However, there are fewer articulate (and internally consistent) defenses of flat earth theory, than say… particle physics. In my experience.

Plenty of timecube style ones, however.

That's true, but if you want one, you can find one. If you've conditioned yourself to think that articulate==credible, then sometimes it only takes one.

Yes, and this is not just due to the intelligence of the "believers" but due to the fact that describing 2=2=2 in a self-consistent way only takes understanding it while describing 2=2=3 in a way that appears self-consistent requires a true rhetorical genius.