04/06/2016
We live in a country that has people that believe there's a flat Earth because we live in a society that allows the standard that all ideas and thoughts have equal value and should be treated with equal weight, that calling out blatant ignorance is an attack on someone's personal rights to believe what they want, and that everyone is entitled to their own facts, not just their own opinions. We live in a culture where everything has a bottom line and no one wants to lose sponsors over something so trivial as integrity or the truth. Ignorance gets cheers because the ignorant can't stomach the idea that someone may know more than they do so they belittle the studied and thoughtful as being elitists. Conspiracy theories are respected as truth and scientific fact is treated like a grand conspiracy. Flat earthers exist because of a perfect sh*tstorm of fear, ignorance and complacency. It's as sad, scary, and simple as that. -BJL
In which Neil deGrasse Tyson gives a brutal side-eye.