Oh man, that's the whole playbook right there. I see it all the time with stuff like this (not just flat earth, but other wild theories too). When a simple, real-world fact wrecks the whole idea, they just jump to a bigger, unfalsifiable claim like "everything is faked." It's a way to never have to admit being wrong, because you can just say any proof against you is part of the lie. It gets exhausting.

Totally get that. I read an interview once where a writer said the villain's plan is what makes the story happen. If their reasons are weak, the whole plot feels fake. Your month-long experiment sounds like it fixed that flat feeling. So maybe the villain isn't the key, but a strong one sure unlocks everything else, right?

Notice how people ALWAYS ask that. It's like we're trained to think a tool or a paint only works on one surface. My neighbor did the same thing with floor cleaner, refused to use it on the tile backsplash. We put things in boxes and miss the whole point.