The total solar eclipse will be visible to millions of people in North America on Monday, April 8, and experts warn that it’s vital everyone wears proper eye protection.
But there are some conspiracy theorists on TikTok and X who are insisting the experts are lying and that it’s completely safe to just stare at the eclipse.
"Some of the theories that it’s fine to stare at the eclipse are rooted in nothing more than a belief that everyone should just ignore experts!"
Other users shared their own experiences, including people who say they regularly stare at the sun, an activity known as sungazing that’s popular among some fringe New Age communities.
“I’ve always looked at eclipses plus almost every day I will stare at the sun for about 5 minutes. I’m not blind yet. They lied about that,” another X user chimed in.
That kneejerk desire to be contradictory has always been around, of course, but it gained considerable steam on social media after a massive right-wing campaign to doubt anything health experts said in the wake of the covid-19 pandemic.
But there are other rationales as well. Some theories hinge on the idea that it’s safe to look at the eclipse because... the Earth is actually flat......... Seriously!
“When the eclipse happens, ditch the glasses. They are a lie,” one account on X claimed.
“Look at it with your eyes, and the flat earth truth will be revealed. The glasses are not to protect your eyes… they are to protect their LIES!”
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