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Tinfoil And Tea's Podcast
A mix of conspiracy talk and casual storytelling with a pinch of humor.
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Tinfoil And Tea's Podcast
Tinfoil and Tea - Flat Earth & Conspiracy Psychology
Conspiracy theories hold a peculiar fascination for humans, drawing us in through complex psychological hooks we explore in depth during this revealing episode of Tinfoil and Tea. From the comfort of belonging to a special group with "hidden knowledge" to our fundamental need for certainty in an unpredictable world, Henry and Olivia unpack the driving forces that make conspiracy theories so captivating.
The episode takes a deep dive into Flat Earth theory, with Olivia playfully attempting to defend the belief that our world is a stationary disc surrounded by an Antarctic ice wall. The conversation reveals startling insights about how these communities form and grow, including the revelation that 39 out of 40 Flat Earthers at a conference cited YouTube videos as their gateway to this belief system. This highlights the profound influence of social media algorithms in shaping our worldviews and connecting like-minded individuals across vast distances.
Beyond simply explaining Flat Earth beliefs—like the rejection of gravity in favor of an "accelerating upward Earth" theory—Henry and Olivia explore the interconnected nature of conspiracy thinking, where accepting one alternative explanation often leads to embracing many others. The hosts speculate humorously about what might exist beyond the supposed ice wall, suggesting perhaps a paradise for the elite or untapped resources. Their natural chemistry and laughter shine through even when discussing these sometimes divisive topics, promising a shift toward lighter "tea-spilling" conversations in future episodes. Whether you're conspiracy-curious or simply enjoy thoughtful discussions about human psychology, this episode delivers surprising insights with warmth and humor. Subscribe now and join the conversation by sending us your thoughts through Buzzsprout or our YouTube comments!
Hello listeners, Welcome to episode two of Tinfoil and Tea. I'm Olivia.
Speaker 2:And I'm Henry. Hi Olivia, how are we doing?
Speaker 1:You know we're doing great today. How are you doing?
Speaker 2:I'm feeling good. We had so much fun on the last episode and really got a little bit of traction. We had more people listen to it than we thought, which was so exciting.
Speaker 1:I know Big shout out to Japan. Tons and tons of downloads from them.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that was exciting to see. So, yeah, we're going to do a little bit more. I think we're going to get into not quite our format. Just give them a review of what our format is, even though we're not going to exactly fit it today.
Speaker 1:Definitely Sounds great. What are you bringing to the table for us today, henry? Oh, you're going to do the review though.
Speaker 2:Oh, okay, sorry.
Speaker 1:All right. So let's say we've got our tinfoil. So for those of you that are just tuning in for the first time, tinfoil is where one of us researches a conspiracy theory that's out there and tries to convince the other person of the conspiracy. Okay, yeah, doesn't necessarily mean we're conspiracy theorists, we're just here having fun looking at some things that are kind of floating out there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and we just like to talk about whatever. It seems kind of interesting. That was our first topic. We obviously have it in our name as well, so we'll do that. But today we're going to do something different. Last week we did a quiz and we had like four or five questions and if you were with us you can tell how you did. I think we missed one.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we knew quite a bit, yeah, pretty good, but we'll get into them.
Speaker 2:I think DIA, which is Denver International Airport, is a good one. We're going to talk a little bit about flat earth today, ooh yeah. So here's what I'm going to do I'm going to ask you kind of a few things and then I'm just going to have you try to defend or try to take on the role of a flat earther. But before we get into that, let's do something a little bit more general.
Speaker 1:What do you think it is about conspiracies that makes people interested? That's a really great question. I think it's the wondering. I think people like to wonder, like what is out there, because there's so many things that can't be explained or that people just really don't know about. I also think it's the belonging, like being part of a group, and just generally people like to believe what other people think, and then it's fun to be part of a group that all kind of thinks the same way and believes the same stuff.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think that's a big part of that Community and identity is kind of the wording that I was going to use. Being part of a group that maybe has hidden knowledge and that kind of feeling. I don't want to use the word feeling superior, but you feel kind of important when you think you know something that other people don't.
Speaker 1:I think that's part of it and to get people to follow that thought.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's so different now than it was, you know, 10 or 15 years ago, because you can find people who are like-minded and you can find so much more information than you used to be able to find. I think there were a couple YouTube videos and I meant to kind of document which those two were, but I think there were two in particular that really took off on YouTube, talking about conspiracies that fueled the movement, so to speak. So what else, besides community and identity, anything else you think of?
Speaker 1:I think the easy access to information now, or spreading of information right, there's all the social media platforms through podcasts, through video. You know quick little videos online or quick little sound bits online. So it's just a fast way to kind of spread your word and I think it gets out to more people than it used to.
Speaker 2:Yeah, there's. There's two other things, too, that come to mind, and I want to see what you think about them. What is a desire for control and certainty? You know, life is weird and not always easy to understand Absolutely.
Speaker 1:Yeah that that wondering right the unknown and getting answers for the unknown. It feels better than having something be unknown.
