The Power of Cognitive Dissonance

B: Flat earther dies trying to prove earth is flat.
BBC News - 'Mad' Mike Hughes dies after crash-landing homemade rocket

Me: The last time his rocket launch failed the media claimed he was trying to prove the world was flat

He angrily posted that he just had enthusiasm for rockets

Likely the same is true this time. But he's not around to dispel fake news now

'Mad Mike' wasn't trying to prove 'flat Earth' theory on ill-fated rocket launch

"Following this tragic accident, a common notion has reemerged in the media. People are saying that Hughes was launching to "prove" the Earth is flat, as Hughes is openly a believer in a number of conspiracy theories, including the flat Earth theory. But, according to Hughes, there was no tie between these conspiracies and his love for launching rockets.

In a 2017 documentary about the daredevil entitled "Rocketman: Mad Mike's Mission to Prove the Flat Earth," Hughes stated, "I'm not going to take anyone else's word for it, or NASA, or especially Elon Musk with SpaceX," he said. "I'm going to build my own rocket right here and I'm going to see it with my own eyes what shape this world we live on."

However, in the interview with Space.com, Hughes clarified, "although I do believe in the flat Earth, this was never an attempt to prove that."

"This flat Earth has nothing to do with the steam rocket launches, it never did, it never will. I'm a daredevil!" he added. He additionally shared that he wanted to launch "to inspire people.""

A: I dont believe that Hughes was a flat earther. He was a pilot, pilot accept that compasses work. Flatearthers do NOT accept them. Those idiots think were fling around in circles, and not in a straight line. Flat earthers....dumber than antivaxxxers.

Me: What do you think "I'm not going to take anyone else's word" refers to?

Or better, "I do believe in the flat earth"

A: He cant have if he was a pilot, for the reason i gave above. But if its even a real quote, we can write it off to his ceing a flakey guy anyway. Flakey people often say crazy things.

Me: Uhh

B: Hughes even has the the words on his rocket in the pic!

A: If true, explain how he could be a pilot?

I myself proved the world is round...twice. I flew east from Sg kep fling, and arrived back in sg. And I also did it the opposite way. Flat earters, who dont accept compasses, say i just flew in circles. Do you really think Highes, as a pilot himself, didnt accept compasses?

B: I dunno, some kind of cognitive dissonance?

Me: clearly we can see cognitive dissonance at work here

A: By Hughes, right? And all flat earthers.