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Interesting bit to be found at The Conversation:
Speakers recently flew in from around (or perhaps, across?) the earth for a three-day event held in Birmingham: the UK's first ever public Flat Earth Convention. It was well attended, and wasn't just three days of speeches and YouTube clips (though, granted, there was a lot of this). There was also a lot of team-building, networking, debating, workshops – and scientific experiments.
Yes, flat earthers do seem to place a lot of emphasis and priority on scientific methods and, in particular, on observable facts. The weekend in no small part revolved around discussing and debating science, with lots of time spent running, planning, and reporting on the latest set of flat earth experiments and models. Indeed, as one presenter noted early on, flat earthers try to "look for multiple, verifiable evidence" and advised attendees to "always do your own research and accept you might be wrong".
While flat earthers seem to trust and support scientific methods, what they don't trust is scientists, and the established relationships between "power" and "knowledge". This relationship between power and knowledge has long been theorised by sociologists. By exploring this relationship, we can begin to understand why there is a swelling resurgence of flat earthers.
Interestingly enough, the author delves into philosophy, particularly the work of Michel Foucault, who, for those not familiar with him, traced the relations between knowledge and power, especially in The Archaeology of Knowledge.
In the 21st century, we are witnessing another important shift in both power and knowledge due to factors that include the increased public platforms afforded by social media. Knowledge is no longer centrally controlled and – as has been pointed out in the wake of Brexit – the age of the expert may be passing. Now, everybody has the power to create and share content. When Michael Gove, a leading proponent of Brexit, proclaimed: "I think the people of this country have had enough of experts", it would seem that he, in many ways, meant it.
Ah, that explains so much beyond Brexit! Alternative Knowledge!
And for those who will never read the entire article, bit of the take-away:
In many ways, a public meeting of flat earthers is a product and sign of our time; a reflection of our increasing distrust in scientific institutions, and the moves by power-holding institutions towards populism and emotions. In much the same way that Foucault reflected on what social outcasts could reveal about our social systems, there is a lot flat earthers can reveal to us about the current changing relationship between power and knowledge. And judging by the success of this UK event – and the large conventions planned in Canada and America this year – it seems the flat earth is going to be around for a while yet.
(Score: 2) by AthanasiusKircher on Sunday May 06 2018, @03:35AM (2 children)
I suppose you haven't ever looked at polls showing the absurd percentages of people who believe in weird crap (supernatural and paranormal phenomena, various insane conspiracy theories, etc.). Given all the other weird nonsense significant numbers of people believe in, I certainly think it's possible for there to be a significant number of nutters who actually believe in these flat earth conspiracy theories.
Doesn't mean there aren't likely some folks who are just trolling here, but I'd bet the majority at an event like this do believe it -- or at least think it's possible.
Last year I got to know a very bright guy, Ph.D., tenured at an elite college, etc. Chatted with him a number of times over several months, and he seemed smart, informed, and interesting. Then one day over lunch I ask the wrong question, and it becomes clear he's a complete conspiracy nutter. I start deliberately giving examples early on of conspriacy theories I thought were obviously insane, and it turns out he kept saying, "Well.. You know something sounds off, and there must be something to it."
I think you grossly underestimate the frequency of people who believe weird stuff, and particularly the number of folks who are prone to believe really weird BS if they become convinced some "authorities" are "hiding something." (As seems to be true of many Flat Earthers, who have to be convinced the governments are doctoring evidence and photos, etc.)
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 06 2018, @08:40AM (1 child)
Polls are more often than not total BS, if you go around believing them by default your worldview will be extremely incorrect. Who is it that bothers to answer these polls anyway? It is mostly confused people and bored trolls.
(Score: 2) by AthanasiusKircher on Sunday May 06 2018, @07:33PM
Well, not total BS, but they do require often several grains of salt... and interpretation.
But I'm also basing this on anecdotal, which agrees with polls. People believe in weird crap.
If you go around thinking everyone has a rational scientific empirical mindset, your worldview will be extremely incorrect. Have you talked to the average person? Have you realized the level of critical thinking that's generally there? Now realize that 50% of people are dumber than that. (But ultimately this isn't even about intelligence. Very intelligent people are often taken in by things like conspiracy theories. A lot of people like to think they've uncovered some "secret knowledge" that "The Man" doesn't want to you know.)