main
side
curve
  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

JCC "If the Earth wasn't flat, why does NASA only show CGI images of it?"

Discussion in 'Community' started by Ezio Skywalker, Oct 21, 2019.

  1. Ezio Skywalker

    Ezio Skywalker Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 29, 2013
    I'm not sure how Flat Earth theory has made such a huge comeback in the modern day, but I keep encountering these discussions. At times I try to engage with the proponents of Flat Earth with simple arguments: "Well, what if you took a plane and continuously flew east? Then you would end up right back where you are. China is east of the US, but you can also fly east of China and reach the US."

    To that, proponents usually counter with something like, "Well, planes fly within the boundaries of the Earth, so they'll sweep across since they can't go around." wth?

    Does anyone else encounter these types of Flat Earth discussions with increasing frequency? I think a part of the reason why I started coming upon it more and more is because I've gotten into MMA this year, and very popular martial artists, like Eddie Bravo, are very vocal supporters of Flat Earth. His celebrity influence has encouraged many others to turn to YouTube videos about global government conspiracies and anti-NASA sentiments concerning Flat Earth.

    But what the heck is the point? Why would all the world's governments agree on this one thing--"We must convince our populations that the world is flat!"
     
    Last edited: Oct 21, 2019
  2. solojones

    solojones Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Sep 27, 2000
    My brother loves watching videos where people make fun of and debunk flat earthers. Frankly I don't know why I'd waste time on people like that at all. They're idiots, and you can't reason with them.
     
  3. Zapdos

    Zapdos Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Jan 7, 2013
    ive never encountered a real life flat earther in the wild. id love to though. any mating calls or something you recommend to lure them out?
     
  4. Ramza

    Ramza Administrator Emeritus star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jul 13, 2008
    Well, you start with the unvoiced assumption that the world's governments are all controlled by the Jews, and from there it just sort of progresses naturally.
     
  5. Ezio Skywalker

    Ezio Skywalker Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 29, 2013
    Talk about Jiu-Jitsu to lure them out. They'll bring up Flat Earth at some point after that.
     
  6. Darth Guy

    Darth Guy Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Aug 16, 2002


    Anyway, Earth obviously isn't flat.


    It's hollow!
     
  7. Master_Rebado

    Master_Rebado Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    May 31, 2004
  8. SuperWatto

    SuperWatto Chosen One star 7

    Registered:
    Sep 19, 2000
    I once proposed a hypothesis in the Senate that the Earth is growing bigger.
     
  9. Sarge

    Sarge Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Oct 4, 1998
    Somebody gave me a pamphlet from the Flat Earth Society years ago, no, decades ago. As I recall, the people who wrote it didn't actually believe the Earth is flat, they just wanted people to question things that they were taught, to examine the evidence with their own eyes. Which is fine. But the conspiracy nuts who actually think the Earth really is flat, well, they're not fine at all.
     
  10. Alpha-Red

    Alpha-Red Chosen One star 7

    Registered:
    Apr 25, 2004
    Well in that case, I'd point out that none of us have actually seen whether the Earth is round or flat. It's just a matter of whether we believe our school textbooks or not.
     
    Last edited: Oct 21, 2019
    Ezio Skywalker likes this.
  11. Master_Rebado

    Master_Rebado Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    May 31, 2004

    Or believe those who have seen it from outside of Earth itself.
     
  12. solojones

    solojones Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Sep 27, 2000
    Er, or if you have any education in physics or astronomy you can calculate it. I mean, they were able to do this and know the earth isn't flat in ancient times soooo....
     
  13. Darth Guy

    Darth Guy Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Aug 16, 2002
    Columbus proved the world is round!!!!1
     
  14. Alpha-Red

    Alpha-Red Chosen One star 7

    Registered:
    Apr 25, 2004
    Heck I've taken a bunch of physics courses and I don't know off the top of my head how to calculate that the Earth is round. And if I can't do that, the average person certainly can't.
     
    Ezio Skywalker likes this.
  15. solojones

    solojones Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Sep 27, 2000
    One of the best documented methods for determining the Earth's roundness was first performed (to our knowledge) by the ancient Greeks. This was achieved by comparing the shadows of sticks in different locations. When the sun was directly overhead in one place, the stick there cast no shadow. At the same time in a city around 500 miles north, the stick there did cast a shadow.

    If the Earth were flat then both sticks should show the same shadow (or lack of) because they would be positioned at the same angle towards the sun. The ancient Greeks found the shadows were different because the Earth was curved and so the sticks were at different angles. They then used the difference in these angles to calculate the circumference of the Earth. They managed to get it to within 10% of the true value – not bad for around 250 B.C.

    https://www.space.com/38931-kids-can-prove-earth-round.html
     
  16. SuperWatto

    SuperWatto Chosen One star 7

    Registered:
    Sep 19, 2000
    Juliet316 and solojones like this.
  17. Boba_Fett_2001

    Boba_Fett_2001 Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Dec 11, 2000
    Pfft, more CGI. :rolleyes:
     
  18. SuperWatto

    SuperWatto Chosen One star 7

    Registered:
    Sep 19, 2000
    Ah. "ISS does not exist" is part of the Flat Earth notion?
    I guess one needs to be thorough.
     
    Last edited: Oct 21, 2019
    Juliet316 and Master_Rebado like this.
  19. anakinfansince1983

    anakinfansince1983 Skywalker Saga/LFL/YJCC Manager star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Mar 4, 2011
    Here’s my reaction:

     
    Juliet316 and Master_Rebado like this.
  20. Darth Smurf

    Darth Smurf Small, but Lethal star 6

    Registered:
    Dec 22, 2015
    ahem...he thought he did. Magellan did.
     
    Sarge, Juliet316 and Master_Rebado like this.
  21. solojones

    solojones Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Sep 27, 2000
    Not just the ISS. Most of them believe space itself isn't real.

    Erm, I think the point he was making is that neither of those did because people already knew the earth was round. Like I said, they'd known since ancient times.
     
    Last edited: Oct 21, 2019
    Juliet316 likes this.
  22. JEDI-RISING

    JEDI-RISING Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Apr 15, 2005
    they should just go for a long walk until they fall off
     
  23. Boba_Fett_2001

    Boba_Fett_2001 Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Dec 11, 2000
  24. Point Given

    Point Given Manager star 7 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Dec 12, 2006
    Lol you guys think there's an Earth. [face_talk_hand]
     
    Lordban, Alpha-Red, Diggy and 7 others like this.
  25. Rylo Ken

    Rylo Ken Force Ghost star 7

    Registered:
    Dec 19, 2015
    I grew up in central Illinois, where the earth is incredibly flat.
     
    Last edited: Oct 21, 2019
    Diggy and CT-867-5309 like this.