, I got all the tools to challenge my old beliefs. I picked them apart. I started debating in my own mind various topics and discarded anything that didn't hold up to my scientific scrutiny - including those conspiracy theories.
Dad's Trip To China
Not me, but my dad.
He is bipolar (same as me, but with more severe mania) and during a manic episode a few years ago he got really into conspiracy theories. He was smoking a lot of pot, staying up til 4 in the morning getting messages from 'God', and watching YouTube videos. He would believe anything on YouTube. He started obsessing over the sun and moon. He would constantly take pictures of them and go on long rants about how the sun doesn't really set in the West and it's revolving around the Earth and how the moon always looks the same so it must be sitting still in the sky, not rotating.
Eventually this turned into believing that the moon landing was faked, the earth is flat (and the center of the universe), the sun and other planets revolve around the earth, and the earth has a huge dome around it that keeps people from exiting the atmosphere into space.
Every single family gathering he would bring this up and go on LONG (multiple hours) rants about it to anyone who would even pretend to listen. He convinced a couple of his sisters but most of the family just dismissed it as crazy uncle stuff.
He knew I didn't believe him and so he would corner me all the time trying to get me to argue with him or watch some of his (again, multiple hours long) YouTube videos.
The thing that changed his mind? He went on a trip to China. On the plane, there were screens in front of him that showed the trajectory and route they were taking. On the way to China, he saw that the route they took (which took about 15 hours) matched up with his flat earth theory — if the earth was round, they would have just flown over the ocean to cut 3 hours out of the trip, or something. But because they took the 'longer' way (which my dad believed was actually the shortest way, going by the flat earth map) this proved that the earth was flat.
However, on the way home, the plane took the ocean route and made the trip in 12 hours. Should have been impossible, according to my dad. That opened his eyes and he started to fact check some of the bogus math that had been spouted at him on YouTube.
He still believes some of the conspiracy theories, but he picks and chooses which ones he believes. Like, he still thinks the moon landing was faked, but he believes that we've sent unmanned rockets to the moon (so there's no dome around the earth).
He still watches YouTube videos almost constantly. He's big into James White and all that.
Higher Power
I really dove into it a few months back. I think the thing that gets people is the idea of a flat earth would mean a higher power or "creation" of the flatness. Lots of people discussed the something bigger and feeling that this meant they really had a purpose.
The Higher-Ups
Not me, but a family member. They're still a flat-Earther, so I can only answer the first half of the question. They've explained to me that the Bible states that the Earth is flat, not round, in its own words in multiple parts of the book (as if the Bible is a book of cold, hard facts).
Then, the most compelling reason that they think to believe the Earth is flat is that the higher-ups of the world have deceived us and want us to believe the Earth is round. The Earth being round would point to the fact that there is no God because the Earth being round and being part of a solar system can be explained by science.
Basically, if we have proof that there is a God (flat Earth), we won't abide by the rules of the higher ups of the world anymore, since we have God's rules to follow.
Authoritative Sexy Voice
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I'm not proud of this, but some time ago I was young, and wanted to see a greater truth than the whole world being one giant shopping mall. I went on a Youtube binge. You know how some of those Youtubers have those authoritative sexy voices? Well that's how I was hooked on Flat Earth, aaaaand about 5 seconds later I realized it's bullsh*t, because if you use your brain it's clear as f*ck that it's bullsh*t.
- Rundbear
A Crutch
People that make fun of conspiracy theories commit small conspiracies every day in their daily life. They talk about friends behind their back and make plans to gain this or that through deceit and trickery yet they don't understand that those with money and clout are just like them, only they operate within their means on a larger scale. If you're a petty small person that uses your clout in a social situation to conspire to get what is best for you, what makes you think the elite of this world are any different from you?
So yeah, I'm into some conspiracy theories. I find it odd when you go down the rabbit hole all you find is lizard people and flat earth. I agree with many posters here that a lot of it is about ego and having secret knowledge, but I also see a lot of ego on the other side making fun of people who believe in conspiracies.
I listened and spent way too much time looking into the flat earth (Probably about 10 hours of earnest study over the course of a month.) and found it to be implausible and not believable. I think what it comes down to is when you when you realize how much the average person is and has been deceived, it's difficult to believe anything without testing it yourself, and those in the flat earth movement take advantage of that disbelief and distrust in the system.
I think the loony conspiracy theories like lizard people and flat earth are there to stigmatize and label people who might tell you the truth about something. Personally I'm willing to listen to any intelligent person who has a reasoned belief. Partly because I want to know why they believe it, and because some things at first seemed crazy to me and then evidence was provided that supported it. Essentially I'll give anybody the benefit of the doubt.
I think the rabid arrogant flat earthers talking down to you about how water falls off of a ball instead of sticking to it that everybody props up and makes fun of are the obnoxious loud minority that are there to make it easy for you to dismiss the movement. I think there are quiet, intelligent folks who just don't trust anything the majority believes anymore because they feel they've been lied to about everything.
