According to critics, his YouTube videos have greatly accelerated the popularization of modern flat Earth belief, one without scientific merit.

[2][3] Sargent has been a competitive video game player, winning one virtual pinball tournament,[2] and has worked as a software analyst,[1] but has no scientific background.

It reported that Darryle Marble, who would later be a featured speaker at the first-ever Flat Earth Conference: ...found the light in his YouTube sidebar.

He describes himself as a recruiter for the movement,[4][14][1][11] and has been called its main organizer by media including the Los Angeles Times.

They have been attributed to "conspiracy mentality", reliance on religious belief, distrust of authority, science denial, or a fallacious, although pro-science, interpretation of the scientific method.