Oh, and they've got some pretty fly merch to support the cause, too.
*Originally published on May 7, 2021:
We love conspiracy theories at Our Community Now. Naturally, when talk turned to wild theories, one of my co-workers brought up an organization that seems so far-fetched and ridiculous, I knew I had to write an article about it.
What's the organization, you ask? It's called Birds Aren't Real, and they're devoted to proving to the world that birds aren't, well, ... real. (Yes, you read that correctly.)
According to its website, Birds Aren't Real was founded back in 1976 and started as a "preventative cause" in reaction to stopping the genocide of real birds—which, per the movement, was between 1959 and 2001. However, in an interview with Newsweek, the organization's frontman Peter McIndoe said it started in the 1950s instead. So, there's some inconsistency there ... but I digress.
Now, the movement's main prerogative is to shed light on the government's use of "robotic replicas" that are watching us all.
As you're reading this, you're likely asking yourself, "this can't be real, right? It sounds like a parody or something." Nope. It's very much a thing that its followers believe in.
Per Newsweek, McIndoe "swore that it's a real thing and that it was just operating underground until the advent of the internet." So, I guess you can do some research on your own and come to a conclusion on whether it's a thing. Or not—you do you, boo.
Honestly, you just gotta read Newsweek's full interview with him. It's very entertaining and enlightening.
And whether or not it's an elaborate piece of satire, it has garnered quite an audience. The Birds Aren't Real Instagram account has 396K followers and its verified TikTok account has 685.8K followers. There are also regional chapters set up across the country, with members living in each state, says McIndoe.
Plus, the Birds Aren't Real merch line is actually pretty sweet. From t-shirts to hats, to stickers, and everything else in between, "Truther Gear" has something for everyone.
What do you think of Birds Aren't Real? Is this movement a clever satire? Or is there some validity to its beliefs? We'll let you be the judge. Comment below with your thoughts.