Speaker 2:Yeah, especially like in time of crisis. You know we saw a lot of conspiracies come out during COVID. Absolutely Right and so trying to make sense of that and those types of things. I really think that's part of it. What about distrust of authorities and institutions? I think that might be a reason too why people cling to conspiracies. They just don't trust organizations. And why people cling to conspiracies they just don't trust organizations and therefore they make up conspiracies.
Speaker 1:It comes back to control right Thinking about what you want to think about and being in control of that, not listening to what other people are telling you, especially if it's a group that you can't get behind. You don't want to take their word, even if it is correct or accurate information.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Especially if there's been a government or, you know, media corporation that has had some corruption or some lies and there's already kind of a layer of mistrust and it's easy to kind of just add to that. So Absolutely.
Speaker 2:And we've talked about this a couple of times already that social media and independent platforms really allow for that amplification of anybody's message, and so, yeah, I think that that's something that we well let me kind of give you an example. There was a study, and I think it was kind of an informal study. What got you into the flat earth theory? 39 of those 40 said a YouTube video.
Speaker 1:No way Yep.
Speaker 2:The algorithm or just stumbling across that led them to go so far down that they were now attending a flat earth conference.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and now their algorithm is changed for good, right, because they're going to get their perspective of that and continuously get flooded with that kind of information. I could easily see how that would be. Yeah.
Speaker 2:And what happens a lot of times is that these conspiracies don't kind of fit in a vacuum, meaning they're not just by themselves, you're not just a flat earther, because if you went to that conference, that Flat Earth conference, there wasn't a ton about flat earth from the presenters, there was all kinds of stuff about different conspiracies, because they all tend to kind of intertwine. So once you're in, you're kind of in a lot of them and not just one. That community piece, yeah, so just kind of interesting Absolutely.
Speaker 1:All right.
Speaker 2:All right, let's go into Flat Earth, let's do. Okay, you're going to be our pretend Flat Earther today. Do you know anything about Flat Earth like what they believe?
Speaker 1:I mean there's bits and pieces here and there. So I'm interested to see what you kind of bring to the table for me to have to buy into, for me to have to convince you of. I got a little background, Okay.
Speaker 2:I'm going to give you a little bit of information. One of the kind of truths or beliefs is that the earth is flat stationary disc. Okay, so we're going to start with that. It's a flat stationary disc, okay. Okay, you believe that the earth is not a sphere, but it's flat. You argue that if it were truly a spinning globe, you would feel its motion, okay, and you would actually see the visible curvature. And you don't. Okay, like, look out the window. You have a window right here. Do you see a curvature of the earth?
Speaker 1:No, I don't Not from my perspective right now there's your argument.
Speaker 2:Are there holes in that?
Speaker 1:I yeah, this is just one I struggle with and I think it's just because I went to school and I saw pictures of the round earth and learned about gravity and learned about the earth spinning. And when I see a plane flying in the air, I don't watch it fly forever. Northern and southern hemisphere, I mean it's just how do I get to the other side of the world?
Speaker 2:We're going to get to gravity in just a second. But, I wanted to hit one other thing on this Antarctica is actually an ice wall surrounding the edge of the world. Yes, that's what prevents you from falling off.
Speaker 1:My goodness, and like you were just saying, when you get into one conspiracy theory, it just leads to another. Because then I think of climate change and how some people believe that climate change is a conspiracy theory, and so what happens is, if the world is getting too hot and too warm and we start melting it, do we just start falling off the edge of our earth?
Speaker 2:Now there's no wall there to protect anymore. No, maybe that's why you can't believe that, because that would happen. Is that what you're saying?
Speaker 1:Yeah, it is Winter's coming, Winter's coming.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we all know about that wall. Let's talk about your gravity thing. It doesn't exist, according to you, as a flat earther.
Speaker 1:No, because I'm just here and it's flat, Like why would I need gravity?
Speaker 2:But if I hand you your phone, yes, or maybe I don't hand you your phone, maybe I grab your phone off the table and I hold it out in front of you and then I just let it go. What happens to it?
Speaker 1:Well, it drops.
Speaker 2:So that's gravity.
Speaker 1:Is it, though? It's just like it's not gravity. It's just what happens when something falls.
Speaker 2:Do you know what the argument is from Flat Earthers about that phenomenon? Tell me that the earth is actually coming up accelerating upwards, creating. Tell me that the earth is actually coming up accelerating upwards, creating that illusion of gravity.
Speaker 1:So is it falling up versus falling down?
Speaker 2:That's what they think, oh my goodness, you talked about airplanes. Gravity, or real airplanes? And water should behave differently on a curved surface, they say.
Speaker 1:What would they do? How would it behave differently?
Speaker 2:Well, I think that water would continue to move, probably, right, I mean, the oceans would continue to, like, spill over onto the ground because it's curved and it's rounded. Think about how big the oceans are. I mean, if there's a true curvature and you're looking at it like from a distance, you would see water continue to spill off to the left and to the right of the sphere, onto the land, right, I mean.
