Thanks for the post. It highlights some fascinating details on the content of their beliefs and just how pervasive they are.
I think you’re right: flat earthers necessarily embrace conspiracy theories to insulate their explanations from criticisms. But I wouldn’t describe them as anti-scientific (method), certainly not by their own lights. Of course I don’t mean this as an endorsement of their methods. Rather, they consider themselves scientists and experimentalists. They seek out confirming evidence. Theirs is a comment not just on the shape of the earth but observation-driven methods generally.
I wonder if more attention needs to be directed to the social context of the problem than the content of their beliefs. Their motivations are less a rejection of science and more a need for community and fellowship. The fear of further ostracization seems to cement relationships within these communities. This is obviously a factor in the rise of populism as well.
The documentary Behind the Curve did an excellent job of bringing these themes to life. Commenting on the film, the writer Tim Urban offered this moral: “What flat earthers can offer is a way to have 99.9% of people say, Well, that’s ridiculous. Imagine believing that. And then to turn it around and say, How are you a flat earther?”
