Microblog Memes

I remember when I first realized that Flat Earthers were serious. For a couple of years after hearing about them, I assumed it was satire. Something in me broke then

It was the very same with me. At first I thought it was one of those weird internet hoaxes that had gathered a following.
And "something in me broke" describes the realization that they are serious (and that reactionary FE predates the internet) quite well. But that was sometime during Trump1.0 and the breaking might have had several reasons.

the realization that not only a few people, but many people were really that stupid. It’s only gotten worse since. On the upside, my estimation of my own intelligence went from “average” to “above average”. And, I’m fucking stupid.

My conclusion - after watching hours and hours of SciManDan and Conspiracy Catz and Professor Dave - is a little different: the people spreading that shit are grifters. Shameless, careless people whose only motivation and moral is greed. They know. The people following it are sad and lonely and vulnerable people - yes, useful idiots, and yes, there's still way too many of them.

Unfortunately there isn't a clear distinction between the two types, there's lots of followers that fall somewhere in between - kinda only half aware of the grift, willing to follow it, but somehow still believing it's true while at the same time thinking they, too, can profit from it. BTW, I believe these in-between types are what makes MAGA (which is mostly just as idiotic a conspiracy narrative) so big.

WRT intelligence - let's just say I have been thinking a lot about the difference between ignorance, stupidity and wilful ignorance.