Speaker 1:But what if a big wave comes and goes up over the barrier of antarctica?
Speaker 2:too big is it? Too big it's too big it's too big, the wall's okay that's right.
Speaker 1:I'm sorry. What was I thinking that would?
Speaker 2:be, ridiculous um, here's something else, too, that nas, nasa and the government are lying to us. What are some things? Remember, you're the one that defends this, so what are some things about events that we know that NASA or the government has lied to us about?
Speaker 1:Moon landing.
Speaker 2:Wow, what do they say?
Speaker 1:Right, it didn't happen. It was filmed, it was forged. We just had to get there first.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I don't know that there's evidence. I'm sure that if we truly had a flat earther here, they could tell us I see the stage or I see you know something that proves that it's actually not on the moon, it's in a production studio in Los Angeles or something, but I don't know.
Speaker 1:I guess maybe we should research that part, didn't they say it's because the flag is blowing. That was one of the pieces.
Speaker 2:Because there's no wind, correct?
Speaker 1:And that the flag is like interesting. This is another one we got to bring up, Right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, interesting, this is another one we got to bring up, right? Yeah, um, theorists who believe in this flat earth believe that the deception from the government exists because there's land beyond the ice wall. We're not supposed to know it, we're not supposed to see it that explains why the water isn't overflowing the wall what's on the other end, like if you were to have to just come up with something for our audience right now yeah on the spot. I've given you no time, absolutely I already have it in my head.
Speaker 1:Okay, it's district one. It's like hunger games. Right, it's the super rich, wealthy government officials watching the rest of us just destroy our half of the wall.
Speaker 2:It's exactly what's on the other side of the wall, almost like a game, almost like a tv show, absolutely I I think it's a paradise where people who are in control obviously I don't believe this, but I'm going with this for now almost a special retreat the Incas had that. The Inca nobility had a place where they were the only ones that could go and visit.
Speaker 1:And I think it's something like that where there's just Do you think they come between? Yeah of course, Like they'll come over here, but then they're like, oh my gosh, totally, it's absolutely out of control, and then go back on the like nice side of the wall. They have to make sure that all of the peasants who are making them the money Absolutely are doing the right thing, yeah, and it's kind of like risk-taking the deeper you go into our area.
Speaker 2:Totally, I don't know. I think that's so interesting. So it's obviously financial. Isn't everything financial?
Speaker 1:Oh, definitely.
Speaker 2:Something that allows them to either gain more, maybe there's resources. That would be my second guess that there's resources. A land of? Infinite resources, yeah where they can just mine and take and not have to share. But it's definitely financial gain of some kind, I think.
Speaker 1:We're the financial gain. It's like betting, right, it's a game for them watching us over here.
Speaker 2:People have always been the backbone of financial gain for people, right, and as we get into higher technology and AI and robotics, that will change and we'll see how that kind of goes on. But yeah, I don't know, kind of interesting. So our three things for our flat earthers, the earth is flat stationary disk. They believe that NASA and the government are lying to us and they believe that the gravity that we tend to know kind of just isn't really a thing.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, well, that is all news to me. Yeah, so I would love for someone who is a flat earther. Yeah, right, yeah, tell us To reach out to us. Yeah, send us an email, make a comment, let us know what you think, why you think that way. We're not here to judge, we're just here to get people's perspective.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you can reach us on Buzzsprout that's where our host is for the podcast and there's a little spot where they call it fan mail, where you could just click on it. It says send a text, I believe, and you can send us a text and it comes across as almost a little message to us and it would be awesome to hear from you. We also post this to YouTube.
Speaker 1:And you know you can do just a normal YouTube comment. Yeah, just make a comment on there. We just want to get some information, hear what your thoughts are. Obviously, we're new to this and we're just excited to dive into this.
Speaker 2:I think it's been super fun. I think we're going to maybe do some video. So actually, when it's YouTube, there's something to look at and I think, that we've done conspiracies a couple times. I would be interested, Olivia, you tell me what you think about maybe just doing some tea and maybe just doing an interesting topic next time.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. That's like. One of my favorite things is just what is the hot news of the moment? That we just need to spill some tea over and just talk it out.
Speaker 2:Absolutely, and here's why I'm going to say that. I don't know if you feel this, you and I. Anybody that knows the two of us knows that we just love to laugh. We spend 90% of our time together just laughing. That's how people find us. That's how people find us. They don't even know where they need to be, but they can hear us. But conspiracies are a little heavy.
Speaker 1:And they can get personal for some people. Yeah, and so that's why we're tinfoil and tea. Yeah, because we want to bring some funny in. Yeah, and I think that's got to be our next one.
Speaker 2:I think so let's do it, and we talked several times. We have some friends who want to come on. One of them wants to talk about true crime, and we'll do some other fun stuff. So we have a lot to share and we're glad that you've been with us today.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's been really fun. Thanks Henry, thanks Olivia.
Speaker 2:We'll see you next time.
