"Looking for Life on a Flat Earth" by Alan Burdick https://www.newyorker.com/science/elements/looking-for-life-on-a-flat-earth
The Internet democratized information, giving anyone with a connection a voice.
I watched a documentary on Luther recently (http://www.pbs.org/program/martin-luther-idea-changed-world/), and I'm struck by the similarities to today's viral conspiracy theorists. His proclamations became popular not by being nailed to the church door, but through the printing press, the disruptive media technology of its day. He was crude and vulgar, relying on sensationalism to spread his messages. And he encouraged people to rely on their own interpretation of scripture, ignoring the self-professed experts at the Vatican.
Maybe in another hundred years, Flat-Earthism could become its own religion, its own sort of "divine revelation."
@nolan You mean through social media? I do expect that as flat-earthers can more easily find each other online, their communities will grow. I'm unsure if they'd be able to pull in many new converts.
@nolan Your comment reaches to the heart of human priestly activity and religion generation and reminds me of this:
"I come from Bangalore, a city in which Pelé is god. I do not mean this metaphorically. In a neighbourhood called Gowthampura, around the corner from where I live, residents have erected a lovely shrine to four local icons – the Buddha, Dr. Ambedkar, Mother Teresa, and the striker from Santos."
https://africasacountry.com/2014/06/neymar-and-race-in-brazil/ has a photo that I have to share.
@nolan In 100 years, if there's not a large contingent of humans living in orbit, Mars, etc, looking down at the flat-earthers and laughing, I'd say they deserve to win. :p
@nolan We could watch it undergo the same gradual evolution as Cargo Cults, first starting off with metaphorical stories of a figurative prophetic figure, which gradually mutate via retelling until they're suddenly about a legendarily powerful and respected "REALLY REAL AND TOTALLY LEGITIMATE ACTUAL SCIENCE GUY WHO WASN'T MADE UP" who tried to educate the world to the so-called "truth" XD