The View's Flat Earth Society

[tommyball]

David, you had me cracking up when you mentioned the flat Earth "debate" on The View at the end of the last episode. I think I first heard about it on digg and was pissed off for most of the following week.

In part, it's today's PC environment allows crap like that to continue. Sherri Shepherd's co-hosts tried to call her on her idiotic view of world geography, but they let her off the hook. Instead of pulling out a laptop and showing her some photos, they listened to her lame explanation of being too consumed with raising a child to even contemplate the shape of the earth. According to Wiki, she was too flustered after having to defend her creationist beliefs to fully comprehend Whoopi Goldberg's question regarding the planet. Miss Teen South Carolina offered a similar excuse for her mind-numbing mash-up of educational policy, map shortages and horrid grammar.

The ignorant get to put on their blinders every day and skip through life without any criticism. We can't offend anyone and certainly wouldn't want to disturb anyone with something as troublesome as facts.

Welcome to our idiocracy.

-todd.

 

[Goody]

Just a moment....What is this about???

 

[Gene Steinberg]

Just a moment....What is this about???

Listen to the final few minutes of the October 7th episode.

'Nuff said

 

[tommyball]

Here's the relevant clip on YouTube:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=LNC117UYsHs

-todd.

 

[CapnG]

What's stunning about this is that it happened AT ALL. I dunno how old this woman is but I'm pretty sure that confirmation of the spherical nature of the earth has been a proven concept for most if not all of her existence. And really, how flustered can you possibly be that you cannot answer a question as simple as "Do you think the earth is round?".

 

[Gene Steinberg]

What's stunning about this is that it happened AT ALL. I dunno how old this woman is but I'm pretty sure that confirmation of the spherical nature of the earth has been a proven concept for most if not all of her existence. And really, how flustered can you possibly be that you cannot answer a question as simple as "Do you think the earth is round?".

Especially if you're an alleged professional broadcaster.

 

[Aaron LeClair]

Here's the relevant clip on YouTube:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=LNC117UYsHs

-todd.

Whoa. who is that lady? Worthy of at least five eeks.

Oh nm, she's one of the usual hosts on the View I guess. Hair was different and didn't recognize her.

I never watch that show. Rosie still on? Annoying.

/edit changed usually to usual

 

[Verum]

My read on the entire episode is that the woman simply doesn't know. I mean she honestly and sincerely DOESN'T KNOW! I don't think she was making a philosophical or religious argument--I've never heard a religious argument related to the shape of the planet. I think she's more a reflection of an incredibly ill-informed cadre of Americans, whose schooling, both formal and informal, is not just abyssmal...it's almost non-existent. She's deserves pity more than being made the brunt of jokes.

 

[Poi]

If so, our educational system, the one I knew growing up, has thoroughly abandoned our youth. I saw it with my children, but this woman is older than my kids so the deep, deep abyss in which they wallow has existed longer than I thought.

 

[tommyball]

She's deserves pity more than being made the brunt of jokes.

I don't feel pity. Yes, our educational system is not what it once was and too many necessary lessons slip through the cracks in the interest of moving the herd into the next grade or level, but this is more a matter of fundamentals.

Globes are widely available and the image of the planet earth (in it's spheroid form) is widely used in logos and weather reports. All you have to do is watch one Universal Pictures film - and you don't even have to sit through the whole movie- and the shape of the planet is clearly illustrated.

-todd.

 

[Gene Steinberg]

She's deserves pity more than being made the brunt of jokes.

I don't feel pity. Yes, our educational system is not what it once was and too many necessary lessons slip through the cracks in the interest of moving the herd into the next grade or level, but this is more a matter of fundamentals.

Globes are widely available and the image of the planet earth (in it's spheroid form) is widely used in logos and weather reports. All you have to do is watch one Universal Pictures film - and you don't even have to sit through the whole movie- and the shape of the planet is clearly illustrated.

-todd.

How do you pity a millionaire who is one of the hosts of a national TV talk show?

She's a moron, period. And I have even less to say about her compatriots on the show who let her spout her drivel without taking her to task.

 

[Brian Now]

I believe that was Sherri Shepherd. She played "Ramona" on "Less than Perfect" and she's pretty funny.

