• exocrinous@startrek.website
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      9 months ago

      Flat earthers are easily radicalised into right wing belief like “The world is controlled by Jewish lizards” and “the election was stolen from Trump” and “the vaccine contains a bill gates microchip that makes you gay”. And right wing conspiracy theorists will willingly spend their life savings on Alex Jones dick engorgement supplements while generating culture war controversy to draw political attention away from actual issues like climate change and worker’s rights that may harm big business interests.

      Think of it this way: in the mediaeval age, you armed your peasants with shields and spears and had them protect your keep. In the information age, you arm your peasants with conspiracy theories and twitter accounts and have them protect your untaxed billions.

    • DarkMessiah@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      The people who benefit from division, confusion, and inability to determine information from misinformation. Aka, the rich and powerful.

    • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      Some of them are really raking it in through Patreon and sales of shoddy merchandise. That’s how Alex Jones finances HIS deranged ramblings too.

      Spouting bullshit while pretending that THEY are trying to stop you to get people to donate and buy your shit is unfortunately an extremely lucrative business for many.

    • drmeanfeel@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      Draws an audience of gullible morons. With that starting point you can do a number of things grift wise

    • wafflez@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      Flat earthers claim theres a resource rich area past antartica and they keep it a secret so only the wealthy or governments can hoard the resources

    • Thorny_Insight@lemm.ee
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      9 months ago

      I’m still convinced that none of these people actually believe in flat earth. It’s the kind of belief you can pretend to hold without any other that reputational damage to yourself but I doubt any of them would be willing to put their money where their mouth is.

      • Oyml@lemmy.world
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        9 months ago

        My mother joined the Flat Earth Society when she went to college because she thought it was so absurd and would be a fun experience. Turns out none of the people in that group actually believed it either, so it was just a club to hang out and socialize.

        Seems the whole flat earth thing is a lot more prevalent now so I’m guessing there are more and more people buying into the narrative.