The Types Of UFO Fans
You read their words online and you see them at conventions (if you go to those.) They are the UFO fans, which of course is short for “fanatic.” They walk, talk, eat, and breathe the UFO subject. There has been no real attempt to sub-categorize them as yet, but it seems simple enough. The easiest way would be along a scale of their beliefs, following Hynek’s Close Encounter paradigm:
1: UFO Fan of the First Kind: Dilettante.
Goes to some UFO conventions to hear what the “pros” are saying and repeats whatever is heard to their friends without thinking. Online, they can be seen knocking those who don’t agree with them, but giving up rather easily, or quickly fading into comfortable anonymity after making their parroting statements. There is a good chance that they are either low-level science fans or new-age followers, which are both gateways to UFO fandom. Add psychedelic drugs into the mix and there is a high probability that they would make the jump to type 3 in an evening.
2: UFO Fan of the Second Kind: Serious.
Attends every UFO gathering they can afford. Also repeat the opinions of their favorite researchers, but with the added feature of obstinacy in the face of contradictory evidence. Almost without exception they are dyed-in-the-wool extraterrestrial believers. People who caution skepticism are obviously part of the conspiracy to keep the Truth locked away in the government vaults where it certainly resides. Either that, or they are dupes and “sheeple,” as Bill Cooper used to say.
3: UFO Fan of the Third Kind: Insane.
I have met a few of these, and they range from the merely funny to the possibly dangerous. One guy at a MUFON meeting in the San Fernando Valley in the late 1980s managed to go from discussing UFO conspiracies to oral sex and back within a couple of minutes of meeting me. Another one called me out of the blue (I don’t know how he got my unlisted number, and he wouldn’t tell me) but he started asking me for the addresses and phone numbers of all the UFO researchers I knew. I was afraid that he might show up at the front door. The less scary variety merely shout dissenters down or post to lists and blogs using LOTS OF CAPS. (One of the internet nicknames applied to this sort of character is “Captain Capslock.”)
Of course most other people at UFO conventions and in online forums are simply there to learn as much as they can and quietly go about their lives, perhaps enriched a little bit by questions that most people never consider. They may take a balanced view while considering well-researched evidence, always ready to discard or modify their opinions as new information becomes available, or simply remain agnostic. I like those people.
P.S. My apologies, but answers to comments will be delayed until Monday.
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Aug 30 2008 
August 30th, 2008 at 11:49 am
“1: UFO Fan of the First Kind: Dilettante.
2: UFO Fan of the Second Kind: Serious.
3: UFO Fan of the Third Kind: Insane.
Of course most other people at UFO conventions and in online forums are simply there to learn as much as they can and quietly go about their lives…”
Then clearly most people that attend UFO conventions are not UFO fans.
September 1st, 2008 at 9:31 am
SO WHAT KIND OF UFO FAN DO YOU THINK I AM GREG???
September 1st, 2008 at 10:59 am
Greg: What’s the thrust to lift ratio on that dude’s reversible wig-collar? Awesome!
September 1st, 2008 at 7:40 pm
Hello? Greg — what type of fan studies and produces “exomusicology”? Tenured Professor in Wisconsin possibly?
“The main tool of speculative exomusicology is the “thought experiment” which involves the music and culture of fictitious creatures and nonexistent alien species. The primary goal is that by thinking about what music might sound like and how musical instruments might be used in the context of various alien cultures, we might see more clearly what music means to ourselves.”
September 2nd, 2008 at 12:46 am
The Sage,
I only speak with a small sample of people when I am at conventions, so I was giving the rest of the audience the benefit of the doubt to sort of make up for the general tone of my screed. Why paint everyone with a satirical brush? It may be more of a wish, I admit.
September 2nd, 2008 at 12:48 am
RPJ,
I would guess by your online persona that you are a discerning and well-informed observer of the paranormal scene.
September 2nd, 2008 at 12:54 am
Drew,
The photo was taken at the first Retro UFO Convention two years ago. The man called himself “Orion Starseed,” and I remember him as a cool dude and a good sport for holding a copy of Weird California for my picture. I don’t know if he is a typical UFO fan, but he sure was interesting.
Sun Ra should be one of the first musicians examined by the field of exomusicology. According to the Aviary disinfo man on the 1988 UFO Coverup Live! show, the aliens like Tibetan music, although that’s what we would expect, isn’t it?
September 3rd, 2008 at 1:35 pm
Greg, you couldn’t be farther from the truth, but thank you for the kind words