But that is a bizarre, bizarre conversation in that clip from the "View". What I got from it is that she isn't really a thinking person and is kind of stuck on an anti-science kick. I don' believe she was really listening to the question about the Earth. It looked to me she is just programmed to be contrary automatically when talking about science. It would be hard to believe she isn't really sure the Earth is round.

 

[spookyparadigm]

She's a creationist. Not much more needs to be said.

 

[Michael L.]

Just a second to play Devil's advocate.... Why is it that no one seems to notice Ms. Goldberg's (or is it Goldburg? Can I just call her Whoopi?) rather poor argument? She seems to be positing that since scientists tell us the world is round we should trust them on evolution. Of course, evolution is a theory while the round Earth was proven by actual exploration (of both the world and space); in fact, the circumnavigation of the globe that caused popular acceptance the world's spherical nature, whether you award the honor to Zhang He or Magellan's surviving crew, was not completed by scientists. I personally find it disturbing when people cannot distinguish between theory and established fact. It is also a bad argument.

 

[Aaron LeClair]

Just a second to play Devil's advocate.... Why is it that no one seems to notice Ms. Goldberg's (or is it Goldburg? Can I just call her Whoopi?) rather poor argument? She seems to be positing that since scientists tell us the world is round we should trust them on evolution. Of course, evolution is a theory while the round Earth was proven by actual exploration (of both the world and space); in fact, the circumnavigation of the globe that caused popular acceptance the world's spherical nature, whether you award the honor to Zhang He or Magellan's surviving crew, was not completed by scientists. I personally find it disturbing when people cannot distinguish between theory and established fact. It is also a bad argument.

Because she was over shadowed by the stupidity of the other lady.

 

[Michael L.]

Being overshadowed or preying on her to make herself look better? Either way, the simple fact that Ms. Shepard appears to be very, very uneducated does not make Ms. Goldberg's (and yes, I did look her name up) automatically correct. Obviously, Ms. Shepard is not exactly expert witness material; her amazing lack of knowledge does little to further her argument but does not validate Ms. Goldberg's in the least.

I bring this up because I see illogical arguments used time after time in discussions of the paranormal by both sides. A basic grasp on sound principles of logical argument would help everyone.

 

[Tony2013]

Being overshadowed or preying on her to make herself look better? Either way, the simple fact that Ms. Shepard appears to be very, very uneducated does not make Ms. Goldberg's (and yes, I did look her name up) automatically correct. Obviously, Ms. Shepard is not exactly expert witness material; her amazing lack of knowledge does little to further her argument but does not validate Ms. Goldberg's in the least.

I bring this up because I see illogical arguments used time after time in discussions of the paranormal by both sides. A basic grasp on sound principles of logical argument would help everyone.

Why are we even giving this the time of day, let alone an ever-expanding thread on the subject? TV has proven time and time again that it does not discriminate between those who are intelligent, well-spoken and who have interesting ideas to share and those who are intergalactically stupid, empty-headed and close-minded. Just look at Ann Coulter (and NO this is not a green light for a billion responses on how dumb she is... WE KNOW). The appropriate response when we hear or see something atrociously moronic on TV is to move on with life. If you wanted something intelligent, you probably shouldn't have gone to the TV in the first place. My recommendation; go to the "Spirituality/New Age" section of your local Half-Priced Books store... there's far more interesting, thought-provoking stuff on one shelf than an entire month of television.

 

[Michael L.]

Tony 2013 wrote:

TV has proven time and time again that it does not discriminate between those who are intelligent, well-spoken and who have interesting ideas to share and those who are intergalactically stupid, empty-headed and close-minded.

That is because it is driven by ratings. As long as people are allowed to further their causes with spurious arguments without being challenged, the situation will never improve.

 

[tommyball]

The appropriate response when we hear or see something atrociously moronic on TV is to move on with life. If you wanted something intelligent, you probably shouldn't have gone to the TV in the first place. My recommendation; go to the "Spirituality/New Age" section of your local Half-Priced Books store... there's far more interesting, thought-provoking stuff on one shelf than an entire month of television.

Very well put.

Usually I do ignore the moronic discharge from the television, but this "Is the earth flat?" clip set off my WTF meter.

-todd.

 

[Tony2013]

this "Is the earth flat?" clip set off my WTF meter.

I was not aware of the WTF meter, but come to think of it, I think I have one too.

Thanks for that, I needed a good laugh.