These flat-earth types are amazing to me. Seriously! Some of them are near violently invested in this ridiculous notion. Why? What does it really matter? Why do you care if I believe in this round earth or not? For that matter (and pretending for a second that flat-earth is correct), how does believing this or investing energy into it improve my life at all?

It doesn’t. And since it doesn’t, and since what I know and believe is consistent with round-ish earth, I go with that and move on to things in my life that are important to me and things I can actually do something about. For me, it’s about priorities.

What in the world would be the motive of such conspiracies anyway? I’ve been told that it’s about resources. Others have suggested it’s another tick on a long list of conspiracies meant to keep people ignorant. While I agree that there is plenty of that going on, and completely disregarding the irony of the source of such statements, I guess I’m just having a hard time even considering that Pythagoras, Aristotle, Christopher Columbus, Ferdinand Magellan, and Juan Sebastián Elcano were all conspiring with the American government and/or NASA to fool the people of the 21st Century.

Seriously… it would mean that “Principia” by Sir Isaac Newton is a book of propaganda, selling us on the idea of an ellipsoid. Unless NASA has a time machine that I am unaware of, I’m just having a hard time understanding Newton’s gain and the magnitude of the conspiracy, let alone the reason. Wait for a second… am I to believe that these people never existed in the first place?

Of all the things we could be focusing our energy on, the argument of “flat-earth” or “round-earth” shouldn’t be one of them. I know… there is a lot of information out there to consider about how and why the earth is flat – even though we can’t find a single flat planet in the entire known universe. I know there are a lot of tests that evidently prove the earth is flat – even though sunsets and sunrises still happen at different times depending on your longitude.

I know that lunar eclipses are caused by an anti-moon that blocks our view of the regular moon – even though we have yet to find this mythical “anti-moon.” I know that scientific master-minds like rapper B.o.B. are trying to inform people about the numerous videos that are posted on the authoritative research portal known as “Youtube,” which definitively exposes flat-earth – even though space agencies also have live feeds on that platform that you can watch that contradict this notion.

Granted, I’m not an astrophysicist, I’m not an astronaut, and I’ve never been to space to see it for myself. Still, in spite of my limited knowledge on the subject, I recently had a grown man (who never really graduated high school and admittedly doesn’t know how to pay bills, and so on) scream at me and call me “intellectually bankrupt” and a “retard” because I was somehow “wrong” as I tried to explain how an aircraft can operate on a round planet. Never mind that I have flown a plane or two in my day. What I provided was evidently overly complex scientific explanations used to hide the truth because I couldn’t sum it up in under a minute; something that he (someone that clearly doesn’t understand physics) needed.

Don’t get me wrong; I’m taking it for what it’s worth. Similar to how I wouldn’t put too much weight in the criticisms of a toddler, I don’t put too much weight into the research of someone whose main research tool is Youtube, and yet… somehow managed to miss videos like this in his extensive research.

The point is that these types of heated debates should not be going on in 2018. I have often criticized modern government-run education; situations like this are partially why. The education system/curriculum has simply failed us and our future. It has divided us and ensured that twisted ideas like “flat-earth” and socialism are not only promoted but also accepted. Why? They simply do not teach critical thinking anymore. The inability to think critically should be alarming to those of us that can. Imagine life in 20 to 30 years. Imagine what it will be like as these people teach their children about such ridiculous notions; as people who harbor such ideas become leaders and/or teachers (that make policy); and as no one is able to stop such thoughts from progressing into the minds of those around them because critical thought is no longer valued.

It’s scary because all of the evidence, all of the science, all of the logic, and all of the reason, probably mean very little to a “flat-earther,” and these will continue to mean little to nothing to them until they personally leave earth to see it for themselves or until one of them miraculously visits the mythical edge and brings back the evidence. Unfortunately for the rest of us, due to their educational, financial, and motivational limitations, it is unlikely that they will have this opportunity in their lifetime. This means that the rest of us will unfortunately and continually have to endure these ridiculous debates. The good news is that the lack of evidence for their side will help keep the truth alive by ensuring that children continue to ask questions.

That being said, I agree that there is something going on that keeps some people ignorant of certain truths. Maybe it’s government education; maybe it’s something more sinister. Clearly, whatever it is, it is working quite well. Of course, I’m sure “flat-earthers” are saying the same thing about me right now. Perhaps I’m some sort of brainwashed fool who has bought into the lie, or perhaps everything I’ve studied is from “them.” The good news is that one of us is wrong and one of us is right, and no matter which one it turns out to be, our lives will still go on as though this ridiculous debate never occurred.

For those of you who don’t buy into it, we will know our truth as we watch the mountains rise up out of the ground as we travel West on I-70 towards Colorado. We will look upon the words of people like Aristotle, who noted, “There are stars seen in Egypt and…Cyprus which are not seen in the northerly regions,” and we will agree. And finally, we subtly acknowledge the various time zones and the reason for them.

At the end of the day, perhaps its best that I remember what Mark Twain said:

‘Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.’

As for those who are eager to refute, debate and argue, remember that science experiments that are performed incorrectly will likely provide incorrect data. Trying to understand complex things from a simple perspective is how technology can be confused with the supernatural. And looking at things from another angle is good, and questioning what you’ve been told is good, but these are only true when you’re truly open to logical conclusions and critical thought.

So… which reality to do you live in?

At the end of the day… this is how it’s summed up for me…