Engaging the Lunatic Fringe.

​I'm often asked why I spend time debating with people who believe in things like flat Earth theory, chemtrails, or other fringe ideas. This can include anything from questioning the truth of evolution to strange interpretations of the Bible, or the belief in a firmament above us. I engage in these discussions because I'm offended by what I see as a regression in society—from a population of educated, intelligent people to one of humans engrossed in conspiracy theories.

​Some people might say these are just fringe elements, and while that's true, consider this: surveys have shown that up to 2% of the American population claims to believe the Earth is flat. Some of these individuals may just be seeking attention or clickbait on social media, but even if only half are sincere, that's still over 3 million people. Other surveys have gone as far as to suggest that 10% of Americans believe in this theory, though I think those numbers are likely inflated due to how the questions were asked. Still, even the lower estimate shows a significant portion of the population embracing bizarre and incorrect ideas. This isn't a regression to a previous time; we've known the Earth is a sphere since at least ancient Greece.

​So, why does this bother me? Why should I care if there are "nutbars" out there who believe in flat Earth or chemtrails? Can a society still progress and learn if 2 to 10% of its population is willfully ignorant? Yes, it can, but at what pace? By preventing people from falling into these traps of paranoia and fear, we can potentially accelerate progress, speed up learning and education, and avoid making strange or immoral choices in our politics. It also keeps us from wasting time and energy bickering over things like chemtrails and flat Earth theory.

​Hopefully, this explains a little bit about why I engage in these debates. I know some people will say I'm just giving these ideas a platform, but they already have one. Others will argue that these people are just doing it for attention, and by engaging, I'm giving it to them. While a percentage of them may be grifters, if you actually read what they write, many of them genuinely believe this stuff. They are not entirely attention-seekers. My point is this: not all people who believe in conspiracy theories are simply trying to scam others. While a good portion are, many are just willfully ignorant. And if we allow willful ignorance to prevail, we will not proceed as a society, we will spiral down into the mess that we see south of the border.