There are surely far better uses for scientific research grants than studying the UFO ‘data’. Curing cancer, developing quantum computing, researching the causes of global warming - you know, little things like that. Things that might actually make a difference to the way we live our lives.

Maybe once we’ve solved all the real and pressing problems that our planet faces, then we can think about throwing money at things that go bump in the night.

-Bacon*

The crisis of confidence I see in the
field these days is hardy unique to Ufology, and I can but wonder how the folks at, say, the Society for Psychical
Research, kept their spirits up and found the will to continue researching
after a century of nebulous results.
And really, what results could we hope for? We certainly lack the technological
means to compel the UFO’s to a more
direct dialogue, and we are uncertain
as to what we are truly looking for-travellers from distant stars? demons/
angels in modern garb? the fey folk or
some truly warped bureaucrats?

The phenomena remains. Lets us continue
to study it as best we can, by what means we are able, and not be downcast
at the lack of public popularity.

* Francis or Roger, I can’t remeber which…

I think that Moore, Friedman, Shandera etc. wanted to believe that the MJ-12 documents were real, and went along on that premise. Moore and Shandera cautiously approved of them (at least the famous “briefing document” anyway) in the early 1990s. I watched as Moore gradually accepted that they were most likely disinfo. He now says, (and I trend to agree) that there probably was an organization called MJ-12, but that there is little or no proof that it had anything to do with UFOs.

Re: Ufology- I agree with what Nick and others are saying here. In comments yesterday to the YouTube post, I responded to complaints that the fake videos would reflect badly on ufology. What could possibly marginalize ufology any more than it already is, or change the public’s view of our hobby?

#1: If higher intelligences are involved, it’s quite possible (and highly likely) they don’t wish to be exposed in the way “Ufologist” would like them to be.

If #1 is true then they have an ally in #2: Governments don’t wish to have them exposed the way “Ufologist” would like them to be. Different motivations, same result.

If #1 and #2 are true, #3 is that most Ufologist do not realize just how formidable #1 and #2 are. In the end, this makes them their own worst enemy. This works quite nicely for #1 and #2.

As for MJ-12, I don’t doubt something -like it- existed at one point. Based on the early history of the modern UFO age (1947 onward), it makes nothing but absolute sense. At this point however, even if it did, the point of disinfo is to muddy the waters so much that clarity will never be possible.

#1 and #2 are quite satisfied I suspect…

“Know thy lot, Know thine enemies, Know thyself.” ~ Sun Tzu Wu

“I can’t get no…” ~ The Rolling Stones

I agree that for some it can be like an addiction, but that’s tru of any hobby or activity. For the rest of us, it’s just one of the myriad things that are of interest in this world.

Paul

But I don’t think it is a hobby Paul.

I think it’s a FUCKING addiction. Stronger than crack, and sometimes even more destructive…

I’ll come back tomorrow… for my daily fix

You pretty much summed it up… as you and I have discussed many times before. It’s an interesting hobby, with a small base of fans, but that’s it, and anyone who thinks otherwise is simply deluding themselves.

Paul

I’m not sure how we change things, but I believe that things can only change if we can find some form of hard evidence to support the idea that UFOs exist.

But that will only ever happen (I personally think) if UFOs are literal nuts and bolts craft.

If they have far stranger origins, it may well be impossible to get tangible, hard evidence.

In which case, we may be perceived by the human race of the late 21st century and 22nd century in the same way that we view people who - 100 years ago - searched for fairies, or knocked on tables trying to contact the dead, etc.

In other words, we’ll be viewed as a group of people who looked into some unusual areas in search of the truth about aliens, but never really found any hard evidence that proved ET was visiting.

Ironically, if ET really does land, I personally think that ufology will be swept away in an instant as the public demands answers from the media, who in turn demand answeres from the government and the mainstream scientific community.

We may get a brief 5 minutes to say “we told you so,” but that will be it.

Unless we stumble on it first somehow.

…
Voldemort?

“I predict that ufology will never be anymore than a subject that attracts a few thousand people on a regular basis (and maybe less now).

Many ufologists confidently think that the world is waiting for them to finally deliver the ET goods and go down in history.

They’re not. Most people outside could not care less about the petty arguments in ufology (and don’t know about it anyway) and unless someone really makes a major breakthrough (along the lines of proving that Roswell was ET, for example), we will not be remembered by science, the media or the public.

A good many ufologists are ego-driven and full of self-importance. But at the end of the day, we are just a group of largely unrecognized people who argue with each other, and publish things here and there that get read by a few thousand people. And that’s it.

Same as it ever was. Same as it always will be.”

Depressing. But true.

Perhaps instead of in-fighting there should be a group attempt to come up with a certain image of ufology to present to the public to get them to take it more seriously.

No scientists agree completely on everything put forth about their field–it would be nice if some ufologists realized that there may very well be several answers to the same question (that question being: what the heck was THAT in the sky?).

Fight the good fight.

~Y

What do ufologists need to do to attract good scientists like the late John Mack?

Is it all in the hands of THEM (you know who)?