Careful...this could easily get political, but such things are trumped by the forum Code of Conduct so we must be obtuse when discussing political parallels.

Ignorance and politics? No correlation there, Shirley?

There isn't a conspiracy theory so bizarre or idea so daft that someone somewhere won't believe it and someone else make money out of that belief. 150 years ago they had to write about "spring-heeled jack" rampaging through London in "penny dreadful" "newspapers". Nowadays they've a whole world-wide internet to clog up.

In my cynical moments sometimes I think there's a proportion of our species doing its very best to stupid us back to the stone age.

The flat earth "theory" debunked in 3m22s. Simply by visualising what a flat earth would actually be like.

https://www.youtube.com/w...g&feature=youtu.be

This is all very distressing.  Next you guys are going to tell me Elvis is really dead.

I think some people are just naturally drawn to the idea that there is an alternative plane of knowledge that is higher than the "official" stuff that most people believe. It makes them feel like they're part of an intellectually superior group who can see through the "lies" that "they" want us to believe. A certain level of cynicism is a virtue, but for these people it becomes a fully blown philosophy, a truism which leads them to believe almost anything except the official version of things, no matter how ridiculous. 
 
I used to have a friend like this back in the 90's - one of his beliefs was that ecstasy is beneficial to human health. His line of reasoning was: "The government says ecstasy is bad for you. The government is evil and doesn't want you to have a good time, therefore everything they say is the polar opposite of the truth and ecstasy is actually good for you."
 
I have a couple of friends like this on Facebook now. Almost everything they share comes from a handful of Facebook pages which specialize in spreading "alternative" knowledge which is being "covered up" by the government, big pharma, the military industrial complex, the illuminati, the oil companies, all the usual suspects. So any claim about cannabis oil, chemtrails, 9/11, alternative sources of energy etc automatically sets their heads nodding and their fists pumping. Anyone who points out the glaring deficiencies in their reasoning is naturally a "brainwashed shill" who isn't privy to their higher level of consciousness. What's sad is that many of these people are actually quite intelligent but waste their brainpower on irrational nonsense. 

jbow
Wow Bit... this is just one thing (flat earth). Imagine how many other really ignorant things are believed. The scariest thing about it to me is knowing that these people vote. We are surely doomed. Welcome to the new Dark Ages. Has no one ever sailed around Antarctica? This reminds me of the "hollow earth" people. There was a respected WW II pilot who swore his plane was grabbed by a tractor beam and pulled into a hole at the north pole. He believed it (or he certainly seemed to believe it) and lots of other people do. Search "hollow earth" on YouTube. You'll find "proof" of it too!
 
"A lie travels half way around the world while the truth is putting on it's shoes" Mark Twain
 
Why do people go off on tangents like this caller? I have a friend I've known since high school. He isn't what I'd call dumb, in fact he is talented and works at a pretty high level tech job doing some government related work BUT.. he is convinced that the government was behind the 9-11 attacks. He has gone off on some other tangents that I won't get into here but they are definitely tangents. I don't understand.
 
Still, what worries me most is that these people vote.
 
J

All I'm going to say is this:  Do NOT put your friend in the same category as someone as dumb as the flat world guy.
(Ironically, I personally wouldn't doubt that some of the same type people that really were behind 9/11 were also responsible for promoting the world as being flat to keep people ignorant and focused on what they want.)

@ Craigb
Yeah... but it got so bad I had to de-friend him.. seriously, I did. I have pretty much given up on social media, especially Facebook. I go there maybe once a month. I deleted a LOT of pages I somehow, sometime thought it was a good idea to follow. I got so burned out on nonsense and propaganda, half truths, half lies.. and from all sides that I don't even check my email on a regular basis anymore. I'm in recovery now, it will take some time. Next time I will be more careful. This is pretty much the only place I regularly visit online, to the chagrin of some I am sure but then, I don't care. (Yes, actually I do).
Life is too short to have to deal with ignorant or mean people. It is so much easier to like people and keep moving.
I learned several years ago that even discussing most things online is fruitless, arguing is totally fruitless because you are NEVER going to change anyone else's opinion. If someone is not stupid but is ignorant about something you may teach them something with facts but opinions are useless. I am ignorant about a lot of things but I'm not so stupid as to refuse to learn. I am happy to learn and appreciate it when someone corrects me with facts when I am wrong, but with opinions, not so much.
I have no time or energy for conspiracy theory or whacky ideas. This video was both amusing and disturbing. I try not to allow things that I have no control over to upset me and most things in this life, I don't have much control over. Heck I have a hard time with self control.
J

I was the same until I had all my money stolen and couldn't find work.  When I discovered that I didn't qualify for any relief program because I had perfect credit, had put down a large amount on my houses and kept the payments current, then can't get past any online job application even though I'm over-qualified for every position I'm applying for.  This had me researching how I got in this position and why only those who do next-to-nothing are supported (plus I had a LOT of time to figure this out).
 
There are a ton of wild theories out there (and some are obviously still nonsense), but I was shocked at how many of the conspiracy theories or whacky ideas have far more evidence in their favor than what we're "told to believe" by government or the media.  Then, at least for me, after examining in depth lots of various different topics, it all just snapped together and made complete sense.  Now I'm definitely not saying I liked any part of what I learned, but the immense frustration and confusion I've been living with just lifted like a cloud and I can see things clearer than ever.  It's like standing with your nose against a large object then trying to understand what the object is from that limited perspective.
 
Ok, I'll shut up now.  Heck, one of the main reasons I come here is that it's a bit of an escape from reality and, usually, light-hearted fun.