Mark Sargent (flat Earth proponent)

Mark Sargent
Sargent speaking at a Flat Earth conference in 2017
Bornc.1968 (age 57–58)[1]
Whidbey Island, Washington, U.S.
OccupationYouTuber
Years activeSince 2015

Mark Kendall Sargent (born c. 1968) is an American conspiracy theorist, who is one of the leading proponents of, and recruiters for, the discredited flat Earth conspiracy theory in the United States. According to critics, his YouTube videos have greatly accelerated the popularization of modern flat Earth belief, one without scientific merit.

Early life

Mark Sargent was born and raised on the South End of Whidbey Island, Washington.[2][3] After graduating high school, he attended Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington for three years before he was "kicked out" for manufacturing and selling illegal fireworks.[2][4][3] In the 1994, he won a Crystal Caliburn video pinball game competition and was hired to test other video games for its publisher, StarPlay Productions, in Colorado.[4][3] He then worked at other local software companies training people in proprietary software until 2014.[5][1][3] He has no formal education in computer science, physical science, or natural science.[6] In 2015, he posted “Flat Earth Clues” on YouTube and was invited by Truth Frequency Radio based in Denver to host a weekly radio show, “Strange World”. In 2017 he moved back to Whidbey Island where he currently resides.[4][7][3]

Flat Earth beliefs and influence

A model of the Earth as a disk, similar to what Sargent promotes

In 2015, Sargent released a series of videos he created on YouTube called Flat Earth Clues, which questioned the accepted shape of the Earth. The series attracted two million views, propelling the rise of the modern flat Earth movement.[8][7][9][10][11][12]

Sargent works to convince others that the Earth is a flat disk, with a giant wall of ice around the circumference. An indestructible dome is claimed to be attached to the rim, making it a closed system. He claims that stars and planets are not physical places but simply lights attached to the dome.[4][11][13][14][15] Sargent states that all world governments have been lying about the shape of the planet, and that NASA faked the Apollo program as well as all other space exploration programs.[4][6]

An article in The New Yorker explained how Sargent's video series was instrumental in converting people to his viewpoint. It reported that Darryle Marble, who would later be a featured speaker at the first-ever Flat Earth Conference:

...found the light in his YouTube sidebar. While looking for videos related to Under the Dome, a TV sci-fi drama, he came across "Under the Dome", a two-hour film, which takes the form of a documentary, by Mark K. Sargent, one of the leading flat-Earth proselytizers. The flat-Earth movement had burbled along in relative darkness until February of 2015, when Sargent uploaded "Flat Earth Clues", a series of well-produced videos...[8]

Sargent says that being single was a contributing factor to his discovering and believing in the flat Earth conspiracy. He said, "Most people get married and have kids. But if you don't, you have a huge amount of free time on your hands".[4] According to Sargent in an interview with the Los Angeles Times, as of 2018 his YouTube channel had accumulated ten million views and he had become a full-time YouTuber.[1] According to Sargent at a flat Earth conference in Canada in August 2018, his path towards believing in the flat Earth theory was paved by a failed attempt by him to debunk a flat Earth video which he first saw in the summer of 2014. [16]

Sargent has been a speaker at numerous flat Earth events in the United States, Canada and New Zealand. He describes himself as a recruiter for the movement,[6][17][1][14] and has been called its main organizer by media including the Los Angeles Times.[1] He was extensively interviewed for the 2018 documentary Behind the Curve, a Netflix documentary about the flat Earth community.[4][18][19][20] He also expounded on his views in a self-published book titled Flat Earth Clues: The Sky's The Limit in 2016.[21]

Critics consider the flat Earth beliefs promoted by Sargent pseudoscience, inconsistent with all empirical evidence. They have been attributed to "conspiracy mentality", reliance on religious belief, distrust of authority, science denial, or a fallacious, although pro-science, interpretation of the scientific method.[22][23]

Sargent also incorporates other conspiracy theories into his flat Earth beliefs, accusing astronauts of being Freemasons.[8] Sargent also believes Bigfoot exists.[4]

