Why you can't change flat-earthers' minds.

TL;DR at bottom

Before I begin this post, allow me explain myself. I'm in no way a professional in any field. I haven't even begun college yet (that's in a few days), but I'd like to give my input on what seems to confuse many, many people. I've had a good bit of experience with "conspiracy theorists," who believe a wide range of ideas, which I will list very shortly. I will clarify that I do not agree with these views. I just want to state them all to show a recurring theme.

Above is the flat-earther's image of what the Earth truly looks like. The north "pole" lies in the center, while magnetic/geographic south is simply away from that center point. Eratosthenes' "proof" that the Earth is a globe can also be demonstrated by a "spotlight" Sun, greatly decreased in size, only a few hundred miles above the surface of the planet. Gravity is not real, but is instead simply acceleration upward at a rate of 9.81 m/s/s (Einstein's theory of general relativity proved that we wouldn't be able to tell the difference). Why would NASA and the world governments want you to believe that the Earth is round? Because that way God is removed from the image, and Earth appears as just another chance event in the history of the universe.

The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 were an inside job. Theories on this vary greatly, though they do rely on the overly-memed terms "Bush did 9/11" and "Jet fuel can't melt steel beams." The most common variation seems to be that the American government knew about the attack, but allowed the terrorists to commit their actions anyway. Some believe that the "terrorists" were actually American operatives put in place by the federal government. Fewer, though still a confusingly high amount, believe that there never were any planes; instead, the towers were struck by cruise missiles with surrounding holograms made to look like planes (no, I'm not joking). One person that I knew even believed that nothing struck the towers at all. They were explosives placed inside the building, and all the rest is the result of visual fakery and mass brainwashing. The American government wanted us to blame the Al Qaeda so that we could go to war in the Middle East to take control of oil.

The moon landings were a hoax. Mankind has never been to the Moon. We've never been able to pass the Van Allen belts. All of it was filmed on a set, and the American people have been fooled ever since. Why? Because we wanted to show Russia we were superior to them during the Cold War. We tried to get to space, and when we couldn't, we faked the whole thing, and nobody was the wiser.

And finally, one that you should all be very familiar with. Vaccines cause increased rates of autism in children. Despite the only "proof" being a scientific paper that has repeatedly been invalidated, some people still believe this to be true. Again, the reasons can vary, from population control to brainwashing. The government continues, however, to push for people to vaccinate their children because "it's in everyone's best interest."

There are many, many more theories. "Contrails from airplanes are actually poison gas called 'chemtrails,' and they're used for population control." "Fluorine in toothpaste is used by the government to numb your brain, making you weaker-minded and susceptible to Jedi mind tricks." (Okay, maybe I added that last one for comic relief.) The list goes on and on. But do you notice a recurring theme? All of these theories have one common, core belief, and without them the argument falls apart. It is the backbone of the theory. Without it, the view cannot survive.

"The government is lying to you."

This statement pervades every conspiracy theory that I've come across. It's a scary concept. We want to believe our government. We want to know that a government of the people and by the people will indeed be for the people. The government is often idealized as the benefactor for the people of its country. When all else fails, the government will surely have a plan to put things back the way they used to be. If not, then revolution ensues, and a new, better government is formed. But it should be there to help the people. It should be open and honest, and the people should not be lied to. But that doesn't always happen the way we'd like it to. When a politician is proven to be dishonest, the people outrage. Many dystopian novels feature a government that lies to its people, and it is always the villain of the story. Books like 1984 feature a common people that attempt to rise up as protagonists against a deceitful government. People don't want to be lied to, and especially not by those they elect into a position of power.

The most powerful feature of that statement, "The government is lying to you," is that it is very difficult, and at times even impossible, to disprove. Throughout my few years of hearing those conspiracies, I have not encountered any consistently successful argument to that claim. Perhaps the reason pertains to how much our American government pervades into the lives of the people. Who provides government information to the media? The government. Who controls what is put into textbooks? The government.

-"How do you know the Earth is round?"
"Everyone knows that. This person proved it this way, and that person proved it another way."
-"Where did you learn that?"
"In school."
-"Ah, see, your education was lying to you. That's what the government wants you to think."
"But I also learned from this guy."
-"Where did he learn it?"
"Probably from school."
-"Exactly."
"What about the pictures of the Earth?"
-"They're faked by NASA, which is a government organization."

The cycle can continue for hours, and never truly get anywhere. The easiest way to prove to someone that their conspiracy is incorrect is to show it to them and allow them to see it with their own two eyes, and sometimes that's very difficult to do, especially with the materials on hand (say you're in the office trying to convince someone that vaccines don't actually cause autism.) Their argument will almost always fall back on a statement similar to "That person is lying" or "That organization is lying" because "they're controlled by the government." It's nearly impossible to get around, and because there's no clear-cut answer, they are allowed to continue thinking the way that they do.

I can't give you a response that consistently disproves the "lying government" statement. If any of you know of one, please share it, because it's important that misinformation isn't allowed to spread. Look, if you believe any of those above arguments, then that's your choice. But I would request that you take a long, honest look at the facts, and consider your own argument. If your point is entirely based on the lazy statement that "The government is lying," then perhaps you should reconsider your point. If it isn't provable, then you shouldn't continue to argue it. If your argument just cycles back to itself as "proof," then it isn't proof. It's a logical fallacy.

Thank you for taking the time to read. I know it was long, but you made it. Pat yourself on the back, and pat your dog on the head. Have a wonderful weekend.

TL;DR, as promised: Many conspiracy theories rely on the un-arguable statement, "The government is lying to you." FP Edit: Wow! First time making Most Viral! You guys are amazing. Send the craziest conspiracy theories you've ever heard