Have a look at the
Flat Earth Society's online membership list.
I didn't want to mention anything ahead of time in case he wasn't on board with the whole thing, but I had a quick chat with him in email and he's ok with being listed, so here goes: Yes, 00001 is
the Thomas Dolby -- 80's synthesizer legend best known for the pop hit "
" class="bbc_link" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">She Blinded Me With Science". But he's had many other albums as well and also started a company called Headspace which designed, among other things, some synthesizer technology which may very well be floating around in your mobile phone if it's a Nokia. And if my brief conversation in email is any indication, he's an all-around nice guy to boot.
But I digress.
By now, you're probably wondering why I offered Thomas Dolby FotFE status and why he's sitting at 00001 on the membership list. I'm sure he didn't plan it this way, but Thomas Dolby is responsible for the Society's existence now. In 1984, he released an album called "The Flat Earth" which contained a song of the same name. This album wasn't as big a hit in the US as his previous one and the first time I actually listened to it was during university in the late 90's after I'd found a copy on vinyl at a used record store and figured, "hey, I liked that big song of his.. so why not?". At that time, I had some vague idea that there was (or had been) something called the Flat Earth Society but I didn't really know anything about it. But I loved the album (particularly the title track) and listened to it often.. and it got me thinking.
I started doing research and learning more about the Society and Flat Earth theory and gradually I came around to the Society's way of thinking. In 2001, I was saddened to learn that Charles K. Johnson, then president, had passed away and the Society had essentially died with him. I decided then that I would resurrect the Society. And here we are today. I still regret that I never contacted Charles when he was alive, but the new Society is my tribute to him and all of the other Flat Earther leaders who came before him. And, strange as it may sound, it wouldn't have happened without Thomas Dolby.