[JumpCrisscross]

> their answer does seem to be more censorship and surveillance, rather than addressing the causes of these problems

The power hypothesis doesn’t explain Flat Eartherism. That’s just stupid people believing what I cannot imagine started as anything but a tantrum.

[CamperBob2]

The fact that Flat Earthers believe the earth is flat isn't the problem. The fact that people of such low intellectual quality have so much power over the rest of us is the problem.

[l33tbro]

Yes but a flat-earther is a useful idiot for precisely zero dangerous social movements. They are irrationally angry at nature, not the establishment.

[krapp]

>Yes but a flat-earther is a useful idiot for precisely zero dangerous social movements.

Incorrect. As with most if not all conspiracy theories, flat-earthism incorporates anger at "the establishment" because "the establishment" is hiding the truth. And this is the hook. If you can be convinced that a secret cabal is manipulating all science, controlling all governments, censoring all media and filtering all information in order to keep the basic nature of reality hidden from humanity - which flat earthers do believe - then you're susceptible to someone suggesting who that cabal might be. You know who.

[l33tbro]

True. I was being hyperbolic, but I hoped it was clear that I meant that flat-earthers are nowhere near the threat-level of something like a qanon or antivax movement, who are far more politically-activated, willing to take matters into their own hands, and likely to incite actual physical harm through ideological-driven behavior.