Physics inserted in society

[montanha18_]

TL;DR Summary: A reflection on how we disseminate science, not only among scientists but also to society.

By adopting the idea that the Earth is not flat, as is currently the case in so many media outlets and online platforms, has the idea of a flat Earth regained traction? Could this be a flaw in the way we disseminate science?

 

[Dale]

Any “traction” that it has regained is due to social media and represents a flaw in social media, IMO.

A couple thousand years ago the Romans developed plumbing. That was a great concept with many advantages. They used lead pipes, which harmed many of the users. As we learned more about how the body works, we understood the dangers and developed new implementations of plumbing technologies that provided the benefits without so much harm.

I imagine that future generations will look at us much like we look at the Romans. They will understand as much more about how the mind works compared to us as we understand about how the body works compared to the Romans. They will recognize the implementation details that are causing harm, and will have developed social media that provide the benefits without the harm.

 

[fresh_42]

By adopting the idea that the Earth is not flat, as is currently the case in so many media outlets and online platforms ...

The fact that the Earth is not flat has been known for more than 2,000 years (~ 200 BC), and even its size has been correctly estimated by an error of less than 5%.

 

[Rive]

has the idea of a flat Earth regained traction?

That one is not really a good example. Just being different alone has 'great' value, and that can bring 'believers' to any idea which does not require much investment but strange enough to have high return (in attention).
In short, being a 'flat earther' is just way too easy and considered cool. Fortunately, at the same time, it is of no real consequence.

Could this be a flaw in the way we disseminate science?

One of the driving forces behind progress is to overcome problems.
But once it is no longer a problem, you no longer has the experience what drove us.
Just learning about it is not the same, so you no longer can appreciate the solution as before.

Education can be strengthened, but I see no way around the fundamental issue.

 

[phinds]

has the idea of a flat Earth regained traction?

Among morons, maybe.

 

[TensorCalculus]

TL;DR Summary: A reflection on how we disseminate science, not only among scientists but also to society.

By adopting the idea that the Earth is not flat, as is currently the case in so many media outlets and online platforms, has the idea of a flat Earth regained traction? Could this be a flaw in the way we disseminate science?

"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity" - Albert Einstein
The former may be debatable, the latter less so.
Take any idea, and there will always be those that reject it, or disagree with it, no matter how much of a minority they are in.
Then there are those who will adopt an opinion just to "look cool", or to "fit in". Ask a child in the 1970s what the most trending, "must have" object will be in the 2020s, and I doubt any of them would say "a slightly creepy-looking... doll... animal... thing", yet young people are going crazy over labubus: so much so that they banned their sale in England due to people fighting over them, and fakes, dubbed "lafufus", can be seen in shops almost anywhere you go. Would this trend have existed if multiple celebrities hadn't posted pictures with them? I doubt it. Most have probably adopted the opinion (whether it was consciously or not, that's a different question) that Labubus are cool because that's what the trend is, and it wouldn't be the first time that this has happened.
I can imagine, some flat-earthers ended up flat-earthers in a similar way to how half the girls in my class became obsessed with the Labubu craze.
Maybe.
Or they're just... well... morons I guess