Manufacturing and Selling of Illegal Fireworks

In Episode 1 of his radio show, "Strange World", Sargent described how he ran an illegal fireworks ring as a college student at Western Washington University from October 1989 to September 1990.[2] Sargent was investigated by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), indicted by a grand jury, and he pled guilty to two felonies: the manufacturing of explosive devices without a license, and the dealing in or selling of explosive devices without a license.[2]

The making and selling of illegal firecrackers or fireworks is a "high-risk operation with promise of outrageous profits."[24] For example, in 1990, an M-1000 firecracker (4-inches long by 1.25-inches diameter) contained 10 cents of material but could be sold for $5, and "has the explosive force of a half-stick of dynamite."[25][26] According to one ATF special agent, "With so much money to be made, illegal fireworks rings start to cut corners, rush jobs, and do things that may cost one or two lives but that doesn't appear to be slowing anybody down."[24] As a result, illegal fireworks cause severe injuries, "the kind of injuries physicians hope never to see outside combat zones," with over 50% of victims being children under the age of 15.[24]

Fireworks contain flash powder, an explosive that is extremely hazardous and poses a serious risk to human safety. Flash powder is very sensitive and "self-reactive" meaning that it can spontaneously explode due to movement, friction, heat, a spark, or moisture. Because manufacturers buy and store large quantities of flash powder, when it explodes, the blast can affect an area of several blocks. The safe detonation of flash powder is conducted on a military artillery range and "a demonstration blast of 800 pounds created a hole about 10 feet deep and 25 feet wide, produced a red ball of flame the size of a house, and the concussion rippled the clothing of reporters three-quarters of a mile away."[27]

In 1989, Sargent had a single-purchase permit to legally make personal-use fireworks for a July 4th fireworks show that he put on for his mother's neighbors at Useless Bay (Washington).[2][3] When Sargent returned to Western Washington University for the Fall semester, it occurred to him that he could manufacture and sell a large number of firecrackers to firework stands for a substantial profit.[2] However, Sargent did not obtain a license to manufacture fireworks for public sale and use, which would involve passing an exam and paying an annual fee ($2,000 in 2026 dollars).[28]

In preparation for Fourth of July 1990, between October 1989 and April 1990 Sargent ordered approximately 1,000 pounds of precursor explosive chemicals, six miles of fuse, and 40,000 tubes by sending several companies an altered photocopy of his single-purchase permit along with cash payment in full.[2] Sargent hired his roommate as his "right-hand man" and, through his job as the food service student manager, he hired student workers to perform piece work (i.e., cut fuse, drill holes in cardboard tubes) while Sargent completed the final stages of assembly (e.g., fill the tube with explosive chemicals) at his mother's house.[2] With the help of his college girlfriend who was Native American, Sargent sold his illegal explosives to firework stands on a nearby Indian Reservation.[2]

Sargent ran his operation in the context of several local newsworthy incidents showing the danger illegal fireworks pose to the public, the legal consequences of manufacturing and distributing illegal fireworks, and police efforts to discourage the purchase and possession of illegal fireworks.[24][27][29] For example, in June 1990, a 15-year-old boy went to Muckleshoot Indian Reservation near Auburn, Washington to purchase fireworks. The boy purchased what he thought was a smoke bomb, but it was a golf ball shell packed with flash powder. At home, the boy lit the device and the fuse burned quickly which frightened him. As he tried to stomp out the fuse, the device exploded throwing the boy 10 feet in the air and, when he landed, his left leg and foot were broken and his right foot was gone.[24]

At some point, one of Sargent's student workers decided that he could run his own illegal fireworks operation in Puyallup, Washington. Along with manufacturing M-1000's and 8-inch firecrackers, he and Sargent competed to see who could make the largest firecracker with Sargent building an explosive device that was 48-inches by 12-inches diameter which he assembled in his mother's house.[2]

After a profitable Fourth of July, Sargent prepared for the 1991 season. In August 1990 Sargent purchased more flash powder and other explosive chemicals. In September, ATF received a tip about Sargent's illegal firework ring, which led to ATF agents raiding his mother's home.