If the UN map looks like a flat earth map and flight paths are screwy (due to cost of landing in certain countries I believe) its enough for them to want to hang on and reserve judgment. It's a rebellion against too much propaganda and too many pundits telling everybody what they should think and what they should believe. Ultimately for many its a crutch for some sort of other belief they want to hold that they feel is being taken from them.
Humble Pie
I used to be really into conspiracy theories and a big part of the hook that people don't see is that it's an ego trip. You think you know things that others don't and it makes you feel smarter, special or superior. It makes you feel good to feed the ego. It takes a bit of self reflection and a slice of humble pie to figure out your motivations for believing something.
Ego And The Cult
I just watched "Behind the Curve" on Netflix and I have realized how true this ego theory is!! The main guy in it, Mark Sargent, really just seems to love the attention and fame that comes with being a flat earther. He seems to thrive more on finding his sort of tribe and having people fawn over him than any actual flat earth theory.
I've tried to entertain the idea of flat earth before but if you go to the Flat Earth Society website and check the "Frequently asked questions" section...it just.....I can't. I can't even with these people. It lacks all reasoning. They disregard traditional scientific methods and rely solely on what they can observe with their senses (look up Zetecism). This essentially means they form a question and immediately set to experimenting. No theory or forethought and take the results as irrefutable fact.
It's honestly a lot like a cult.
Tons of people in cults don't really believe in them. It provides them a community of people that accept them, makes them feel exclusive and know something that other people don't, tells them they are great for believing these things, etc.
Granted, flat earth is a little different than your typical run of the mill religious cult. But I think that the motivations for some of it's believers are very similar.
I think Mark even said at one point in that documentary something about how even if he stopped believing in Flat Earth, he'd probably just keep saying that he did anyway. In a way I feel for them, it is kinda like leaving a cult. Once you're all in like that, all of your friends and support group is the community.
As for what they talk about, most of what I've heard is less about Flat Earth itself, and more about the conspiracy to cover it up. In that way, they have a lot in common with the wider world of conspiracy theories. Once you start to believe these things, you very quickly have to ask what's keeping more people from the truth. The more far out the idea, the more expansive the cover up must be.
For many childhood memories are overrun by living nightmares.
Yes, children are resilient, but that doesn't mean that the things we see as babes don't follow us forever.
The horrors of the world are no stranger to the young.
Redditor -2sweetcaramel- wanted to see who was willing to share about the worst things we've seen as kids, so they asked:
"What’s the creepiest thing you saw as a kid?"
Serious Danger
"Me and my best friend would explore the drainage tunnels under the Vegas area where we grew up. These were miles long and it was always really cool down there so it was a good way to escape the heat of our scorching hot summers. We went into this one that goes under the Fiesta casino and found a camp with a bunch of homeless people."
"Mind you we are like 11 years old lol. And we just kept going like it was nothing. It wasn’t scary then but when I look back at it we could have been in some serious danger. Our parents had no idea we did this or where we were and we had no cellphones. We could have been kidnapped and never have been found."
oofboof2020
Waiting for Food
"I was at a portillos once when I was 12 and I was waiting with my little brother at a booth while my parents got our food. This guy was standing with his tray kind of watching me then after a couple of minutes he started to walk over really fast not breaking eye contact with me."
"He was 2 feet from the table and my dad came out of nowhere and scared the s**t out of him. He looked so surprised and just said he wanted to see if I’d get scared or not. He left his tray full of food near the door and left. My folks reported him but we never went to that location again since we found a better one closer to home."
nowhereboy1964
Captain Hobo to the Rescue
"When I was a pretty young teen, my friends and I were horsing around in San Francisco and started hanging out to smoke with some homeless guys. Another homeless dude came up and began aggressively trying to shake us down for anything (money, smokes, a ride, drugs- all of it) and wouldn’t take no for an answer."
"We got in over our heads and could tell this guy was now riling the other 2 guys up and they were acting like they wanted to jump us. Some grandfather-looking old homeless man appeared out of nowhere and yelled at us to get the f**k out of here- nice kids like us don’t belong down here at this hour!!"
"Captain Hobo saved our lives that night. My parents sincerely thought we were at a mall all day lol."
FartAttack911
Survival
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"I was 7 and survived the 2004 tsunami in Thailand. Witnessed the wave rise way above the already massive palm trees (approx. 40ft?) and my family and I watched/heard the wave crash into the ground from a rooftop."
faithfulpoo
These Tsunami stories are just tragic.
