Does Australia exist?

[Skybison]

So I've got this co-worker who is a giant conspiracy theorist ranging from sandy hook might have been fake to the belief that modern music might be a form of mind control.  And yes, he does think the earth might be flat.  (He never says what he believes, just "well it might be X" or "I'm not sure if Y is real".)  Now I asked him about the standard question about why Australians can't see the north star, and his answer floored me:

He said he isn't sure if Australia exists.  How do you know that Australia is real?  How do you know people who are say they are from Australia are right?  How do you know that if you fly to Australia you aren't being landed somewhere else?  In fact he thinks that large numbers of the countries we see on maps might be fictional, and the world population is probably just a few hundred million people.   Not jokingly, really seems to think this is possible.

His belief is that Australia is really just part of North America that the government sealed off and told the people who live there they are in the southern hemisphere.  And most of them just believed what they were told.

So to the Australians here, what do you think?  Is he right?  Do you have any proof that you live in the southern hemisphere?

[ironbite]

Skybison I think you might want to alert the mental health authorities.

Ironbite-you're co-worker might be insane.

[davedan]

Well as you say there is the astronomical phenomenon, such as seeing the 'southern cross' not seeing the north star etc.

This isn't limited to Australia and includes the South Pacific, including NZ, presumably includes South Africa, South America etc. Certainly the reversal of seasons is a big hint that you aren't in North America.

Then so far as whether Australia or New Zealand is part of North America which has been sealed off by the authorities? Well assuming that you can simply accept that people are so helpless and governments to powerful (the US is actually a great example of executive government failure), you can't get over the difference in Flora and Fauna. Both Australia and New Zealand have unique native flora and fauna which is not found anywhere else. Also we don't have animals that are common in the US, such as bears, coyotes, etc. Even assuming you discount Australian Marsupials and Monotremes (Echidnas and Platypus) there is the difference between Australian flora. Eucalypts, Australian Pines have leaves not needles, etc.

Your co-worker seems like an idiot who has taken cartesian doubt too far.

[chad sexington]

Didn't someone post this same thread last year?  In any case, we all know it's Belgium that's the real conspiracy!  Australia is just a smokescreen.

[Sigmaleph]

So I've got this co-worker who is a giant conspiracy theorist ranging from sandy hook might have been fake to the belief that modern music might be a form of mind control.  And yes, he does think the earth might be flat.  (He never says what he believes, just "well it might be X" or "I'm not sure if Y is real".)  Now I asked him about the standard question about why Australians can't see the north star, and his answer floored me:

He said he isn't sure if Australia exists.  How do you know that Australia is real?  How do you know people who are say they are from Australia are right?  How do you know that if you fly to Australia you aren't being landed somewhere else?  In fact he thinks that large numbers of the countries we see on maps might be fictional, and the world population is probably just a few hundred million people.   Not jokingly, really seems to think this is possible.

His belief is that Australia is really just part of North America that the government sealed off and told the people who live there they are in the southern hemisphere.  And most of them just believed what they were told.

So to the Australians here, what do you think?  Is he right?  Do you have any proof that you live in the southern hemisphere?

...how exactly does he explain seasons being off by six months, the fact that if someone in Australia talks in real time with someone in North America and they compare the position of the sun in the sky they will see clearly different things, etc?

And, like, if Australia really was in North America, that seems like it does the opposite of explaining why they see a different night sky.

[ironbite]

Sigma you're trying to understand a person who's brain matter calcified long ago.  I wouldn't try to explain this person at this point.

Ironbite-it's just not worth it.

[Skybison]

^Yeah, you know the old saying about your mind being so open your brain falls out?  That's him.  His view as I understand it is that basically everything we think we know about the world might be a plot by satanists to get people not to be christians down to even the most basic scientific and historical facts.  So to him there's no evidence that basic geometry or perspective work the way "they" say it does, or that the shape of landmasses look anything like they do on the map.  He told me his favourite conspiracy is that most of recorded history was faked by the CIA, hence why it contradicts the bible.  Everything is suspect in his view, so there is no reason to think the basic science of how seasons work is anything but a lie and seasons really work in a completely different way that makes sense with it being summer in one part of America and winter in another.

The King James Bible is the only exception, that is the one thing the government couldn't have faked for obvious reasons.

[chad sexington]

The King James Bible is the only exception, that is the one thing the government couldn't have faked for obvious reasons.

Ironically, the King James Bible was commissioned by the government of the time.  As you'd know of course.

[Kanzenkankaku]

So I've got this co-worker who is a giant conspiracy theorist ranging from sandy hook might have been fake to the belief that modern music might be a form of mind control.  And yes, he does think the earth might be flat.  (He never says what he believes, just "well it might be X" or "I'm not sure if Y is real".)  Now I asked him about the standard question about why Australians can't see the north star, and his answer floored me:

He said he isn't sure if Australia exists.  How do you know that Australia is real?  How do you know people who are say they are from Australia are right?  How do you know that if you fly to Australia you aren't being landed somewhere else?  In fact he thinks that large numbers of the countries we see on maps might be fictional, and the world population is probably just a few hundred million people.   Not jokingly, really seems to think this is possible.

His belief is that Australia is really just part of North America that the government sealed off and told the people who live there they are in the southern hemisphere.  And most of them just believed what they were told.

So to the Australians here, what do you think?  Is he right?  Do you have any proof that you live in the southern hemisphere?

...how exactly does he explain seasons being off by six months, the fact that if someone in Australia talks in real time with someone in North America and they compare the position of the sun in the sky they will see clearly different things, etc?

And, like, if Australia really was in North America, that seems like it does the opposite of explaining why they see a different night sky.

ITS DA GOVERNMENT WEATHER MACHINES!!!