On September 19, 1990, "an undercover agent made a controlled delivery of 475 pounds of precursor explosive chemicals to an individual (Sargent) and his associate (Sargent's roommate) who had been under investigation for the manufacture and distribution of illegal explosive devices in Washington. After the delivery, agents surveilled (Sargent) as he transported the chemicals to another location. Consequently, the agents obtained a Federal search warrant for the building at this location and seized the chemicals. The agents also learned of the location of (Sargent’s) manufacturing laboratory for the devices. They obtained consent to search the laboratory as well as a storage facility leased by (Sargent). Pursuant to the searches, the agents seized 8,500 illegal explosive devices, 75,000 pyrotechnic tubes, 25 pounds of cut fuse, and other explosives manufacturing paraphernalia. The estimated street value of the explosives was in excess of $131,000."[30]

On September 21, 1990, with news of Sargent's arrest, the student who decided to run his own illegal fireworks ring in Puyallup hurriedly disassembled the illegal fireworks they had made.[2] While holding a firecracker in one hand, he used a metal screwdriver to punch a hole in the bottom of a tube and poured the flash powder into a bucket.[2] During this process, the screwdriver created a spark which ignited the firecracker which ignited the bucket of flash powder.[2] The explosion was "heard for blocks around."[31] Sargent's former worker was in critical condition with burns on 50 percent of his body, and his girlfriend was in serious condition with burns on 30 percent of her body.[31] Bomb squad was needed to safely remove the remaining explosives in the house.[31]

September 25, 1990, Tuesday: At 7:00am in Useless Bay, an explosion caused damage to six houses.[32] One homeowner said, "I looked up and there was a cloud of smoke that looked like a miniature atomic bomb" and the explosion "shook" his house breaking eight windows.[33] Sheriff's department recovered fragments of Sargent's rocket and considered the explosion a serious crime which could have caused severe injury or death.[32] Police had no suspects or motive and didn't connect the explosion to Sargent.[33]

