Doubt, Reason, and Free Inquiry, Not to be Tolerated in the UFO Subculture.
Greetings. The belief in unidentified flying objects is passionate, beyond what the English language can adequately describe.
The situation has progressed to the point that many aspects of ufological belief structures strongly resemble religious belief structures, complete with their own set of prophets (Bob Lazar, George Knapp, Jeremy Corbell, Luis Elizondo,) mythologies (Aztec, Aurora, Trinity, Kingman, Maury Island, etc.,) and even a day of deliverance (disclosure.)
"A subtle thought that is in error may yet give rise to fruitful inquiry that can establish truths of great value."
Isaac Asimov (1920-1992)
Some people who claim to have personally experienced the UFO phenomenon have become close-minded, intolerant of being questioned, often responding with rhetoric that speaks for itself, childish in wording, occasionally hateful, embarrassing to be honest, obviously counterproductive. The unfortunate result of this is that UFO investigators have become handcuffed, unable to add to their cache of information, left without hope of being able to conduct credible examinations due to the wanting of proof, evidence, and/or information, all due to the reticent behavior of alleged witnesses. Once upon a time, back in the heady days of Richard Hall, Coral Lorenzen, and Dr. James E. McDonald, witnesses would consistently state that UFO researchers were close-minded, not open to embracing the possibilities of alien visitation, but now the ufological shoes are squarely on the other foot, with alleged witnesses completely unwilling to be questioned and completely disinclined to accept the investigative results of credible, professional researchers and investigators.
"Our belief is not a belief. Our principles are not a faith. We do not rely soley upon science and reason, because these are necessary rather than sufficient factors, but we distrust anything that contradicts science or outrages reason. We may differ on many things, but what we respect is free inquiry, openmindedness, and the pursuit of ideas for their own sake."
Christopher Hitchens (1949-2011)
Imagine attempting to pass a high school exam, or endeavoring to successfully complete a university course without having access to all the pertinent materials for study and scrutinization. Such a task would be downright fruitless and realistically impossible. Open transparency is essential. A willingness to answer questions and inquiries is essential. The consideration of all possibilities, even less likely, less mundane alternatives is essential. All parties involved, researchers and witnesses alike, have a responsibility to such courses of action, otherwise, there is no hope of adequately exploring the UFO problem.
"Reason and free inquiry are the only effectual agents against error."
Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826)
Thank you for your time and consideration.
The UFO community has shifted so far from open inquiry that questioning anything now feels like walking straight into a burning building. What was once an exploratory field has, in many areas, turned into a belief system where certain figures and stories are treated as untouchable. The comparison to religious structures accurately reflects how the culture currently functions.
ReplyDeleteThe dynamic between what it once was and what it is today has completely flipped. Years ago, witnesses accused researchers of being too rigid or closed-minded. Today, it is the witnesses and self-proclaimed experiencers who are the ones shutting down the moment you ask even the most basic questions. This is making genuine investigation nearly impossible. If someone won’t allow their claim to be examined, then it cannot serve as evidence of anything. Being passionate about your experiences does not equal credibility, no matter what witnesses tell themselves or how loudly they shout it from the rooftops of every social media platform they can.
Doubt, transparency, and critical thinking are not only necessary; they’re essential. Without them, we are just spinning our wheels, repeating stories instead of being able to evaluate them thoroughly and properly. And when people treat skepticism as an attack rather than a necessary part of research and understanding, the entire subject as a whole remains stuck in place.
If the UFO topic is ever going to move forward in a meaningful way, the culture around it has to become comfortable with inquiry again. Evidence should matter above all else, especially above any UFO celebrity or so-called UFO personality. Open inquiry must always matter more than defending a narrative. Skepticism > blind narrative belief.
Agreed, agreed, agreed. Well said and again, agreed. Thank you so much.
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