On the Sand
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"We were a group of kids who went to swim in a local lake. And there was a dead body on the beach with their hands raised and their legs bent unnaturally that local police just took out of the same lake. I've never put my foot in these waters again."
oyloff
Be Clever
"I was walking to school and I was about 5 or 6 years old and some guy pulled up beside me in his car and asked if I would get in. He also offered me sweets to do so. I said no. The creepy bit was when he calmly said ‘clever boy’ to me, then drove off. I’ve never even told my parents or anyone else about this as it would most likely freak them out."
OstneyPiz
Bad Jokes
"Dad's side of the family pranked me by burying a fake body on our back property and had me dig it up to find valuables. Was only allowed to use a lantern for light. They stuffed old clothes with chicken bones. Sheetrock mud where the head was... Random fake jewelry as the treasures... I was like maybe 10 or 11.. I remember digging up the boot first and started gagging because it became real at that point."
Alegan239
YOU
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"Woke up to find my little brother staring at me in the dark, asking, Are you really you?"
PrettyLola2004
Siblings can really be a bunch of creepers.
No one should talk to others in the dark though.
Not all pet owners have the same relationship with their pets.
While anyone who decides to become a pet owner, or pet parent as some say, love their pets equally, some never ever let them leave their side.
Taking their pet with them to work, running errands, even on vacations.
Many pet parents even allow their pets to share their bed with them when going to sleep.
For others though, this is where a line is finally drawn.
Redditor Piggythelavasurfer was curious to hear whether pet owners allowed their pets to share their bed with them, as well as the reasons why they do/don't, leading them to ask:
"Do you let your pet sleep in your bed? Why/why not?"
The Tiny Issue Of Water...
"Absolutely not."
"I have fish."- Senior-Meal3649
Everyone Gets Lonely Eventually...
"I adopted an eleven year old cat the day before Halloween."
"She has mostly lived in my closet since I got her, and she hasn’t been too interested in coming out."
"Last night, she came out of my closet and jumped up on my bed, and crawled under my covers and curled up by my feet to sleep."
"I was so happy!"- YellowBeastJeep
The Comforting Reminder That You're Not Alone...
"I recently lost my Greyhound but I used to let him sleep on my bed with me."
"The company was nice and he was no trouble to have on my bed."- HoodedMenace3
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What Do You Mean Allow?
"I have no choice."
"She is a cat, cats do whatever they want."- Small_cat1412
"He lets me sleep in my bed."- Poorly-Drawn-Beagle
Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way
"I carry my old boy upstairs to bed every night."- worst_in_show
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Who Needs An Alarm Clock?
"I let my two cats sleep with me."
"They're so full of love and just want cuddles all the time."
"And so do I."
"We've all developed a lil routine."
"Get to bed, oldest sleeps on my feet to keep them warm, youngest lies in my arm while I lie on my side (she the little spoon), then when I snooze my alarm for work in the morning the youngest paws at my face and meeps loudly to wake me up."- GhostofaFlea_
Whose Bed Is It Anyway?
"Yes."
"They're also kind enough to let me squeeze into whatever space they've left for me."
"Although I do get a few dirty looks off them."- Therealkaylor
"I found this tiny kitten screaming her head off under a car."
"Would not come out."
"Got some food and some water in dishes."
"I stood by the tire so she couldn't see my feet."
"She got curious about the food and water and started gobbling it down."
"I thought she would bolt when I squatted down."
"She was too busy eating."
"I grabbed her by the nape of the neck and all four legs went straight out and she tried to scratch me to death."
"I got her in the door and tossed her toward the couch."
"She ricocheted off the couch as if she was a ping pong off a table and I lost sight of her."
"I put out food and water and a sandbox and did not see that kitten for three days."
"On the third day, I came home and she was on my bed pillow."
"I thought she would bolt when I came near, but she didn't."
"I wanted to sleep so I tried to scoot her little butt off my pillow."
"She would not go."
"I put my head down to sleep and that is the way it was from then on."
"She ran the roost."- Logical_Cherry_7588
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Sleeping Is A Prerequisite...
"No, he's a cat and he cannot keep still during the night."
"He walks across the headboard, opens the closet doors, jumps into the windows and rustles the blinds, etc."
"If he would sleep he could stay, but alas, he's a ramblin' man."- Spong_Durnflungle
Saying No Just Isn't An Option...
"'Let'."
"Lol."
"It's a cat's world and I'm happy to be on her good side."- milaren
Felines Only!
"The cat does, the dog doesn't and the horse certainly does not either."- Xcrowzz
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Is That My Hair On That Pillow?
"My dog is perfect."
"She comes up, cuddles til we start to fall asleep, then gets down to sleep on her bed so she doesn't get too hot."
"Jumps back up in the early morning for wake up cuddles."
"The hair everywhere is the only downside but she is so cozy, what can you do."- HoodieWinchester
It is easy to understand how some people are able to fall asleep more easily knowing their friend and protector is there, in bed, with them.
Though we can't blame others who don't want to run the risk of being scratched or bitten in the middle of the night either...