Bibliography

  • Flat Earth Clues: The Sky's The Limit (2016)[21]
  • Flat Earth Clues: End of The World (2019)[34]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Kelly, David (January 15, 2018). "The Earth is round, and other myths, debunked by the flat Earth movement (you read that right)". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 25, 2021. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Sargent, Mark (April 25, 2015). "Strange World Episode 1 - Fireworks". Truth Frequency Radio (Podcast). Retrieved June 16, 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Burnett, Justin (August 19, 2017). "Flat Earth:from skeptic to believer". South Whidbey Record. Archived from the original on June 20, 2026. Retrieved May 13, 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Brown, Andrea (January 15, 2019). "He's semi-famous for being flat-out wrong about Earth". Everett Herald. Archived from the original on November 7, 2020. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  5. ↑ Sargent, Mark (November 14, 2019). "2019 FEIC Speakers Mark Sargent". Archived from the original on April 25, 2019. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 McMillan, Anna (August 10, 2018). "Flat-Earth faithful flock to Edmonton for international conference". CBC News. Archived from the original on November 9, 2020. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  7. 1 2 Hvistendahl, Mara (October 11, 2019). "Citizens of the world's Edge". Popular Science. Vol. 291, no. 3. pp. 74–123. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  8. 1 2 3 Burdick, Alan (May 30, 2018). "Looking for life on a flat earth". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on April 21, 2021. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  9. ↑ Jeremias, Sofia (January 3, 2020). "Remaking the world in their own image: The rise of flat Earth conspiracists in the age of YouTube". Deseret News. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  10. ↑ Dawson, Durrell; Pilgrim, Eva; McCarthy, Kelly (January 25, 2018). "Inside Flat Earth International Conference, where everyone believes Earth isn't round". ABC News. Archived from the original on May 6, 2021. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  11. 1 2 Arnett, Dugan (November 28, 2017). "For flat-earthers, the logic isn't circular, but is the reasoning level-headed?". Boston Globe. ProQuest 1970282931. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  12. ↑ Mouallem, Omar (2019). "Flat Earth 101". Canadian Geographic. pp. 86–91. ISSN 0706-2168. EBSCOhost 139341646.
  13. ↑ Poole, Steven (June 28, 2016). "Why bad ideas refuse to die". The Guardian. Archived from the original on November 7, 2020. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  14. 1 2 Wakefield, Jonny (August 10, 2018). "Flat earthers are emerging from the internet, and they're starting in Edmonton". Edmonton Journal. Archived from the original on November 9, 2020. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  15. ↑ Loxton, Daniel (2019). "Understanding Flat Earthers". Skeptic. Vol. 24, no. 4. London. pp. 10–23. ISSN 1063-9330. ProQuest 2454437388. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  16. ↑ "Flat Earth Canada conference opening speech Mark Sargent - DITRH mirror ✅". YouTube. August 14, 2018. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  17. ↑ Maimann, Kevin (August 9, 2018). "Faith flattens reason at Edmonton's first Flat-Earth International Conference". The Toronto Star. Archived from the original on January 15, 2021. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  18. ↑ Dickson, EJ (February 24, 2020). "Flat Earth Community Undeterred by Death of 'Mad' Mike Hughes". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on December 3, 2021. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  19. ↑ Picheta, Rob (November 18, 2018). "The flat-Earth conspiracy is spreading around the globe. Does it hide a darker core?". CNN. Archived from the original on April 17, 2021. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  20. ↑ Harvey, John (February 20, 2021). "A thoughtful look at followers of conspiracy theories". Port Elizabeth. Port Elizabeth. ProQuest 2492267731. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  21. 1 2 Flat Earth Clues: The Sky's The Limit. ASIN 1523851430.
  22. ↑ McIntyre, Lee (May 14, 2019). "Flat Earthers, and the Rise of Science Denial in America". Newsweek. Retrieved February 6, 2021. You don't convince someone who has already rejected thousands of years of scientific evidence by showing them more evidence.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  23. ↑ Brazil, Rachel (July 14, 2020). "Fighting flat-Earth theory". Physics World. Retrieved February 6, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  24. 1 2 3 4 5 Williams, Marla (June 6, 1990). "'I'm just mad at myself' – Tragic lesson for boy who lost his foot to a firework". The Seattle Times. p. A1.
  25. ↑ Birkland, David; Park, Clayton; Norton, Dee (June 22, 1989). "More illegal fireworks seized". The Seattle Times. p. A1.
  26. ↑ Norton, Dee (July 11, 1989). "Agents: Fireworks ring made millions – Auburn man suspected of selling illegal explosives for 10 years". The Seattle Times. p. C1.
  27. 1 2 Whitely, Peyton; Norton, Dee (June 23, 1989). "Promises of fireworks led to raid, records say". The Seattle Times. p. C2.
  28. ↑ "Fireworks". Washington State Patrol State Fire Marshal's Office. Retrieved June 26, 2026.
  29. ↑ "Police clamp down on illegal fireworks". The Seattle Times. June 27, 1990. p. F1.
  30. ↑ Explosive Incidents Report 1990. U.S. Dept of Justice, Office of Justice Programs (Report). NCJ Number 134080. 1991. p. 60-61. Retrieved June 15, 2026.{{cite report}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  31. 1 2 3 Ostrom, Carol M. (September 22, 1990). "2 burned in Puyallup blast". The Seattle Times. p. A1.
  32. 1 2 "Big bomb blast damages homes, police investigate". Whidbey News Times. September 29, 1990. p. 1. Retrieved May 20, 2026.
  33. 1 2 "Still no leads on bombing in Useless Bay community". Whidbey News Times. October 3, 1990. p. 1. Retrieved May 20, 2026.
  34. ↑ Sargent, Mark. Flat Earth Clues: End of The World. ISBN 9781086579000.
This page is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.