Mike Hughes’s Fatal Flight and the Rise of Flat Earth Belief
On February 22, 2020, near Barstow, California, daredevil and flat-Earther Mike Hughes perished in a self-made rocket crash, a tragic spectacle witnessed by millions online. Hughes, a staunch believer in the conspiracy theory that the Earth is a flat disk, aimed to build a "rockoon" to prove his conviction, but his 2020 launch, part of the Science Channel’s "Homemade Astronauts" series, was merely a stepping stone for further funding and publicity. This tragic incident illuminated the fervent and unwavering commitment of flat-Earthers, sparking concerns about the escalating influence of misinformation and conspiracy theories in the digital age.
Hughes’s death served as a stark reminder of the seriousness with which flat-Earthers, and other conspiracy theorists, hold their beliefs. Kelly Weill, author of "Off the Edge," initially believed Hughes harbored some doubt about the Earth’s true shape. However, his death shattered her presumption, forcing her to confront the stark reality that these convictions are deeply ingrained and impervious to counter-evidence. This realization underscores the growing anxieties surrounding the spread of misinformation, a phenomenon recognized as a significant global threat.
The World Economic Forum, along with numerous experts and authors, has sounded the alarm about the pervasive nature of misinformation and its potential to destabilize societies. Experts cited concerns ranging from vaccine hesitancy and climate change denial to the spread of baseless conspiracy theories like QAnon and the undermining of democratic processes. The proliferation of false narratives, amplified by social media and increasingly sophisticated AI-generated content, has created an environment where truth and falsehood become blurred, threatening public health, political stability, and international relations.
The 2020 US presidential election further exposed the vulnerability of democratic systems to misinformation. Public opinion polls revealed widespread concern about the impact of false information on election outcomes, a concern magnified by the potential for artificial intelligence to exacerbate the problem in future elections. The use of deepfakes by political campaigns, even when presented as satire, highlights the insidious nature of fabricated content and its ability to manipulate public perception. Experts fear a looming "tsunami of misinformation," fueled by readily available technology and the erosion of trust in traditional sources of information.
The prevailing narrative around misinformation centers on human susceptibility to suggestion and the power of false narratives to “infect” our minds. This perspective paints a picture of individuals as passive recipients of information, easily swayed by emotionally charged narratives and readily accepting misinformation as truth. However, this view arguably oversimplifies the complex relationship between individuals and information, neglecting the active role people play in seeking out and interpreting information that aligns with their pre-existing beliefs and worldviews.
The example of 9/11 Truthers, who publicly met and shared their theories despite believing they were under government surveillance, underscores the paradoxical nature of belief. Their actions contradicted the logic of their beliefs, revealing a disconnect between conviction and behavior. Similarly, the "Pizzagate" conspiracy, while widely believed, resulted in relatively few real-world actions beyond online engagement and negative reviews. This disparity suggests that even strongly held beliefs can be compartmentalized, existing separately from the realm of practical action and decision-making. This phenomenon extends beyond conspiracy theories, evident in religious beliefs where symbolic acceptance doesn’t always translate to literal interpretation and behavior.
Anthropological research, such as T. M. Luhrmann’s study of evangelical Christians, further illuminates the complex and often paradoxical nature of belief. Luhrmann observed a disconnect between professed faith and everyday practice, with believers expressing doubts and struggling to reconcile their beliefs with their lived experiences. This internal struggle, recognizable in many belief systems, suggests that belief is not a static state but a dynamic process, subject to fluctuations and inconsistencies. This nuanced understanding challenges the simplistic notion of gullibility and highlights the need for a more comprehensive approach to understanding the interplay between belief, information, and action.
Dan Sperber’s research on the Dorze people of Ethiopia identified a distinction between "factual" and "symbolic" beliefs. Factual beliefs, grounded in practical experience, guide everyday behavior and are susceptible to evidence. Symbolic beliefs, on the other hand, serve social functions and can persist even when contradicted by evidence. This distinction offers a framework for understanding the persistence of conspiracy theories, which often operate within a closed system of symbolic beliefs, insulated from external challenges and reinforced by social validation within the group.
Neil Van Leeuwen, in his book "Religion as Make-Believe," expands on Sperber’s ideas, differentiating between factual beliefs and "credences," a term he uses for symbolic beliefs. He argues that factual beliefs are used to model reality and guide behavior, while credences serve primarily social purposes. This distinction sheds light on why individuals can simultaneously hold contradictory beliefs: factual beliefs are anchored in the need for effective action within the real world, while symbolic beliefs can accommodate inconsistencies without disrupting daily functioning. This nuanced understanding of belief systems provides a valuable lens through which to examine the phenomenon of misinformation and its impact on individuals and societies. It moves beyond simplistic notions of gullibility to explore the complex interplay between reason, emotion, social identity, and the human need to make sense of a complex world.