# Do flat earthers actually believe their stated beliefs? Or are they just having a laugh at taking up space in our heads? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 18, 2024, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-flat-earthers-actually-believe-their-stated-beliefs-or-are-they-just-having-a-laugh-at-taking-up-space-in-our-heads/1010380 "2024-11-18T02:00:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2024, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-flat-earthers-actually-believe-their-stated-beliefs-or-are-they-just-having-a-laugh-at-taking-up-space-in-our-heads/1010380/41 "2024-11-18T19:07:47Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > There was a flat earther guy who…became the flattest earther. That’s really poetic. Would that we all transcend our identity, if only for an instant; if there’s nirvana, he achieved it. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2024, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-flat-earthers-actually-believe-their-stated-beliefs-or-are-they-just-having-a-laugh-at-taking-up-space-in-our-heads/1010380/42 "2024-11-18T19:20:32Z")
I did once attempt to found _The Flatten The Earth Society_. We acknowledged that the earth is a glove, but sought plans to render it flat, mostly to make paper maps more convenient. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2024, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-flat-earthers-actually-believe-their-stated-beliefs-or-are-they-just-having-a-laugh-at-taking-up-space-in-our-heads/1010380/43 "2024-11-18T20:21:28Z")
Follow up question… What’s the global distribution of flerfers (never heard the term before this thread)? Is this just an American thing or could I encounter one in Germany or Great Britain? Japan? ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2024, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-flat-earthers-actually-believe-their-stated-beliefs-or-are-they-just-having-a-laugh-at-taking-up-space-in-our-heads/1010380/44 "2024-11-18T20:43:50Z")
The Ancient Greeks figured out the world was round using a bunch of sticks. They even worked out the circumference of the Earth to an accuracy of less than 50 miles. A round Earth is really not difficult to prove to anyone that isn’t completely closed minded. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2024, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-flat-earthers-actually-believe-their-stated-beliefs-or-are-they-just-having-a-laugh-at-taking-up-space-in-our-heads/1010380/45 "2024-11-18T21:05:22Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > There was a flat earther guy who launched a rocket, with himself inside of it. His intention was, I believe, to take photos proving the earth to be flat. Unfortunately his craft made an _uncontrolled descent_ and he became the flattest earther. Actual [video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0b3LRq-UYc) of that event ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2024, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-flat-earthers-actually-believe-their-stated-beliefs-or-are-they-just-having-a-laugh-at-taking-up-space-in-our-heads/1010380/46 "2024-11-18T21:14:25Z")
To be fair, it seems to be that he professed flat-earthism in order to get publicity for his stunt work (or so it has been claimed by his representatives, after his death) > **[Mike Hughes (daredevil)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Hughes_(daredevil))** > > Michael Hughes (February 9, 1956 – February 22, 2020), popularly known as "Mad" Mike Hughes, was an American limousine driver, professed flat-Earther, and daredevil known for flying in self-built steam rockets. He died on February 22, 2020, while filming a stunt for an upcoming Science Channel television series. Although a public promoter of the flat Earth model, following his death his public relations representative said that Hughes had only used flat Earth as a PR stunt to acquire fun Hughes... ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2024, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-flat-earthers-actually-believe-their-stated-beliefs-or-are-they-just-having-a-laugh-at-taking-up-space-in-our-heads/1010380/47 "2024-11-18T21:14:59Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > We acknowledged that the earth is a glove That is a new one to me and I am intrigued: please keep me in the loop. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2024, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-flat-earthers-actually-believe-their-stated-beliefs-or-are-they-just-having-a-laugh-at-taking-up-space-in-our-heads/1010380/48 "2024-11-18T21:17:42Z")
Lol. Dammit. My secret Glove-Earthism theory is no longer secret. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2024, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-flat-earthers-actually-believe-their-stated-beliefs-or-are-they-just-having-a-laugh-at-taking-up-space-in-our-heads/1010380/49 "2024-11-18T21:22:04Z")
Right- or left-handed? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2024, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-flat-earthers-actually-believe-their-stated-beliefs-or-are-they-just-having-a-laugh-at-taking-up-space-in-our-heads/1010380/50 "2024-11-18T21:24:09Z")
The Earth is glove-shaped and we live on the middle finger ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2024, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-flat-earthers-actually-believe-their-stated-beliefs-or-are-they-just-having-a-laugh-at-taking-up-space-in-our-heads/1010380/51 "2024-11-18T21:35:21Z")
