Ostomy Memories of the Flat Earth

THE FLAT EARTH SOCIETY (seriously) lists five hundred fifty-five members on its web site.  For a small membership donation of twelve bucks, these people officially become known as Friends of the Flat Earth Society.  I’m tempted to think that, at least maybe, some of this number are tongue-in-cheek jokers who just want the Flat Earth membership certificate to display for a laugh.  But maybe not.  How do you explain odd ball folks who come to believe crazy, conspiracy theory stuff like this?  Three possibilities occur to me.  One, they are members of a cult, a social group which is defined by its inexplicable religious, philosophical, or political beliefs surrounding a particular person, object, or goal, in this case the conviction that the earth is flat.  Two, they are simply stupid people, so gullible that they’d believe just about anything some charlatan tries to sell them.  Three, they are actually mentally ill, suffering from some identifiable psychological malady that causes them to live in an alternate reality from the rest of us.  Or, like some absurd Venn diagram, these three theories intersect in such a way that the Flat Earther fits all the categories:  a stupid, cultish, mentally ill person.  Flat Earthers don’t even believe in gravity, and they avoid the problem of falling off the edge of the earth by claiming that the flat earth just continues on and on.  Like Bach’s Mass in B Minor.  Or the Yellow Brick Road.  Or Uncle Harry’s hiccups.  

Hello HenryM. 

I can well understand your theory of three alternative explanations for membership of the Flat-Earth Society (Or a combination of the three).
However, not being familiar with any of these people, I would offer a possible fourth reason for membership, which would be the desire to be ‘different’. 
Over here in the UK we have a voting system, which only allows people to vote for those on the ballot paper. There is no way (on the voting form) to express one’s view that ‘NONE OF THE ABOVE SHOULD BE ELECTED’; There is no ‘proportional representation, so most of the votes in any election don’t count and those people who get the least votes in any district are effectively disenfranchised. This may seem like a conspiracy theory, but to those who are denied representation because of the way the system is ‘rigged’, they may seek alternative ways of expressing their disdain for the status quo. 
As an obvious protest at this system, Screaming Lord Such set up a party called ‘The Monster Raving Loony Party’. I was surprised and pleased that they always managed to get enough votes so that they did not lose their deposit. 
Perhaps, members of the Flat Earth society are simply protesting that there might be an alternative way of thinking. 
Technically and factually, the Earth seems to be a misshapen sphere which only appears ‘round’ to those who do not have the knowledge or insight to recognise it finer contours. which are anything but ‘round’.
‘Vive la difference’
 Best wishes

Bill

Well, for just twelve bucks, Bill, you can become a card-carrying member and express your desire to be different.  More power to you, I guess.

Sir John snuffed out the candle then lay back in bed, in his uncles guest room. It had been a great evening of music, cards, girls and wine. It occurred to Sir John that the air was very stuffy, he was finding it hard to breathe! ' Ive got to have air,' he thought and swooping his arm down under the bed, he located his riding boots, taking a firm hold on one he hurled it through the darkness at the window. A smash of glass, a rush of air and Sir John smirked, turned over and fell asleep.

    It wasn't until the maid called him for breakfast in the morning, that he awoke to see his red leather riding boot hanging from the frame of the smashed glass of the dressing table mirror.

Hello HenryM. 
Thanks for your observation. However, from my perspective there is a slight problem with that type of reasoning.
If I became a 'member', surely that would indicate a desire to be the 'same' as them, and therefore not so different at all. 

My own approach is not to become a 'member' of anything.  At least not anything that involves humans or hierarchies.

Having worked in the mental health services for many years, I was always sceptical about the definitions of 'mental illness' which, alongside the systems and legistlation, seemed as if it was a device to keep control of anyone who might think 'differently'.

With the advent of the new Mental Health Act. they changed the definition of 'mental illness' to read 'anyone with a disorder of the mind'. This is a catch-all concept, which absolutely nobody that I have ever met could argue their way out of.  Meaning that we are all potentially mentally ill in some aspect of our lives.

In days gone by, certain regimes put their 'dissidents' in mental asylums before incarcerating them in exile. This was a blatant attempt to discredit whatever they might have to say about the ruling elite.
Once we begin believing that the only things that are 'right' are the things we think ourselves, then it is surely but a small step to become a 'Trump' clone (or a Putin etc).

Best wishes

Bill       

I think with most of them is the fact it mentions it in the bible and these are basically religious fanatics that take the bible literally. The others are just in it for the laughs.