• Kellamity@sh.itjust.works
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    4 months ago

    Well, it was never going to look like the Americas even if it was true. The claim is that they discovered the land, not that they circumnavigated it or were able to chart the coasts with Renaissance-level precision.

    There’s no good or compelling evidence. But there’s lots of ‘evidence’ that while dismissed by most academics, can be used in support of the theory in a vacuum, for example the existence of a pre-Colombian carving in Arabic (which isn’t actually that, but was believed to be by some).

    The idea isn’t based on the map alone, it’s only one piece of the corroborating ‘evidence’.

    Again, I’m not arguing that it’s a true claim, just that it’s not on the surface insane

    • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldOP
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      4 months ago

      You could use the same argument about the people not being crazy, just not believing experts, with a lot of the sovereign citizens in this community. They believe the non-experts who tell them there’s a cheat code they can use to get what they want from the government just like these people believe the non-experts who think Muslims went to the U.S.

      So maybe it’s not ‘on the surface insane,’ but that’s only because they are similar people who both don’t question what they’re told by amateurs and reject authorities. Which I would say is pretty crazy of them.

      • Kellamity@sh.itjust.works
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        4 months ago

        On the other hand, belief in a widespread historical myth that has been argued by professional historians isn’t exactly ‘soveriegn citizen’ level - even if that myth has been overwhelmingly dismissed by the majority of their colleagues.

        Its pretty easy to hear a credible-sounding claim and take it in, without doing the research to debunk it

        • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldOP
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          4 months ago

          I’m not sure why you think sovereign citizen beliefs aren’t widespread. This community shows a ton of people seem to believe it. In multiple countries.

          Its pretty easy to hear a credible-sounding claim and take it in, without doing the research to debunk it

          Yes, that is exactly what sovcits do.

          • Kellamity@sh.itjust.works
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            4 months ago

            Its pretty easy to hear a credible-sounding claim and take it in, without doing the research to debunk it

            Yes, that is exactly what sovcits do.

            I suppose where we differ then is if sovcit beliefs are ‘credible-sounding’

            • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldOP
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              4 months ago

              They are equally credible-sounding because they tell the person what they want to hear. SovCits are told they can get out of debt or a government fine. People who believe this are told that Muslims did something first due to their superior skills. It’s the same.

              • Kellamity@sh.itjust.works
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                4 months ago

                Yeah i suppose you have a point. I never think of sovcit claims as credible, but if that’s what someone needs to hear or believe in a tough time, could be a different story