> [@BwanaBob](#): > > Even if they themselves (flat-earthers) launch the homemade rocket? No proof at all will change their “minds”. > [@DigitalC](#): > > What flat earthers, and every single other conspiracy theorist actually believe is “I am the only smart person in the room, everyone else is a sheep who has no understanding of how the world really works”. This is why it is nearly impossible to talk them out of their beliefs, step one would be to accept that they were actually the dumbest person in the room the whole time. Correct. Except i would modify this by getting rid of the word “nearly”. Now, there are some not set in their ways- if they are asking questions like “How sure are we that Oswald was the lone shooter?” maybe they can be talked down. > [@beowulff](#): > > Then, ask the flat earther how that could possibly work on a flat earth. “Fake”. And since they dont understand the science, it wont work. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2024, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-flat-earthers-actually-believe-their-stated-beliefs-or-are-they-just-having-a-laugh-at-taking-up-space-in-our-heads/1010380/52 "2024-11-18T21:37:30Z")
> **[The Forever War](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Forever_War)** > > Locus Award for Best Novel (1976) > The Forever War (1974) is a military science fiction novel by American author Joe Haldeman, telling the contemplative story about human soldiers fighting an interstellar war against an alien civilization known as the Taurans. It won the Nebula Award in 1975 and the Hugo and Locus awards in 1976. Forever Free (1999) and Forever Peace (1997) are, respectively, direct and thematic sequel novels. The novella A Separate War (1999) is another sequel of sorts, occurrin... ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2024, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-flat-earthers-actually-believe-their-stated-beliefs-or-are-they-just-having-a-laugh-at-taking-up-space-in-our-heads/1010380/53 "2024-11-18T22:03:43Z")
The Dunning-Kruger Effect strikes again. It’s a powerful force. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2024, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-flat-earthers-actually-believe-their-stated-beliefs-or-are-they-just-having-a-laugh-at-taking-up-space-in-our-heads/1010380/54 "2024-11-18T22:06:53Z")
Ok. Ask a flerfer how Polaris can be anywhere but on the horizon? ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2024, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-flat-earthers-actually-believe-their-stated-beliefs-or-are-they-just-having-a-laugh-at-taking-up-space-in-our-heads/1010380/55 "2024-11-18T22:22:05Z")
I thought Bloom County laid this argument to rest years ago: [![](http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6674/1214/1600/BloomCountyLooseTailsEvolutionpg37top.jpg) ](http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6674/1214/1600/BloomCountyLooseTailsEvolutionpg37top.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2024, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-flat-earthers-actually-believe-their-stated-beliefs-or-are-they-just-having-a-laugh-at-taking-up-space-in-our-heads/1010380/56 "2024-11-18T22:49:13Z")
> [@Kropotkin](#): > > It is a meaningless assertion of individuality or something, akin to wearing a purple cocked hat all the time or some other idiosyncracy. _Piper surreptitiously puts his favourite hat back in the closet._ ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2024, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-flat-earthers-actually-believe-their-stated-beliefs-or-are-they-just-having-a-laugh-at-taking-up-space-in-our-heads/1010380/57 "2024-11-18T22:59:01Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Millions of those putty-brains just voted for the end of the USA as we know it. I take your general point, but I would be surprised if many Trump supporters were FEs. Some of the CT types I have known were smart and capable but had one weird belief that was more like a hobby than a real belief on which they acted or that informed other parts of their lives. And they have been across the political spectrum. Of course, some were idiots and whackadoodles. ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2024, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-flat-earthers-actually-believe-their-stated-beliefs-or-are-they-just-having-a-laugh-at-taking-up-space-in-our-heads/1010380/58 "2024-11-18T23:00:43Z")
Based on my limited knowledge of pipers’ garb, the hat may not be that big of a deal… ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2024, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-flat-earthers-actually-believe-their-stated-beliefs-or-are-they-just-having-a-laugh-at-taking-up-space-in-our-heads/1010380/59 "2024-11-18T23:36:53Z")
It’s true that only a minority are flat earthers, but IME basically all strong orange supporters also believe in one or more conspiracy theories. This shouldn’t really be very surprising, given that the orange platform (I’m trying hard not to say it, because we don’t want yet another thread to be about him and the election) was largely _built on_ conspiracy theories. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2024, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-flat-earthers-actually-believe-their-stated-beliefs-or-are-they-just-having-a-laugh-at-taking-up-space-in-our-heads/1010380/60 "2024-11-19T00:38:50Z")
'Zactly. FE may be a more whimsical CT than many. But the mind that likes CTs generally loves how Faux works. Not all of them fall under Faux’s spell. But they’re under somebody’s spell and thag makescthen very dangerous voters even if they’re generally lefties. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-flat-earthers-actually-believe-their-stated-beliefs-or-are-they-just-having-a-laugh-at-taking-up-space-in-our-heads/1010380.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-flat-earthers-actually-believe-their-stated-beliefs-or-are-they-just-having-a-laugh-at-taking-up-space-in-our-heads/1010380.md?page=4)